[ابوالوليد المسلم]

The Belief in Allah (3/3)

Shaykh ibn Uthaymeen


4 – The Belief In Allah’s Names and Attributes:
This belief requires accepting whatever Allah described of Himself in His Book or in the Sunnah of His Messenger (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam). The Names and Attributes must be accepted without alteration[1], rejection [2], and precise description of their true nature or equating them with attributes of the creation. Allah said, what translated means, “And (all) the Most Beautiful Names belong to Allah, so call on Him by them, and leave the company of those who deny His Names. They will be requited for what they used to do.” [Surah Al-A'raf, 7:180],


“His is the highest description in the heavens and in the earth. And He is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.” [Surah Ar-Rum, 30:27] and, “There is nothing like unto Hint, and He is the All-Hearer, the All Seer.” [Surah Ash-Shurah, 42:11].


Two groups have fallen into misguidance concerning this matter:
One of them is Al-Mu’attilah (the refuters). This group rejected the Names and Attributes, or some of them, claiming that to accept them is to equate Allah with His creation. This claim is false for many reasons following are two of them:
1. This claim leads to false conclusions that Allah’s Words are in Opposition to each other. Allah is the One who confirmed these Names and Attributes and denied that there is anything that resembles Him. If confirming these Names and Attributes leads to equating Allah with the creation, then this will lead to the conclusion that Allah’s Words are full of discrepancies and refute each other.


2. For two things to have an attribute of some kind, does not mean that they are equal or look-likes. One can witness two persons who are both called “a human who hears, sees and speaks.” However, this description of both does not mean that they are of equal capabilities in their hearing, sight or speech. One can also see that animals have hands, legs and eyes. However, this does not mean that animals are equal in every respect with regards to their hands, legs and eyes. If disparity is this wide between that which creation possess of attributes or names, then the disparity between the Creator and creation is even greater and more evident.


The second misguided group is called “Al- Mushabbihah.” They confirmed the Names and the Attributes. Yet, they equated them with the names and attributes of the creation. They claimed that this is what the Texts mean. They claimed that Allah reveals to His slaves what they can comprehend. This claim is false for many reasons, some of them are: Allah’s resemblance with His creation is false and is refuted with the mind and the Laws of Shari’ah. Texts of the Qur’an and Sunnah cannot lead to falsehood in their meanings.


Allah revealed what His slaves can understand of the general meaning. However, the true nature of what these meanings are like is a knowledge that only Allah possesses, especially with regards to the true nature of His Names and Attributes. Allah confirmed that He is the All-Hearer. Hearing means to comprehend sounds. However, the true nature of Allah’s Hearing is unknown. Creation vary in their hearing capability. The difference between Allah’s Hearing and the hearing of creation is even greater and more evident. Also, Allah confirmed that He Istawa (Mounted or Settled) on His Throne. To mount and settle on a throne is known in the general meaning of the word “mounted,” or “settled.” The true nature of Allah’s mounting on His Throne is unknown. Mounting on something varies with regards to different creation. To mount on a chair is unlike mounting on a wild camel. If Istiwaa’ is this different between creation, then how can the Istiwaa’ of Allah be compared to the Istiwaa’ of creation? The difference between them is greater and more evident. Benefits of Believing in Allah Believing in Allah, in the way described above, leads to many benefits for the believers:
1. To truly realize the Taw’hid of Allah, by depending only on Him and hoping in, fearing and worshipping Him alone.


2. To prefect one’s love and reverence of Allah, and according to His Might as described by His Most-Beautiful Names and Most-High Attributes.


3.To truly give one’s worship to Allah, by adhering to His Commandments and abandoning His Prohibitions.

[1] TAAWEEL – Introducing change in a statement, leaving out the meaning understood by it, expressing and accepting such a meaning which the words may indicate in a doubtful sense. In the present context (i.e. Attributes of Allah) it means rejecting the true meaning of Attributes of Allah, as understood by the companions (radiyAllahu anhum), and giving preferences to one own understanding.

[2] TA’TEEL (Rejecting,Leaving or Vacating). It means negating the Attributes of Allah and denying them with His Self. The difference between Taqweel and Ta’teel is that in the latter case the real meaning is denied which is proved by the Qur’an and the Hadith. While in Tahreef the explanation of the text is done with such meanings that are false and the word does not prove them. So Ta’teel includes Tahreef. Wherever there is Tahreef, Ta’teel is certainly there, but the reverse is not true. If someone tries to prove the false meaning and denies the real meaning, he is committing both Ta’teel and Tahreef