Nature Of Allah

[wayfarer.]

In the name of Allah- most merciful, most compassionate!

This post is not intended for those who deliberately seek to disbelieve/misrepresent islam as they will never see anything except through their tinted glasses. They are mentally and psychologically sick with an array of terminal diseases: prejudice, arrogance, close-mindedness, superiority complexes and it is a waste of precious time to try to deal with them---- they are rubbish unworthy of attention

Rather its for those who are open minded and fair, who sincerely wish to know how Muslims conceive their Creator.

The following excerpts are taken from the book- Allah : The Concept of God in Islam by Yasin T. al-Jibouri

and contributions from "nature of Allah" by Yasir al wakeel.

A bedouin once came to the Prophet and said, "O Messenger of Allah! Teach me of the most unusual of knowledge!" He asked him, "What have you done with the peak of knowledge so that you now ask about its most unusual things?!" The man asked him, "O Messenger of Allah! What is this peak of knowledge?!" He said, "It is knowing Allah as He deserves to be known." The bedouin then said, "And how can He be known as He ought to be?" The Messenger of Allah answered, "It is that you know Him as having no model, no peer, no antithesis, and that He is One and only: He is the One Who is Apparent yet Hidden, the First and the Last, having no peer nor a similitude; this is the true knowledge about Him."

The Holy Quran narrates tells us about those who disbelieved in Allah in every age and time, depicting for us how they insisted, in order to believe in Him, on hearing or seeing Him, relying on their senses.

And those who have no knowledge say: Why does not Allah speak to us or a sign come to us? Even thus did those before them say; (they said) the like of what such people say; their hearts are all alike. Indeed, We have made the signs (leading to belief in Him) clear for people who are sure (2:118)

And those who do not hope for Our meeting say: Why have no angels been sent down upon us, or (why) do we not see our Lord? Certainly they themselves are too proud and have revolted in great revolt. On the day they see the angels, there shall be no joy on that day for the guilty... (25:21-22)

Islam is based on monotheism. Tawhid, the oneness of Allah, is an essential belief for all Muslims. Islam teaches that Allah, the one god, has 99 attributes. Although we can understand some of His attributes, His essence cannot be comprehended by a human's limited mental capacity. Allah has created mankind primarily so that they may know their creator through his creations.

Realization of the supremacy of Allah, although necessary for success in the hereafter, has not been enforced on man - it is a test that is based on the fact that man has been given free will. However, man's free will is limited, although he has the freedom to choose between right and wrong, he cannot change parts of his destiny that Allah has pre-determined. Understanding the nature of Allah is essential as it has a substantial effect on a Muslim's duties to Allah.

The oneness of Allah is the one most important theological principal in Islam. The first of the five pillars, the declaration of faith, which is the first act that one does to embark on Islam, reiterates the necessity of the belief in the oneness of Allah. It begins with the negation of any god other than Allah:

"I bear witness that there is no god but Allah and that Mohammed is His messenger."

Beginning with negation rather than affirmation, in this case, serves to emphasise strongly the importance of the oneness of Allah.

As well as proving the oneness of god through the Quran, logic too can help prove this.

If you ask a believer in god, whether he believes in one god or ten, you will probably find that somewhere in his definition of the term 'God' he rules out the possibility of god being weak, inferior or compromising. From this, we may say that something that is weak, inferior or compromising cannot be a God. Yet the very fact that there is more than one god suggests two contradictory possibilities- That the Gods are of equal power and therefore are compromising, or that their power is uneven resulting in some Gods being inferior to others. From this argument one can conclude that there can only be one true god.

Another belief that that there are two gods- one evil and one good- on account of the above reasoning can clearly be put aside. However one can also add that if there was one good god and one evil god, or even any other form of polytheism, the world would be in chaos and thus the order of the world would break down.

Logically, by the use of the common analogy that one can not have more than one captain in a boat you can start to see this reasoning. With power in the hands of more than one god there would clearly be argument.

"If there had been in them (the heaven and the earth) other gods beside Allah, then surely both would have gone to ruin." 21:23

Pantheism is another theory that Muslims believe to be wrong. Although Muslims believe that Allah is everywhere, he is a separate entity and therefore cannot be reincarnated in everything as the pantheists believe - who although are not strictly defined as polytheists, they are certainly not monotheistic in the Islamic sense.

Going against the oneness of Allah, Shirk, is a very major sin:

" Surely Allah will not forgive that any partner be associated with him " Holy Quran 4:49

Regarding the attributes of Allah, Islam teaches that Allah although He has many attributes, cannot be fully understood by man. Man is restricted in thought into that which is manifest, Allah however is unique and above human manifestation.

Allah, the god of all humanity, is perceived differently in other religions. Since man would be limiting Allah by creating a physical image of Him Muslims do not.

Allah is unique and superior to His creations.

Other religions believe that God resembles creation- they believe in describing causes by their effects. An example of this is that we can describe a corpse to be horrifying (the effect) but we may also say that the person responsible for this death, the murderer, (the cause) is also horrifying - cause resembles effect. This theory can easily be put aside, for although it may be true for a limited number of examples, the vast majority can prove it wrong, i.e. a shoe does not resemble a shoe maker, etc.

Thus Islam does not try in anyway to personify Allah. Whilst it may be true that two of His attributes are that He 'Sees' and 'Hears', this does not mean that He has eyes and ears like you and I, His hearing or seeing cannot be comprehended by us as finite beings.

Allah, the Almighty, is ideal. He is the 'Just' and the Judge, as well as the 'Avenger of Evil.' It follows that to test mankind one must judge fairly and punish those who do evil. An example of Allah's justness is that we are only accountable for our own actions, unlike the Christian concept of the original sin, for the Quran says that no bearer can bear a burden of another.

Muslims do not agree with the Judaeo- Christian concept of God having the necessity to rest as they say he did after creating the world. All god needs to say is 'Be and it is.' Tiredness is a human attribute as is making mistakes, this is not applicable to god who is infallible. Allah is also pre-existent to all he has created, he is the first, and as Aristotle put it in his cosmological theory 'the prime mover.'

Allah, the Creator has perfect knowledge. Muslims believe in the omniscience of Allah, He knows all that is tangible and that is manifest, He knows the past and the future. Muslims rebuke the Christian belief that god does not have perfect knowledge, for example in the bible it says that God underestimated the intelligence of His creations- He did not think that man could build the tower of Babel (Genesis Ch11 v5-7, Exodus Ch32 v14). Muslims argue that having created everything, He knows all that there is to know.

To be a Muslim it is essential to believe in the destiny, whether good or bad, that Allah has set for us (known as Qadr in Arabic). The Quran says:

" Say, Nothing shall befall us save that which Allah has ordained for us "

This however does not mean that man does not have free will, for if he did not Allah's justice would be compromised for you cannot judge a person if he does not have the freedom of choosing what he does. Allah, the 'Just', has given man both destiny and free will, the action of a human is interrelated with destiny and both are mutually necessary, as Imam Ali son of Abi Talib (as) said:

"The predestined will of Allah and the action of a human are like the spirit and the body, the spirit without the body has no physicality and the body without the soul is a picture without movement. If the two are adjoined they become like Al-Qadr and action, for if there was no Qadr then you would not know the difference between creation and creator, and if there was action without it being willed and predestined by Allah than it would not happen."

Some things such as our deaths and disease are above human will, no matter what a person does, if for instance God has set the hour at which you are to die than it will be so:

" And no soul can die except by Allah's leave- a decree with a fixed term" 3:146

" They say 'If we had any part in the government of affairs, we should not have been killed here.' Say 'If you had remained in your homes, surely those on whom fighting had been enjoined would have gone forth to their deathbeds ." 3:155

Earnings are also an example of things that are pre-destined by Allah, a poor man could work all his life but never become rich whilst others are rich without effort. This generalised example serves to bring us on to a specific comment; Even though things such as our income are predestined by Allah we must strive to improve our conditions, for although they are willed by Allah, if we will it Allah may change his will:

"Surely Allah changes not the condition of a people until they change themselves" Holy Quran

Yet we came back to the age old question: Why did God create man? One always wonders about this question, if God is perfect what use would man be to him? None. Allah did not create man for his own benefit, he created man for the benefit of man: The hadith Qudsi says:

" O son of Adam, I did not create you for my own benefit, but that you benefit from Me as your God, alone, for I am your saviour "

But how can we benefit from Allah? We can benefit from Allah by worshipping him, for if we worship Allah we will be rewarded. This is a reason in its self:

" And I have not created the Jin and man but that they worship Me " Holy Quran 51:57

Now the next thing that one can ask is 'How can we worship Him?' To worship Allah we have to accept that there is a God, this implies that God created man so that they may know Him, but is this the primary reason? The grandson of the Prophet, Imam Hussain bin Ali (as), implies that it is when he said:

"O people, Allah did not create mankind but that they know Him, for if they know Him they will worship Him, and if they worship Him they will benefit from his grace"

However, one may look at the purpose of creation from a different aspect and thus end up with an altogether different answer as to what the primary reason is. If you go back to the question of how can we benefit from Allah, we may come up with a different reason, other than worship. All of creation is already at benefit. Our existence is benefit. Being created is an example of Allah's mercy towards us. Thus one can conclude that we were created, fundamentally because Allah is merciful. However, although there are many different perspectives to the answer as to why we were created, they are all connected and in a way each of them is right.

In defining what is meant by a Muslim's duties, we may generalise that a Muslim's duty is to worship Allah. To elaborate further, Muslims do not see the term worship in the vague sense of praying and fasting etc - worship can be any aspect of a Muslim's daily life depending on the intention. For example even a when a Muslim goes to get an education, provided that he intends to use it for good, it is seen as worship and will be rewarded.

Each of Allah's divine attributes has practical implications in the life of a firm Muslim. Clear, comprehension of the uniqueness of Allah's nature improves a persons Taqwa (piety, God consciousness/awareness), or belief in god. Having taqwa in our hearts throughout our daily life adds a feeling of contentment peace with one's self and constant happiness, for when they return to Allah He will say:

O soul at peace. Return to thy Lord well pleased with Him and He will be pleased with thee Holy Quran 89:28-29

Realization that Allah knows all, hears all and sees all that we do is one of the most important aspects of Allah's nature that a Muslim can benefit from. Knowing that 'there are not two but that the third is Allah (hadith) increases what we might call our 'self-policing'. For example, when one is alone such as when a teenager is away from his strict parents, he may say that there is no one to fear so why bother praying? The answer to this is given in the following hadith:

"Fear Allah as if you can see Him, if you cannot imagine seeing Him, know that He sees you."

Allah sees everything that we do and so we should be faithful in our duties even when we are alone.

For those who have a very high realization of the nature of Allah, they do not worship him for the fear of His hell, nor for the want of His paradise but because Allah is worthy of all praise. Imam Ali (as), the cousin of the prophet says:

"O Allah, I did not worship You for the greed of your paradise nor for the fear of hell, but because you are worthy of all praise."

This is the ideal that all Muslims should aim for.

Let us now try to answer a number of basic questions about the Almighty:

How can you describe Him?

Numerous verses of the Holy Quran point out to His existence. Consider the argument of Ibrahim who said: "My Lord is the One Who brings life and Who causes death" (Quran, 2:258), and the argument of Moses who said, "[He is] your Lord and the Lord of your fathers of old" (Quran, 26:26). Also consider these verses:

Our Lord is the One Who gave everything its creation, then He guided it (to its destination). (20:50)The Lord of the East and the West: there is no god but He; therefore, take Him for a protector. (73:9)

Can you define Him?

The Exalted One says that He defies definition: "... nothing at all is like Him" (Quran 42:11).

Can one ask: "What is He?

Pharaoh asked Moses, "And what is the Lord of the worlds?" (Qura'n, 26:23). Moses answered by saying that He is "Your Lord and the Lord of your fathers of old" (Qura'n, 26:26). There is no way to know Him by defining "what" He is; rather, one can get to know the proofs of His Existence, Might, Knowledge, Wisdom, Mercy and His being the Creator of everything. "Do not think about Allah," said Imam `Ali, "rather, think about what Allah has created, for thinking about Allah only increases one's bewilderment."

Is He one or more?

The Glorified One has required the Muslims to

Say: He, Allah, is One. (112:1)

And your God is One God! (2:163)

Had there been in them any gods besides Allah, they would both have certainly been in a state of disorder. (21:22)

Is He confined to any place?

The Holy Quran tells us that: He is the Supreme (watching) over His worshippers (6:61) They revere their Lord High above them. (16:50) The Beneficent God is firmly established on the throne (of authority). (20:5)

"Above them" in 16:50 refers to the Almighty being above His servants in His Might, Power, Loftiness, not to being above them in place, space, area, elevation, or physical location; these do not apply to Him.

The Messenger of Allah called upon His Lord during his ascension to heavens pleading to Him thus, "You are as You have praised Your own Self,"

and Prophet Younus (Jonah) son of Matti, while being in the bottom of the sea, called upon his Lord saying, "There is no god but You! Glory to You! Surely I have become one of those who commit injustice against their own souls!" (Quran, 21:87).

The Messenger of Allah has said, "Do not exalt me over him [over Younus] in nearness to Allah just because I reached the High Throne while he was in the bottom of the sea, for the Adored One is above being confined to a space or a direction."

He is above being confined to place or direction: "All those in the heavens and the earth glorify Allah" (Quran, 57:1).

When did He begin to exist?

The Praised One has said, He is the First and the Last, the Evident and the " Immanent " and He has full knowledge of all things. (57:3) Everything is to perish except He. (28:88)

Anyone who asks when His existence came to be implies that there was a time when He did not exist, i.e. that void preceded Him. He is not "preceded" by anyone, nor is He "succeeded" by anyone. His continuation is above being tied to time. His existence is too holy to be dependent on time; such are characteristics of things or persons who come to be then perish, or of those whose being is possible in the future, but they do not apply to Him.

Another verse which similarly describes His eternity and perpetuity is this one: "Everyone on earth will perish but will abide (forever) the Face of your Lord, full of Majesty, Bounty and Honour" (Qura'n, 55:26-27), and also this: "Blessed is He in Whose hands is the dominion" (Qura'n, 67:1). "Blessed," that is, tabaraka, is derived from baraka- blessing, which connotes constancy and lack of acceptance to change. His existence is everlasting, eternal, perpetual.

Over what does He rule?

The Almighty says, "Say: O Allah! Master of authority! You give authority to whomsoever You please and take it away from whomsoever You please" (Quran 3:26). He, and only He, is the King of kings; He grants others authority: "Blessed is the One in Whose hand is the kingdom" (Quran 67:1). Vanities and possessions owned by others will all disappear on the Day of Judgment: "Whose will be the dominion that Day? It is Allah's, the One, the Subduer (of all)" (Quran 40:16).

What is the extent of His knowledge ?

He has said, [He is] the One Who knows the unseen and the seen. (6:73) And with Him are the keys of the unseen treasures: none knows them except He. (6:59) Slumber does not overtake Him nor sleep. (2:255) And your Lord is not forgetful. (19:64) And you are not (engaged) in any affair, nor do you recite concerning it any portion of the Qura'n, nor do you do anything, except that We are witnesses over you when you enter into it. (10:61)

What is His speech?

The Most Glorified and Exalted has said, Were every tree on earth (made into) pens and the sea (to supply it with ink), with seven more seas to add thereto, the words of Allah would not have been exhausted; surely Allah is Mighty, Wise. (31:27) Say: Were the sea (turned into) ink for the (recording of the) words of my Lord, the sea would surely be consumed before the words of my Lord are exhausted though We were to bring the like of that (sea) to add thereto. (18:109)

How is He?

The Exalted One says, Allah's is the command before (now) and thereafter. (30:4) The day on which no soul shall control anything for (another) soul, and the command on that Day shall be entirely Allah's. (82:19)

Why is He the Praised One?

The Almighty has said that He is "... the Apparent and the Hidden" (Quran, 57:3), that is, His Existence, Might and Wisdom are all evident if one observes the indications thereto, yet His reality is obscured from all intellects.

What is His will?

The answer to this verse is provided by verses such as these: And you do not please except if Allah [so] pleases. (76:30) Allah chooses whomsoever He pleases especially for His mercy, and Allah is the Lord of mighty grace. (2:105) Allah grants His authority to whomsoever He pleases, and Allah cares for all, and He knows all things. (2:247) Allah sets on the right path whomsoever He pleases. (2:272) He it is Who shapes you in the wombs as He pleases. (3:6) If He pleases, He may take you off and make whomsoever He pleases successors after you. (6:133)

Why is He the all-Knowing, the Omnipotent?

He has responded to those who raised such a question by saying, He cannot be questioned concerning what He does while they shall be questioned. (21:23) All things are destined in the end to the One Who has facilitated their being what they are, the One Who cannot be explained; therefore, the attempt to analyze Him, His Attributes, and His actions, is simply impossible.

Does He have sons, daughters, parents, or any family members or relatives?!

The God of Islam and of all mankind has said, "Say: He, Allah, is One. Allah is He on Whom everyone [and everything] depends. He does not beget, nor is He begotten, and none is like Him" (Quran 112:1-4).

Does He forgive?

He has said, "Inform My servants that I am the Forgiving, the Merciful" (Quran 15:49).

What about His creation?

He has said, O man! What has beguiled you from your Lord , Who created thee. Fashioned thee in due proportion, and gave thee a just bias; (82:6-8) Have they not considered that Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth and was not tired by their creation...? (46:33) This is Allah's creation, so show Me what those besides Him have created. (31:11)

Can He be seen?

He, the Most Exalted, the Most High, has told that When Moses came to the place appointed by Us, and his Lord addressed him, he said: "Lord! Show (Yourself) to me so that I may look upon You." Allah said: "By no means can you see Me; but look at the mountain; if it abides in its place, then shall you see Me." When his Lord manifested His glory to the mountain, He made it like dust, and Moses fell in a swoon. When he recovered his senses, he said: "Glory to You! To You do I turn in repentance, and I am the first to believe." (Qura'n, 7:143).

Sunnis, however, believe, that the believers will be able on the Day of Judgment to see Allah. Shias disagree with them.

How does He command?

He has said, His command, when He intends anything, is only to say to it: Be, and it is. (36:82) When He decrees an affair, He only says to it: Be, and it is. (40:68) His creatures have always wondered about His Attributes, Praise and Glory to Him, so He provided them with the following verses wherein they can find the clear answer: And Allah's are the most Beautiful Names (Attributes), so call upon Him thereby. (7:180) Allah: there is no god but He; His are the very Best Names. (20:8) Say: Call upon Allah or upon al-Raman; whichever you call upon, He has the Great Names...(17:110).

He is Allah, besides Whom there is no other god; the King, the Holy, the One Who grants peace, the One Who gives security, the Guardian over all, the Mighty, the Supreme, the Possessor of greatness; Glory to Allah from what they set up (with Him). He is Allah the Creator, the Maker, the Fashioner; His are the most beautiful Attributes; whatever in the heavens and the earth declares His glory, and He is the Mighty, the Wise. (59:21-24)

Hisham ibn al-Hakam once asked Imam Jafer al-Sadiq about Allah's Attributes and their derivation, as well as the derivation of the word "Allah," the Imam said to him, "The proper noun `Allah' is derived from `ilah;' the Creator requires the existence of creation [to testify to His being its Creator]. This is a noun, not an adjective.

Anyone who worships a name without worshipping what the name stands for is actually committing kufr, apostasy; in reality, he does not worship anything at all.

One who worships the name and the meaning is also committing kufr, for he will be worshipping two. Only one who worships the meaning without the name is in line with the concept of Tawhid (Unity of God). Have you understood all of this, O Hisham?" He answered him in the affirmative, requesting him to provide more explanations, whereupon the Imam said, "There are ninety-nine Attributes of Allah. Had each Attribute been the same as it describes, each one of them would have been a god by itself. But `Allah' is the meaning one deducts once he becomes familiar with all these Attributes. They all, O Hisham, in their collective sense, are not the same as He Himself.

Bread is something you eat. Water is something you drink. A garment is something you put on. And fire is something that burns. Do you understand all of this, O Hisham, fully enough so that you would promote it and fight the enemies of Allah for its sake?!" Hisham answered him in the affirmative, whereupon the Imam added, "May Allah grant you thereby benefits, and may He keep your feet firm thereupon, O Hisham!"

Imam al-Sadiq has said,

O son of Adam! If a bird were to eat your heart, it would not have felt satisfied. If the hole of a needle were put before your vision, it would have covered it up. How dare you, using these two, expect to know by them the domain of the heavens and the earth?! Had you been truthful, you would have looked at this sun: it is one object among many of Allah's creations. Had your eyes been able to see all of it, then, and only then, would you have really been truthful. Allah, the Exalted and the Great, says, "And to your Lord is the [end] goal" (Qura'n, 53:42). So, when speech reaches the subject of Allah, it is then that you should hold your tongue...

In sermon 186 in Nahjul Balagha, Imam `Ali says the following :

One who assigns conditions to Him does not believe in His Oneness, nor does one who likens Him to anything grasp the reality about Him. One who illustrates an example for Him does not revere Him. One who points at Him and imagines Him does not know the meaning of His Lordship. Anything known by itself is a created thing, and everything that exists by virtue of other things is the effect thereof.

He does things but not with the help of instruments. He assigns measures but not with the faculty of thinking. He is rich but not by acquisition. Time does not keep company with Him, nor does He seek help from any means. His Being precedes time. His Existence precedes non-existence, and His eternity precedes beginning.

By creating the senses, it is known that He does not have the same. By comparing antitheses, it is known that He has no antithesis, and by striking similarities between things, it is known that there is nothing similar to Him. He has made light the contrary of darkness, brightness the opposite of dimness, dryness the opposite of moisture, and heat the opposite of coolness.

He causes harmony among opposites. He fuses together diverse things; He brings closer what is remote and distances what is joined together. He is not confined to limits, nor computed by figures. Matters are attracted to one another, and parts point out to what is similar to them; the word "since" disproves their eternity, and possibility disproves their perpetuity, while certain means keep them distant from perfection.

Through them does the Creator manifest Himself to the intellect, and by them is He veiled from vision. Stillness and motion do not apply to Him; how can anything that He causes to have any effect on Him, and how can anything which He has created revert in its effect unto Him?

Or how can anything have an impact upon Him while He Himself brought it to being? Had it not been so, He would have become subject to diversity, His Being would have become divisible (into parts), and His reality would have been prevented from being Eternal. Had He had a front, He would have had a rear! He would have needed to be completed had there been any shortage in Him. In that case, characteristics of His creatures would have appeared in Him, and He would have become a sign (leading to other objects) instead of the latter leading to Him.

Through the might of His effectiveness is He distanced above being affected by things. Neither change nor extinction affect Him. He has not begotten anyone lest He should be said as having been Himself born. He has not been begotten lest He should have been confined to limits. He is too sublime to have sons, too pure to take women. Imagination cannot reach Him to assess Him. Comprehension cannot conceive Him and fancy a shape for Him. Senses do not perceive Him to probe Him. Hands cannot touch Him to feel Him.

He does not change into any condition. He does not pass from one stage to another. Nights and days do not age Him. Light and darkness do not alter Him. It cannot be said that He has a limb or extremity, an end or an expiration, nor do things control Him to raise or lower Him, nor does anything support Him to bend Him or keep Him erect. He is not inside things nor outside them. He conveys news, but not with the tongue or voice. He listens, but not with ear holes or organs of hearing. He speaks but does not utter words.

He remembers but does not memorize. He determines but not by exercising His mind. He loves and approves without sentiments. He hates and feels angry without any painstaking. When He intends to create a thing, He says to it "Be" and it is, but not through a voice that strikes (the ears). His speech is a manifestation of what He has created. His peer never existed before, nor is He regarded as old; otherwise, He would have become a second god.

It cannot be said that He came into being after He had not been in existence because in that case the effects of creation would have been reflected on Him, and there would have remained no difference between them and Him, and He would have no distinction over them.

Thus, the Creator and the created would have become equal, and the Initiator and the initiated would have been on the same level. He created creation without any model made by someone else, and He did not secure the assistance of any among His creation for creating. He created the earth and controlled it without having to hold it, retained it without having to support it, making it stand without poles, raising it without pillars, protecting it against bending or curving, defending it against crumbling or fragmenting.

He fixed mountains on it like pegs, solidified its rocks, caused its streams to flow and expanded its valleys. Whatever He made did not suffer any flaw, and whatever He strengthened did not permit any weakness. He manifests Himself over the earth through His authority and greatness. He is aware of what there is inside it through His knowledge and understanding.

He has power over everything on earth by virtue of His sublimity and dignity. Nothing on earth that He asks defies Him, nor does it oppose Him to overpower Him. He is not in need of anyone to feed Him. All things bow down to Him and are humble before His greatness. They cannot flee away from His authority to someone else in order to escape His benefit or harm.

There is no parallel for Him who may match Him, and none is like Him to equal Him. He will destroy the earth after its existence, till all that exists on it will become non-existent. But the extinction of the world after its creation is no stranger than its formation and invention the first time. How could it be? Even if all the beings on earth, be they birds or beasts, cattle or pasture herds, of different origins and species, clever or not so clever nations, all jointly combine efforts to create even a mosquito, they will not be able to bring it into being nor understand the means to its creation. Their wits are bewildered and they are aimlessly wandering . Their powers fall short and they fail, returning disappointed and worn out, realizing that they are defeated, admitting their inability to produce it.

They will also realize that they are too weak (even) to destroy it.

Surely, after the extinction of the world, Allah the Glorified will remain alone with nothing else besides Him. He will be, after its extinction, as He was before then: without time or place, a moment or a period. Age and time will not then exist, and years and hours will disappear. There will be nothing except Allah, the One, the Omnipotent. To Him is the return of all matters. The initial creation of all matters was never within the power of the latter, and the prevention of their own extinction was never within their reach. Had they had the power to prevent such an extinction, they would have existed forever. When He created any part of this world, its making did not cause Him any difficulty, and the creation of anything which He created and formed did not exhaust Him.

He did not create it to enhance His authority, nor did He do so for fear of any loss or harm, nor to seek help against an overwhelming foe, nor to guard against any avenging opponent, nor for the extension of His domain, nor for boasting of it before a partner, nor because of His feeling of loneliness and desire to seek company. Then, after its creation, He will destroy it not because of any worry that overcomes Him in maintaining and administering it, nor for any pleasure that will accrue to Him, nor for the cumbersomeness of anything over Him.

The prolongation of its existence does not wear Him out to induce Him to its quick destruction. But Allah, the Glorified One, has maintained it with His kindness, kept it intact with His command, and perfected it with His might. Then, after its destruction, He will bring it back to being again not for any need of His own for it, nor to seek the assistance of anything in it, nor to change the condition of loneliness to that of company, nor from ignorance to knowledge, nor from want and need to independence and plentitude, nor from disgrace and lowliness to honour and prestige.

In another sermon, wherein he discusses the beginning of the creation of the heavens and the earth, the Imam says :

Praise is due to Allah Whose worth cannot be described by orators, Whose bounties cannot be counted by those who compute, the obedience to Whom cannot be satisfied by those who strive to do so, Whom the height of intellectual endeavor cannot appreciate, and the depths of understanding cannot reach, for Whose description no limit can ever be set, nor praise satisfies, nor time suffices, and no duration is fixed. He brought forth creation through His might, dispersed the winds as an act of His mercy, and He firmed the earth with the mountains.

The foremost in religious obligation is to acknowledge Him, the perfection of acknowledging Him is to achieve His Pleasure, the perfection of achieving His Pleasure is to believe in His Oneness, the perfection of believing in His Oneness is to regard Him as the Pure, and the perfection of His purity is not to attach adjectives to Him because every adjective is an indication that it is different from that to which it is best named, and everything to which something is best named is different from the Best Name itself.

Thus, whoever attaches adjectives to Allah recognizes a peer like Him, and whoever recognizes His peer regards two gods; and whoever regards Him as One of two associate-partners with Him, and whoever associates partners with Him errs in His regard and does Him injustice, and whoever errs in His regard points out at Him, and whoever points out at Him admits limitations for Him, and whoever admits limitations for Him numbers Him.

Whoever wonders where He is maintains that He is confined to a place, and whoever wonders above what He is maintains that He is not above something else. He is a Being but not through phenomenon of coming into being. He exists but not from non-existence. He is with everything but not in physical proximity. He is different from everything but not in any physical way. He acts but without connotations of movement or means. He sees yet none among His creation can see Him. He is One and Only, so there is none with whom He keeps company or whom He misses when absent.

None besides Allah has ever created anything out of nothing. He, and only He, is the Creator, whereas everything besides Him is a creation of His. Everything in the cosmos, the stars and constellations, the earth and its mountains, oceans, rivers, vegetation, small or large beings, and the humans who live on it, are all among His creations .

Verses stressing this fact abound in the Holy Quran...among them are :

Allah is the Creator of everything and He has authority over everything. His are the treasures of the heavens and the earth; as for those who disbelieve in the communications of Allah, they surely are the losers. (39:62-63)

Such is Allah, your Lord, the Creator of everything; there is no God but He; whence are you then turned away? (40:62)

Such is Allah, your Lord; there is no god but He, the Creator of all things; so, worship Him (and Him alone), and He has charge of all things. (6:102)

No vision can grasp Him, but His grasp is over all vision: He is above all comprehension, yet is acquainted with all things.

[Gepetto_Zapata]

Salam

Great Post, remembers us about the Greatness of Allah (s.w.t.).

[wayfarer.]

^

shukran habibi :)

Imam Ja`fer al-Sadiq has quoted the Messenger of Allah saying, " There are ninety-nine Attributes of Allah; whoever counts them will enter Paradise."

He is also quoted saying that whoever learns these Attributes by heart and comprehends their meanings (and acts upon it) will enter Paradise.

Inshallah I will be adding these attributes on this thread on a daily basis for our benefit.

Obviously nobody knows Allah as He deserves to be known except Allah Himself. Lets make an attempt to re-acquaint ourselves with Allah through these attributes :)

[wayfarer.]

In the Holy Qura'n, we read the following verses:

Allah: There is no god but He; His are the Greatest Names. (20:8)

Say: Call upon Allah or call upon the Beneficent God (al-Rahman); whichever you call upon, He has the Greatest Names." (Qura'n, 17:110) To Allah belong the Greatest Names; therefore, call on Him thereby, and leave alone those who violate the sanctity of His Names..." (Qura'n, 7:180)

THE ATTRIBUTES OF Allah

1. "Allah"

The proper noun "Allah" solely belongs to The Almighty God, the Truth. Anything succeeding it is regarded as an adjective describing it, while it remains a noun indicative of the True God. It combines all His Attributes, and it needs no introduction from others, whereas the other Attributes attain recognition when added thereto. "Allah" is not given to anyone other than Him, nor should it ever be used for anyone besides Him.

"Allah" is the ever-Existent, the One Who causes existence, Who maintains existence, Who creates everything that exists. Whatever He creates shall perish; He never will: "... say: `Allah!' then leave them sporting in their vain discourses" (Qura'n, 6:91).

[syeda_zaidi]

(salam)

A very good post indeed; discussing not just one but multiple issues like Tawheed, Ad'l, Taqdir and purpose of creation, to prove the existence of Allah (swt)

There's no doubt that He (swt) is unexplainable, un-knowable, but at the same time, His existence is evident is every creation from a tiny ant to the highest peaks of the mountains. From this world to the entire Universe.

Subhan'Allah!!

Oh btw...

I'm stealing this quote by Imam Ali (as) from ur post :)

"The predestined will of Allah and the action of a human are like the spirit and the body, the spirit without the body has no physicality and the body without the soul is a picture without movement. If the two are adjoined they become like Al-Qadr and action, for if there was no Qadr then you would not know the difference between creation and creator, and if there was action without it being willed and predestined by Allah than it would not happen."

It will definitely help answer the "ever-asked" question of pre-destiny by youngsters!

[wayfarer.]

There's no doubt that He (swt) is unexplainable, un-knowable, but at the same time, His existence is evident is every creation from a tiny ant to the highest peaks of the mountains. From this world to the entire Universe.

Subhan'Allah!!

(wasalam)

Subhanallah! :) Allahu Akbar !

I'm stealing this quote by Imam Ali (as) from ur post

Feel free to steal and distribute! and that reminds me of another quote of our Great Imam Ali (as) along lines of :

"Destiny: it is a dark path, so do not follow it, it is a deep ocean, so do not enter it, it is the secret of Allah, so do not burden yourself with it."

theres also an incident recorded in the nahjul balagha (peak of eloquence):

When Amir al-mu'minin decided to set out for the battle with the Kharijites someone said, "If you set out at this moment then according to astrology I fear you will not be successful in your aim," whereupon Amir al-mu'minin said:

Do you think you can tell the hour when a man goes out and no evil befall him or can warn of the time at which if one goes out harm will accrue? Whoever testifies to this falsifies the Qur'an and becomes unmindful of Allah in achieving his desired objective and in warding off the undesirable. You cherish saying this so that he who acts on what you say should praise you rather than Allah because according to your misconception you have guided him about the hour in which he would secure benefit and avoid harm.

Then Amir al-mu'minin advanced towards the people and said:

O' People! Beware of learning the science of stars except that with which guidance is sought on land or sea, because it leads to divining and an astrologer is a diviner, while the diviner is like the sorcerer, the sorcerer is like the unbeliever and the unbeliever would be in Hell. Get forward in the name of Allah. As a result the Kharijites suffered such a clear defeat that out of their nine thousand combatants only nine individuals saved their lives by running away while the rest were killed.

Naarey Haideri !!! YA Ali !!!

http://www.nahjulbalagha.org/SermonDetail.php?Sermon=78

Edited March 17, 2008 by Akbar007

[wayfarer.]

...continuation of Allah's 99 attributes :

The second attribute of Allah is that Allah is "Rahman" (merciful)

Allah has said, "All those in the heavens and the earth will come to the Beneficent God obediently" (Qura'n, 19:93).

"Al-Rahman al-Rahim" are two of the Attributes of Allah which remind people of His mercy, of the fact that His act of affecting goodness and rewards reach whomsoever He pleases, thus warding off evil from them. "Al-Rahman" and "al-Rahim" are two concurrent Attributes of His each conveying more meanings of mercy than the other.

"Al-Rahman" is an Attribute specifically relevant to Allah; none besides Him can be called or referred to as such, whereas "al-rahim" can be applied to people: One may be described as "rahim," merciful or kind, but a human cannot be "rahman".

In the Holy Qura'n, we read: "In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful" (Qura'n, 1:1); "The beneficent God is firm in power" (Qura'n, 20:5). It is an Attribute demonstrating that mercy can be possible only through Him. It means "the One Who grants mercy beyond which there is no other mercy at all and the like of which does not at all exist."

Though derived from mercy, "al-Rahman" is both a noun and an adjective. Neither contradicts the other.

It is commonly known that mercy means: one's desire or power of will to bring goodness to one who is much less than him in status.

[wayfarer.]

The third attribute is "Al-Rahim"

Allah, Praise and Glory to Him, has said, "Inform My servants that I am the Forgiving, the Merciful" (Qura'n, 15:49).

"Al-Rahim" is derived from "rahmah," mercy or compassion. "Rahmah" implies the salvation of those who receive it from harm and loss, and their being blessed with guidance, forgiveness and sound conviction. Al-Rahim, i.e. the One Who grants rahmah, is a superlative. It is the highest derivative form of rahmah. Allah has said, "He it is Who sends His blessings on you, and (so do) His angels, so that He may bring you out of utter darkness into the light, and He is Merciful to the believers" (Qura'n, 33:43).

Al-Rahim is the One Who bestows countless blessings. Some say that this word is derived from "Rahim," and we have already come to know that the root word for it is "rahmah," that is, favours from Allah and blessings; surely His blessings cannot be counted, nor can they ever be exhausted.

The Messenger of Allah has said, "One who has no compassion towards people is deprived from Allah's Compassion." He has also said, "One who does not respect the seniors among us, nor shows compassion towards our young, nor safeguards the rights of the scholars among us, is surely none of us." Compassion among the servants of Allah is a sure path to achieving the mercy of Allah. The Messenger of Allah has said, "Be merciful unto those on earth so that those in the heavens may be merciful unto you."

[wayfarer.]

fourth is "Al-Malik"

God has said, "So exalted be Allah, the True King" (Qura'n, 23:116).

"Al-Malik" conveys the meaning of "One Who is free, by virtue of His Own merits and characteristics, from depending on anything in existence, while everything in existence depends on Him." Nothing in existence can do without Him, whereas everything that exists derives its existence from Him or because of Him. Everything/everyone is His.

Al-Malik occurs in: "Master of the Day of Judgment" (Qura'n, 1:4). Another method of recitation: Melik, King of the Day of Judgment. Al-Maleek exists in this verse: "In the seat of honour with a most Powerful King" (Qura'n, 54:55). "Malikul-Mulk" exists in: "O Allah, Master of the Kingdom!" (Qura'n, 3:26). "Al-Malakoot" exists in: "Therefore glory to the One in Whose hand is the kingdom of all things" (Qura'n, 36:83).

The Almighty has described Himself as being "Malikul-Mulk," the Owner of everything, of the whole domain, saying, "Say: O Allah, Master of the Kingdom!" (Qura'n, 3:26), and "Master of the Day of Judgment" (Qura'n, 1:4), which is one of the first verses of the Holy Qura'n.

A land's owner is its "malik," one legally bound to obey the king, the "malik," with regard to land-related laws issued by the latter, whereas the opposite is not possible.

Among the Attributes of Allah Almighty, the word "al-Malik" has occurred independently, whereas the word "Malik" is always added to something else, such as "Maliki yawmid-Deen," Master of the Day of Judgment; therefore, the first Attribute has to be more revered.

[wayfarer.]

5th : "Al-Quddoos"

Allah has said, "Whatever in the heavens and in the earth declares the glory of Allah, the King, the Holy" (Qura'n, 62:1).

"Al-Qudoos" means: the One Whose characteristics cannot be conceived by the senses, nor can He be conceived by imagination, nor can He be realized by any mind or reason or judged by any intellect. Linguistically, it is derived from "quds," purity or cleanness. "Al-bayt al-muqaddas" means the Purified House, the one in which people purify themselves from the filth of sins. Paradise is also called the place of quds because it is free from the ills of the life of this world. Arch-angel Gabriel is called in Islam "al-ruh al-quds," the Holy Spirit, because he is free from any fault in delivering divine inspiration to the messengers of Allah. Allah has described Himself as "... the King, the Holy" (Qura'n, 59:23), and He has also said, "Whatever in the heavens and in the earth declares the glory of Allah, the King, the Holy" (Qura'n, 62:1).

Al-Qudds is the One Who is above need and Whose Attributes are above being deficient. He is the One Who purifies the souls against sinning, Who takes the wicked by their forelocks, Who is above being limited to space or time.

The Messenger of Allah once sent one of his companions to teach Islam to a group of new converts and to lead them in congregational prayers. That companion used not to recite any chapter of the Holy Qura'n (besides, of course, the Fatiha) other than Surat al-Tawhid (or al-Ikhlas), so those believers went back once to the Prophet and told him about it. The Prophet said to them, "Go back and ask him why he does so." Upon asking him, the companion answered them by saying, "... because it contains the Attribute of al-Rahman, and this is why I love to recite it so often!" When they told the Prophet this answer, he said to them, "Go back and tell him that the Praised and Glorified One loves him too."

Ibn `Abbas spent a night once with his cousin the Messenger of Allah. When the Messenger of Allah woke up and stood up on his bed, he raised his head towards the heavens and thrice repeated the following statement: "Subhanal Malik al-Qudds!" (Glory to the King, the Holy!) Then he recited the last verses of Surat Ali-`Imran starting with the verse: "Surely in the creation of the heavens and the earth..."

Edited March 28, 2008 by Akbar007

[wayfarer.]

6th : "Al-Salam"

Allah Almighty has said that He is "... the King, the Holy" (Qura'n, 59:23).

"Al-Salam" means: the One Who is free from defect and shortcoming, Whose qualities are above deficiency, Whose deeds are free from evil. Since He is as such, there can be neither peace nor security in existence without Him.

"Salam" means peace.

Allah Almighty has said, "... and Allah invites to the abode of peace" (Qura'n, 10:25), meaning Paradise: anyone who abides therein will have been saved from agony and perdition.

Allah has said, "And if he is one of those on the right hand, then peace to you from those on the right hand" (Qura'n, 56:90-91), that is, rest assured that they are enjoying peace and tranquility.

"Salam!" is a greeting; if a Muslim tells another Muslim "As-Salamu Alaikum!" he will have assured him of safety and security, granting him immunity against his evil or ill intentions. Allah Almighty praises Yahya, John the Baptist, by saying, "And peace be on him on the day he was born..." (Qura'n, 19:15).

The most precarious situations to which human beings are exposed are three: The time of birth, the time of death, and the time of resurrection. So Allah honoured Yahya in all these three situations, granting him peace, safety and security against their woes. He saved him from the perils of all these three situations and granted him security against fear.

Muslims are repeatedly enjoined by the Holy Qura'n to disseminate peace and to be receptive to those who offer it:

O you who believe! Enter into peace one and all... (2:208) And if they incline to peace, do incline to it too and trust in Allah. (8:61) And the servants of al-Rahman are the ones who walk on earth humbly, and when the ignorant ones address them, they say: Salam (Peace)! (25:63) And when those who believe in Our Signs come to you, say: Peace be on you! Your Lord has ordained mercy on Himself... (6:54) So turn away from them and say, Peace! For they shall soon come to know. (43:89)

Allah's Salam is His speech. Likewise, the Messenger of Islam used to quite often enjoin the believers to disseminate the greeting of peace among them. There are numerous traditions testifying to this fact; among them are the following:

Assalamu minal Islam: The greeting of peace is an integral part of the creed of Islam.

Afshu al Salama taslamu: Disseminate the greeting of peace among you so you may achieve peace and security.

Whoever upholds three things will have combined in him the meaning of conviction: 1) fairness to his own self, 2) disseminating of the greeting of peace to everyone, and 3) spending wisely out of what he saves.

Afshu al Salama baynakum: Disseminate the greeting of peace among you.

In one of his supplications, the Messenger of Allah used to say, "Lord! Make us harbingers of peace to Your friends!"

The Holy Qura'n tells us that the name of Paradise is "Dar al Salam," the abode of peace; He, Glory and Exaltation to Him, says, "They shall have the abode of peace with their Lord, and He is their guardian because of what they did" (Qura'n, 6:127). Allah will make the greeting of the believers, when they meet Him, "Peace!"

He says, "Their salutation on the Day they meet Him shall be: Salam! (Peace!)" (Qura'n, 33:44). Referring to the believers, He says the following in Surat al-Ra`d, "... the gardens of perpetual abode which they will enter along with those who do good deeds from among their parents and spouses and offspring, and the angels will enter upon them from every gate (saying): Peace be on you because you were constant! How excellent, then, is the issue of the abode!" (Qura'n, 13:23-24).

Thawban, servant of the Messenger of Allah, has said, "Whenever the Messenger of Allah finished his prayers, he would seek forgiveness of Allah thrice, saying, `Lord! You are the Peace; from You is the Peace; Glory to You! Greatness and Honour are in You!'"

[wayfarer.]

7th : "Al-Mu'min"

Allah has described Himself as al-Mu'min: "... the One Who gives peace, Who grants security" (Qura'n, 59:23).

"Al-Mu'min" means: the One to Whom peace and security are rendered: He provides the means of their attainment, blocking all the avenues of fear. There is no peace nor security in this life against the causes of disease and perdition, nor in the life hereafter against the torment and the Wrath, except that He provides the means to attain it.

"Iman," linguistically speaking, is an infinitive (to believe) derived from two verbs: tasdeeq, testimony for the truth of something or someone, as in 12:17: "... and you will not believe us though we are truthful" (Qura'n, 12:17), and aman, asylum or a peaceful haven as in 106:4: "... and gave them security against fear" (Qura'n, 106:4). Some linguists are of the view that the derivation of iman is from this second verb.

If we say that the Almighty grants His servants security against anything they dread, we must be understood in the light of the circumstances of the life in this world and in the hereafter. As regarding the life in this world, the removal of the cause of fear is not reasonably accepted except when a precarious situation has actually taken place. Fear cannot be removed when the possibility of loss of life is present, and nobody can remove such a possibility except Allah. Nobody can bring about peace and security other than He.

A blind person is apprehensive of perishing on account of his inability to see the area from which death may overtake him. Sound vision grants him security against being annihilated. One whose arm is amputated fears the situation when he cannot defend himself except through the use of his arm. His healthy arm, then, is the cause of his feeling of security. The same can be said about all our senses and bodily parts.

The One Who created all these parts is the same One Who has removed from man the causes of fear by granting him such parts. The One Who has created delicious food for man as well as good medicines and taught him how to make useful tools, thus sparing himself a lot of trouble, is surely the same One Who grants him security against all such dangers.

The Messenger of Allah has said, "Anyone who believes in Allah and the Last Day should bring security to his neighbor against his own misdeeds."

Edited April 2, 2008 by Akbar007

[wayfarer.]

8th "Al-Muhaimin"

In 59:23, we read: "He is Allah besides Whom there is no other god, the King, the Holy, the One Who grants peace, the One Who grants security, the Guardian over all, the Mighty, the Supreme, the One Who possesses greatness; Glory to Allah from whatever they set up (with Him)."

When applied to the Almighty, "al-Muhaimin" means that He is the One Who oversees His servants' actions, Who provides them with sustenance, and decrees their life-spans. He does so through His knowledge, control, and protection. Anyone who oversees something is its guardian; so he has full power over it. These Attributes can never be present in their absolute meaning except in Allah.

This Attribute describes in 10:61 the One Who testifies for or against His servants who enter into mutual transactions: "... We are witnesses over you when you enter into it."

Allah is al-Muhaimin, the One Who witnesses all what His servants do, be it a speech or an action. The meaning of this verse incorporates the meaning of the word "muhaimin" thus: the One Who knows everything and from Whose knowledge nothing at all can escape, not even the weight of an atom in the earth or in the heavens.

Al-Khalil ibn Ahmed al-Farahidi says that "al-Muhaimin" means: the One Who ever watches, Who ever protects. It is common in Arabic to describe someone as "muhaimin" if he protects someone else or is his guardian.

Al-Mibrad explains its meaning as: the One Who is most kind and compassionate. Arabs describe the bird that stretches its wings to protect its young as being "muhaimin" over them.

Al-Hassan al-Basri says it means the Guardian Who testifies to one's truth. Applied to the Almighty, it may carry one of two meanings: His testimony by word, hence His testimony informing us about His messengers being truthful, and His empowering those messengers to produce miracles, thus testifying to their truthfulness.

Al-Muhaimin is the One Who encompasses in His knowledge the management of the affairs of all His creation from the smallest atom to the largest planet in the cosmos.

[wayfarer.]

9. "Al-`Aziz"

The Almighty has said, "O Moses! Surely I am Allah, the Omnipotent, the Wise" (Qura'n, 27:9).

The root word of this Attribute is `izz, might, power, strength, victory, elevation, non-submission. Its verb means: to strengthen or to support as in: "We sent them two [messengers] but they called them liars, so We strengthened them with a third," (Qura'n, 36:14) that is, supported them and their argument with a third messenger. Linguistically, its verb means: to overcome, to gain the upper hand, to subdue...

Al-`Aziz is the One Who Alone has all honour; He is never humiliated, nor is He ever wronged; neither imagination nor intellect can ever conceive Him. He is the One Who cannot be overcome or in any way harmed, the One Who has no peer nor a similitude, Who is very much needed, Who is victorious and is never vanquished, the Mighty, the Omnipotent Who can never be reached.

The Almighty has described Himself as al-`Aziz, narrating in His Book, the Holy Qura'n, an anecdote about Jesus pleading to Him thus "... if You forgive them, surely You are the Mighty, the Wise" (Qura'n, 5:118).

He has also said, "And to Him belongs greatness in the heavens and in the earth, and He is the Mighty, the Wise" (Qura'n, 45:37).

He has proven that He has in Him all the Attributes of Greatness, saying, "To Allah belongs the might, and to His Prophet, and to the believers" (Qura'n, 63:8), and also, "Glory to your Lord, the Lord of Honour, above what they describe" (Qura'n, 37:180). While discussing Iblis, He quotes him saying, "... by Your Might I will surely make them live an evil life, all of them" (Qura'n, 38:82).

The Messenger of Allah used to say, "I seek refuge with Your Honour, for You are the One Who is the One and Only God Who never dies, while the jinns and men die."

[wayfarer.]

10. "Al-Jabbar"

Allah has said, "He is Allah besides Whom there is no other god, the Sovereign, the Holy, the Source of peace (and perfection), the Guardian of Faith, the Preserver of safety, the One Exalted in Might, the Irresistible, the Supreme; Glory to Allah! (High is He) above the partners they attribute to (Him)" (Qura'n, 59:23).

Linguistically, "al-Jabbar" is derived from jabr, the opposite of breaking. It suggests the forceful mending of something broken, fractured, shattered, crushed..., etc. It is also said that the adjective jabbar means great, huge, inaccessible. Linguists say that al-Jabbar is the Most Great. It is a superlative adjective derived from jabr; He is the One Who not only mends what is broken but also enriches the one who is incapacitated by poverty and want. In short, He is the One Who repairs everything broken or impaired.

Abdullah ibn `Abbas says that al-Jabbar is the Great King, while Ibn al-Anbari says that al-Jabbar is the One Who is beyond anyone's reach. Others have said that "al-Jabbar" means the One Who cannot be harmed by any mighty oppressor, and nobody can dispute with Him about anything. It is said that "al-Jabbar" conveys the same meaning conveyed by the Attribute "al-Mutakabbir," the Proud or the Supreme One. Pride and Supremacy are commendable Attributes only when applied to Allah. If applied to anyone else, on the other hand, they become abominable qualities. It is also said that the meaning of "al-Jabbar" connotes: the One Who forces His will on others. Nothing can happen in His domain except whatever He pleases, whether His beings like it or not. Or it may mean the One Who repairs, improves, or reforms, as is the analogy with one who mends, say, a broken limb.

One of its derivatives is jabaroot, supremacy or greatness. According to one tradition, the Messenger of Allah has supplicated thus, "Glory to the One Who has all the jabaroot and all the domain." In one of his statements, Imam `Ali ibn Abu Talib has said, "He is the One Whose will has manifested itself on the nature of hearts," that is, He firmed the hearts according to the way He created them and according to their level of knowing Him; those who know Him are the happy ones, while those who do not are the wretches.

"Al-Jabbar" connotes forcefulness and forcibleness. We can find out that all parts of the body have been driven to perform their functions without any will of their own. Cast a look at the sun as it moves in its orbit without deviating from it as little as an inch, whether it likes it or not. Man has no control over the time when Allah chooses his life to begin, or how he is born, or when he dies, or the family in which he is to be born. All these are predestined for him, and he has no control over them. So is the case with all other beings on the face of earth. They all have been created with the ability to adapt to life on earth, and nobody has any choice in this matter:

"It is He Who has spread out the earth for (His) creatures; therein are fruits and date-palms, producing spathes (containing dates)" (Qura'n, 55:10-11). All of these things are created without the choice of any human being.

[wayfarer.]

11. Al-Mutakabbir

Allah has said, " He is Allah, besides Whom there is no God; the King, the Holy, the Giver of peace, the Granter of security, Guardian over all, the Mighty, the Supreme, the Possessor of every greatness Glory be to Allah from what they set up (with Him)." (Qura'n, 59:23).

Understanding "al-Mutakabbir" requires a good deal of reasoning and insight.

Its root word "kibriya'" means greatness and sovereignty, and it incorporates the meanings of the perfection of one's self and existence; nobody can be described as such except Allah.

Greatness, as far as Allah Almighty is concerned, is the loftiness of status: "By His command does He send the spirit (of inspiration) to any of His servants He pleases so that it may warn (men) of the Day of mutual meeting" (Qura'n, 40:15).

Al-Mutakabbir is the One Who possesses all greatness, Who is above having any of the qualities of His creatures, Who is above being harmed by the oppressors among His creation, Whose greatness and pride are the super-most.

He is too great to be deficient in anything or in need for anyone or anything, the One Who is above having any of the characteristics and attributes of His creatures, the One Who Alone has all greatness and pride.

None besides Him is justified to conceive himself as great, or as mighty, or as the sovereign. He is the One Who is too Holy to be afflicted by any calamity; so, no greatness is justified for anyone besides Him; He is the One Who has all might and kingdom. This Attribute means: the One Who has combined in Him, and Who rightly deserves so, all the attributes of greatness, perfection, pride and glory, all at the same time.

He is too Great to submit to others; rather, submission is due to Him, and only to Him. The Holy Qura'n bestows the Attribute of greatness upon the Almighty in Surat al-Jathiya: "To Him be Glory throughout the heavens and the earth, and He is Exalted in Power, full of Wisdom" (Qura'n, 45:37). Pride due to the sense of being great is of two kinds:

One is when actions of such a person are indeed great and better than those of anyone else's; He is "... the Giver of peace, the Granter of security, Guardian over all, the Mighty, the Supreme, the Possessor of every greatness: Glory be to Allah from what they set up (with Him) (Qura'n, 59:23).

The other is that one conceives himself artificially to be as such, and this applies to most people:

Thus does Allah set a seal over the heart of everyone who is proud, haughty. (40:35) Surely evil is the dwelling place of those who are proud. (16:29) Isn't there in hell an abode for those who are proud? (39:60)

Quoting the Lord of Greatness, the Almighty God, the Messenger of Allah has said, "Pride is My cloak; Greatness is My garment; whoever disputes with Me regarding either, I shall surely hurl him into the fire." Here the Almighty informs and admonishes us that greatness, might and pride are all His prerogatives, that none among His servants is worthy of claiming any of them for himself.

In one of his supplications, the Messenger of Allah says, "I seek refuge with You, Lord, against the evil of pride." He is also quoted as saying that pride is an indication of ingratitude towards the Truth, the Almighty; he has said, "Pride is ingratitude towards the Truth."

Imam `Ali has said, "The son of Adam is truly amazing! A wound can end his life, a bug can cause him a pain, his sweat can make him stink, so how can he ever feel proud?"

The Messenger of Allah has warned us against pride and of being proud of ourselves, saying, "Nobody will enter Paradise if he has even the weight of a mustard seed of pride, and nobody will enter the fire if there is a likewise weight of conviction in his heart." As the lucky [2] ones enter Paradise, their hearts will be purged of any pride and jealousy: "And we will root out whatever rancor there is in their hearts" (Qura'n, 15:47).

The Attribute "al-Mutakabbir" is mentioned only once in the text of the Holy Qura'n in 59:23, and Allah knows best.

Edited April 6, 2008 by Akbar007

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12. "Al-Khaliq"

Allah has said, "He is Allah the Creator..." (Qura'n, 59:24).

"Al-Khaliq" is derived from khalq, creating. Allah, al-Khaliq, the Creator, is the One Who brings things into existence after their non-existence, Who invents and innovates without a prior model.

Some scholars say that al-Khaliq is the One Who creates things out of naught then bestows upon them their characteristics of movement and other qualities. Others say that He is the One Who invents whatever the eyes can see, Who perfects their creation.

Still others say that He is the One Who determined the measure of all things when they were enshrouded by void, perfecting them by His bounties and goodness, bringing them into existence according to His will, desire and wisdom. Anyone who thinks that there is anyone else besides Him who creates is indeed one who commits kufr, apostasy, blasphemy, disbelief.

Allah Almighty has said the following:

... the Creator of everything; therefore, worship Him. (6:102)... is there any creator besides Allah...? (35:3) Yea, indeed! For He is the Supreme Creator, of (infinite) skill and knowledge. (36:81) ... so blessed is Allah, the best of creators. (23:14) Is it not His to create and to govern? Blessed is Allah, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the worlds. (7:54)

According to a narration by our master Imam `Ali ibn Abu Talib, the Messenger of Allah used to say the following whenever he looked in the mirror, "Praise is due to Allah! Lord! Just as You have made my form good, I implore You to make my manners good too."

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13. "Al-Bari"

Allah has said, "He is Allah the Creator, the Evolver, the One Who bestows forms (or colors) upon what He creates. To Him belong the Attributes" (Qura'n, 59:24).

There are viewpoints regarding the explanation of "al-Bari": One says it refers to the One Who brings about something out of nothing, the One Who creates something which was never there before. It is said that Allah is al-Bari of creation, the One Who brought about all things into existence out of non-existence.

The other meaning conveys the cutting off or severing of something. The root verb of this word means cutting and shaping something such as a twig or a pencil. One may say that illness has parted from him, or that he is free of a claim put forth by another. It can also be applied metaphorically such as one person severing his partnership with another, or a woman separating from her husband. Allah has bara'a, created or initiated, the creation without a model; bariyyah means those whom He has created. Another meaning is curing or healing. A wise saying states that one who is cured should express gratitude to the One Who cured him.

Ja`fer ibn Sulayman is quoted as having said that he passed once by a blind old woman grieving over herself and wailing, so he asked her, "What does it take to sustain you?" She answered him saying, "Stop sticking your nose where it does not belong; I have reached this stage of life without needing you or others." Then she added, "Have you not heard the statement made by the Friend of Allah who said, `[Allah] Who created me then showed me the way, and He provides me with food to eat and with water to drink, and when I am sick, He restores my health to me' (26:78-80)?"

One who knows the real meaning of "al-Bari", therefore, is one whose heart is not affected by events, nor can momentous events overtake him by surprise. It is also said that anyone who comes to know Who al-Bari really is will dissociate himself from claiming to have anything to do with his own form or shape, fearing his Creator's Might, knowing that he is not doing Him a favour by worshipping and obeying Him. It is also said that He is the One Who has dissociated Himself from everyone else, the One Who is never surprised by whatever events take place. It is also said that anyone who recognizes Him as al-Bari will dissociate himself from committing anything prohibitive, seeking refuge with the King, the Most Forgiving One.

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14. "Al-Musawwir"

Allah has said, "He is Allah the Creator, the Evolver, the Bestower of forms (or colors). To Him belong the Attributes" (Qura'n, 59:24).

Al-Musawwir is the One Who fashions, Who gives something its distinctive form and shape. The general human form is distinguished from that of non-humans. Allah says, "... and He formed you and made your forms good" (Qura'n, 40:64), "Into whatever form He pleased He shaped you" (Qura'n, 82:8), and "He it is Who shapes you in the wombs as He pleases (3:6)."

Al-Musawwir means: the One Who invents the forms and shapes of whatever He creates, Who beautifies them according to His wisdom, giving everything its own distinctive shape and form. He creates humans in different forms and shapes, making some of them different from others in physique, size, complexion, etc. This may be the meaning of the verse saying:

"And among His signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth and the diversity of your tongues and colors; most surely there are signs in this for those who have knowledge" (Qura'n, 30:22). "He it is Who shapes you in the wombs as He pleases; there is no god but He, the Mighty, the Wise" (Qura'n, 3:6);

"And certainly We created man of an extract of clay, then We made him a small seed in a firm resting-place, then We made the seed a clot, then We made the clot a lump of flesh, then We made in the lump of flesh bones, then We clothed the bones with flesh, then We caused it to grow into another creation; so, blessed be Allah, the best of creators" (Qura'n, 23:12-14).

Whenever the Messenger of Allah(pbuh) prostrated, he used to say, "Lord! To You have I prostrated, in You have I believed, and to You have I submitted! My countenance has prostrated to the One Who created it and shaped it, Who created hearing and vision for it; so, blessed is Allah, the best of creators!"

Among the supplications of the Messenger of Allah when he prostrated is this one: "My face has submitted to the One Who created and formed it and Who made its form good."

The Holy Qura'n has informed us a good deal about al-Musawwir, Allah. In Surat al-A`raf, for example, we read the following: "And certainly We created you then fashioned you" (Qura'n, 7:11). In Surat al-Taghabun, we read, "He has created the heavens and the earth in just proportions, and He has given you shape and made your shapes beautiful, and to Him is the final resort" (Qura'n, 64:3).

In Surat Ghafir, we read, "Allah is He Who made the earth a resting-place for you and the heavens a canopy, and He formed you then made your forms good, and He provided you with good things; that is Allah, your Lord; blessed then is Allah, the Lord of the worlds" (Qura'n, 40:64).

In Surat Ali-`Imran, we read, "He it is Who shapes you in the wombs as He pleases; there is no god but He, the Mighty, the Wise" (Qura'n, 3:6).

In Surat al-Infitar, we read, "O man! What has beguiled you from your Lord, the Gracious One Who created you then made you complete, then He made you symmetrical? Into whatever form He pleased He constituted you" (Qura'n, 82:6-8).

And in Surat al-Hashr we read, "He is Allah the Creator, the Evolver, the Bestower of forms (or colors). To Him belong the Attributes; all those in the heavens and on earth declare His Praises and Glory, and He is Exalted in Might, Wise" (Qura'n, 59:24).

Allah Almighty has said, "And He created pairs, the male and the female, from the small seed when it is adapted, and upon Him is its bringing forth a second time" (Qura'n, 53:45-47).

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15. "Al-Ghaffar"

Allah has said, "Surely I am most Forgiving to whoever repents and believes and does good deeds" (Qura'n, 20:82).

Al-Ghaffar is one of Allah's Attributes derived from ghufr and ghufran, both nouns which convey the meaning of: veiling, hiding, concealing. Allah's maghifra, forgiveness, is His veiling of one's sins, and His forgiveness by granting him His favour and mercy. Al-Ghaffar is the One Who has manifested what is beautiful and veiled what is ugly in the life of this world and Who does not inflict His penalty on him in the life hereafter. He is the One Who forgives sins, veils the shortcomings, wipes out the sins by accepting one's repentance. He accepts His servants' repentance and is pleased thereby, and the One Who forgives the sins and turns them into good deeds by His great favour. He is the One Who forgives the sins though they may be great, and He veils them though they may be numerous.

The words derived from forgiveness have mostly been associated with Allah. One of them is al-Ghafir as in this verse: "The One Who forgives the sins" (Qura'n, 40:3). The second is al-Ghafur; He has said, "... then [if he] asks forgiveness of Allah, he shall find Allah Forgiving, Merciful" (Qura'n, 4:110). A third is al-Ghaffar as in: "And surely I am most Forgiving to one who repents and believes and does good deeds" (Qura'n, 20:82), "... seek forgiveness of your Lord; surely He is the most Forgiving" (Qura'n, 71:10), and "... surely He is the Mighty, the great Forgiver" (Qura'n, 39:5). It is proven, by making a reference to the Holy Qura'n, that all these Attributes, which are derived from forgiveness, are applied only to Allah, the Most Exalted One. Having killed a Copt, Moses implored his Lord thus: "Lord! Surely I have harmed my own self; so, forgive me" (Qura'n, 28:16). He first admitted his sin then sought His forgiveness. Allah also revealed the fault of David then said, "So We forgave him this (lapse)" (Qura'n, 38:25). He addressed Muhammed saying, "So that Allah may forgive your past and future faults" (Qura'n, 48:2). Has He not in these examples exposed a sin then forgiven it? In one of his supplications, Prophet Muhammed says, "Lord! I implore You to forgive me an apparent forgiveness and a concealed one, and to forgive open and secret sins."

The meanings of maghfira, the root word of al-Ghaffar, al-Ghaafir, and al-Ghafur are clear in the verse saying: "The One Who forgives the sins and accepts the repentance, the One Who is severe in punishment, the Lord of bounty; there is no god but He; to Him is the eventual return" (Qura'n, 40:3).

Al-Ghaffar is the One Who very often veils [the sins and faults of His servants], so much so that He does not propagate one's sins in the life of this world nor in the life hereafter. One of the companions of the Messenger of Allah was asked once, "What did you hear the Messenger of Allah say with regard to one's silent supplication?" He answered by saying that he had heard the Messenger of Allah say, "Allah, the most Honoured, the Most Great, will touch His servant who believes in Him with His mercy by veiling his sin from the public in the life of this world, and in the life hereafter He will ask him about each and every sin and fault he had committed. Once he admits all of them and realizes that he is going to perish on their account, the Almighty will say, `I have veiled your sins in the past short life, and in this one I am going to forgive them.' Then he will be handed the book of his good deeds." All this happens to those who believe in Him; as regarding those who do not, and the hypocrites, He will deal with them quite differently.

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16. "Al-Qahhar"

Allah has said, "Say: Allah is the Creator of all things, and He is the One, the Supreme" (Qura'n, 13:16).

Linguistically, "al-Qahhar" is derived from qahr, conquest, subduing, vanquishing, winning a victory. It means the overtaking of something or someone with the intention to humiliate him. One who takes another by way of qahr is one who takes him against his will. "Al-Qahhar" is a superlative of "al-Qahir", the Victor or Subduer. Allah, indeed, is the One Who, by His Might, has subdued everything He created to His Authority and Power, using His creatures as He pleases, whether they like it or not. Al-Qahir is the One Who has the upper hand over all creation; "... and Allah is the master of His affair" (Qura'n, 12:21).

Al-Qahhar is the One Whose vengeance nobody can withstand. He humiliates oppressors, splits the spine of kings and emperors. He is the One besides Whose Might all creation is powerless, without Whose Power all beings are helpless. If we submit to Him, He will satisfy our needs, but if we do not, He will make us suffer as we try to achieve our objectives. He is the One Who splits the spine of the tyrants and oppressors from among His foes, subduing them by taking their lives away, and by humiliating them, while there is nothing in existence that can escape His Might and Power: everyone and everything is helpless in His grip.

Al-Qahhar effects His will with regard to His creatures, whether they like it or not, whether they are willing or unwilling. He has subdued the souls of the worshippers by instilling in the hearts the fear of His retribution, and the hearts of those who are endowed with knowledge with the Might of nearness to Him, and the souls of those who love Him by unveiling the truth about Him to them. He has subdued all beings by death, so none is safe from Him, not even an angel who enjoys a special status with Him, nor a prophet, nor a messenger. Allah will make even the angel of death, Israel, taste of death; so, when his soul is taken out, the angel of death will say, "By Your Honour do I swear that had I known the taste of death to be like this, I would never have taken away anyone's soul at all!" It is to such a meaning that the word qahr, upon the taking of the souls of all beings, conveys as implied in the verse saying, "To whom does the kingdom belong this day? To Allah, the One, the Subduer (of all)" (Qura'n, 40:16).

If one who believes in Allah desires to personify within him the meanings embedded in this Attribute, he has to subdue his own self, his nafs, and control his evil desires, by not plotting in cooperation with Satan, and by returning to Allah, submitting to His will in all matters. The path whereby man derives light from the Attribute "al-Qahhar" is that one should view his nafs, which is ever present within him, as the worst of his enemies, so he subdues it and strangles it, doing exactly the opposite of what it tells him to do, so much so that it will have no choice except to submit to divine commandments. Then he will have to subdue his stubborn opponent, i.e. Satan, staying on his guard against his evil suggestions, blocking his avenues. Then he will have to subdue his carnal desires and insinuations by not following what they inspire him to do.

Edited April 15, 2008 by Akbar007

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17. "Al-Wahhab"

"Lord! Do not let our hearts deviate after having guided us, but grant us mercy from Your own Presence, for You are the Grantor of bounties without measure" (Qura'n, 3:8).

"Al-Wahhab" is derived from the proper noun hibah the verb of which, yahib, means: to make someone else the owner of what the giver, the first party (the doer), rightfully owns without asking the second party for any compensation in return.

It is the gift which is free from any recompense or gain for the giver. If someone gives out such gifts quite often, he will earn the titles of jawad and wahhab, the generous one, the oft-giving, respectively. Allah Almighty is described as the Most Generous, the Most Giving, i.e. al-Wahhab, simply because He gives everyone according to his means.

Among Allah's Attributes are al-Wahhab and al-Wahib. The latter Attribute means: the giver, whereas the first is a superlative of the latter. One who is wahab is one who grants many gifts.

Al-Wahhab is the One Who gives away without a compensation; He bestows His favours upon His servants without a selfish end; He grants even without being asked; He is the One Who initiates giving, and He is the oft-Giver.

Allah is surely al-Wahhab because He is the Most Munificent, the Most Giving, the One Who ever tries to get closer to His servants, Who graciously bestows His favours upon them, Who gives them even before they ask Him, the ever-Giver Who gives everyone what he needs.

Al-Wahhab bestows His blessings upon His servants, and this indicates His inclusion of everyone as He continuously gives. He does not give painstakingly, nor does He seek a benefit, or an advantage, for Himself by doing so.

Al-Wahhab showers you with His blessings without having to have a reason or a means to do so. Al-Wahhab gives away without being compensated for what He gives, and He causes all beings to die without a particular purpose He seeks to achieve for Himself. According to Surat al-Shura, "He bestows (children), male or female, according to His Will (and Plan)" (Qura'n, 42:49).

Whenever the Messenger of Allah used to wake up during the night, he would supplicate thus: "Lord! There is no god but You! Glory to You! Lord! I seek Your forgiveness for my sins, and I plead to You, by Your mercy, O Lord, to increase my share of knowledge, not to permit my heart to deviate after having guided it, and to grant me, from You, a mercy, for surely You are al-Wahhab..."

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18. "Al-Razzaq"

"Al-Razzaq" is derived from rizq, sustenance, or anything of any benefit to man, animals, plants, etc., whereby the latter are sustained or are helped in their growth. Rain is also called rizq; it helps sustain every living being on our planet.

In 51:58, we read: "Surely Allah is the One Who bestows sustenance, the Lord of Power, the Strong One." Another verse referring to our sustenance is this: "And in the heavens is your sustenance and what you are threatened with" (Qura'n, 51:22). "In the heavens is your sustenance" may be a reference to the rain that descends from the heavens, the sky.

As to the phrase "and what you are threatened with," this may be a clue that the end of life on this earth will be terminated by a collision of an asteroid or a large size cosmic debri with the earth, but this is not the place to discuss such interpretations or speculations.

The word rizq may be used for means of income, livelihood, sustenance, money, wealth..., or for the earning of something good, be it during the life of this world or in the life to come, or it may be applied to one's lot or fortune, or even to anything eaten.

"Al-Razzaq" is a superlative of "al-Raziq," the One Who provides rizq. Al-Razzaq is applied to none other than Allah. There are two types of rizq: one sustains the body, such as food and drink, while the other sustains the soul, which is knowledge and true inspiration. The latter is the best type of sustenance simply because what sustains the soul lasts forever, while what sustains the body has a temporary duration.

Al-Razzaq is the One Who creates all types of sustenance, Who extends His favour to cover making such sustenance attainable to His creatures, Who provides means for getting them to attain their sustenance. He sustains all His creation by whatever means needed to keep them alive. He sustains the minds with knowledge, the hearts with understanding, the souls with manifestations, the bodies with food, and so on. Only He can do so. Anyone who realizes this fact will recognize the fact that his own sustenance, and that of everyone and everything else, is controlled by none other than Allah.

References to rizq have been made in several Qura'nic verses such as these:

... Allah provides means of subsistence to whomsoever He pleases without a measure. (2:212) Allah is Benignant to His servants; He gives sustenance to whomsoever He pleases, and He is the Strong, the Mighty One. (42:19) ... and whoever fears Allah, He will make an outlet for him and give him sustenance from whence he does not expect. (65:2-3) ... these are the believers truly; they shall have forgiveness and an honourable provision. (8:74) ... and the sustenance (provided) by your Lord is better and more abiding. (20:131) Most surely this is Our sustenance: it shall never deplete. (38:54)

Say: The (blessing) from the presence of Allah is better than any amusement or bargain. (62:11) ... surely the things you worship besides Allah cannot sustain you. (29:17)

There is no creature moving on earth except that its sustenance depends on Allah. (11:6)

One of the Islamic manners inspired by the Attribute "al-Razzaq" is that a servant of Allah becomes convinced that there is no partner with his Lord in providing sustenance, just as He has no partner in creating everything. He, therefore, pleads to Him for anything small or big. He also feels satisfied with what al-Razzaq has allotted for him, just as He has said, "And they are the ones who, when spending, are neither extravagant nor parsimonious but keep the just means between these [extremes]" (Qura'n, 25:67), and also, "Those who, when spending, are neither extravagant nor niggardly but hold a just (balance) between these (extremes)" (Qura'n, 17:29).

The abundance of Allah's sustenance is without a limit. He is the One Who says the following in Surat Hud: "There is no creature moving on earth except that its sustenance depends on Allah: He knows the time and place of its definite abode and its temporary deposit: all is in a clear record" (Qura'n, 11:6).

[Poobert]

Why does such an interesting and well written first post start with such a rude paragraph? Could a moderator change it or at least move this topic to somewhere other than the Atheism/Theism & Other Interfaith Dialogue where this is just very provocative.

Anyway, back on topic. Where do you draw a line between an attribute of Allah, and a human attribute?

[eThErEaL]

Why does such an interesting and well written first post start with such a rude paragraph? Could a moderator change it or at least move this topic to somewhere other than the Atheism/Theism & Other Interfaith Dialogue where this is just very provocative.

Anyway, back on topic. Where do you draw a line between an attribute of Allah, and a human attribute?

I would extend that question to include creation as a whole and not only humans. because for example, God is Beautiful, and creation is also beautiful. creation can be strong, and God is strong.

To answer your question God is at once, similar and at the same time incomparable to creation. God is at once, Transcendent and Immanent.

God has Names. His names can be categorized into three parts:

God has 1) names of attributes. 2) names of Essence. and 3) names of acts.

names of attributes tell us what God is. names of essence tell us what God is not. Names of acts is His acts which are identical to creation itself. creation itself is an act of God.

We cannot know what God in Her Essence is. This is why Her names of Essence tells us what God is not. like "God is the Independent". God is the "Transcendent"..ect. These names express How distinct God is with creation.

We can only know God through His acts (i.e. creation). His acts are his appearance. His acts or creation is How he reveals or shows himself to us. This is why creation is called signs of God. So, we can know God insofar as He is manifest.

What we understand of God (which can only be through creation or His acts) is what we call God's names of his attributes.

So!!! when you talk about attributes (what God is) then it necessarily has to be something creation like! We only see God is Beautiful or God is Wise, or God is Just or God is Alive, through the beauty,wisdom, justice, liveliness we find in creation. But does that tell us what God in Her Essence is? NO.

This is why Imam Ali (a.s) the first successor of Muhammad (pbuh) says the following:

"The foremost in religion is the acknowledgement of Him, the perfection of acknowledging Him is to testify Him, the perfection of testifying Him is to believe in His Oneness, the perfection of believing in His Oneness is to regard Him Pure,

and the perfection of His purity is to deny Him attributes,"

-Ali (a.s) from Nahjalbalgha

[wayfarer.]

beautiful answer bro ethereal.. its true we can understand some of Allah's attributes but His essence cannot be comprehended by a human's limited mental capacity..

Imam Ali (as) (from nahjul balagha) says: None of Allah's attributes can be fully comprehended, nor does He have any measure whereby He is compared. The tongue in any language is too crippled to describe His attributes, and the circumlocution of His attributes leads into nowhere but a blind alley. The sharpest of intellects are too puzzled to comprehend His kingdom; all comprehensive explanations are rendered short of delving into His kingdom. Unknown curtains obstruct the understanding of the lowest levels of His hidden knowledge, and the keenest insights are totally lost in comprehending the most (seemingly) superficial of His subtleties.

So Glorified is Allah Who cannot be reached by the most ambitious of wills, nor can He be grasped by the deepest of insights. Exalted is He for Whom there is no measure of time, nor any fixed duration, nor any limited description. Praised is He Who has no beginning at all nor any end, nor any extinction. Glorified is He as He has described Himself. Those who attempt to describe Him can never do so.

He delineated the boundaries of all things when He created them without having modelled them after any pre-existing models, thus distinguishing Himself from their similitude. Never has He resided in them, so it could be said that He is contained therein, nor has He been apart from them, so a place outside them could be sought for Him. Rather, He, all Praise is due to Him, encompassed them in His knowledge and perfected their design and computed them.

Even things beyond the curtains of the atmosphere are never hidden from His knowledge, nor are those obscurities within the depth of the dark, nor are those in the high heavens, nor are those in the lowest layers of the earth: for each and every thing in them there is a custodian and a keeper, each one of them surrounds the others, while His knowledge encompasses them all.

He is the One and Only God upon Whom all depend for their existence and subsistence, the One Whom the passage of time never alters, nor does the creation of things tire Him. Whatever He wills, He says to it, "Be!" and it is. He created everything without following a pre-existing model or a precedent, and without encountering any fatigue or a prior planning. Whoever makes something makes it out of something else, whereas Allah created everything out of nothing.

Every scholar acquires knowledge after being ignorant, while Allah is never ignorant, nor has He ever acquired knowledge out of what He creates. He encompasses all things in His knowledge before creating them. Nothing is added to His knowledge because of their coming into existence: His knowledge is the same before and after He brought them into existence.

He never created what He created in order to enhance His control, nor out of fear of its decay or loss, nor to seek help out of it against His adversary, nor to seek the upper hand over a progressive competitor, nor seeking to be the equal of a dominating partner; all creation is nurtured by Him; everyone and everything are humbled slaves before Him.

Glorified is He Who never feels weary on account of creating what He creates, nor in nurturing whatever He creates, nor does He, out of inability or slackness, terminate what He creates. He knows what He creates and creates what He knows. Whatever He creates He creates neither out of deliberating on any new knowledge, nor does any doubt entertain Him on account of what He creates. Rather, He creates out of His inviolable decision, firm knowledge, and exact command. He made Himself unique in His Mastership, peerless in unity, grandeur, and sublimity. He remains peerless in praise and exalted in glory. He is far above parenthood, purified from and sanctified against any cohabitation.

He is too Great and too Mighty to seek any partners. Thus, none among what He creates opposes Him, nor is there any equal peer like Him from among His possessions, nor is there any partner in His Kingdom. He is the One, the Unique, the One sought by all, the Eternal, the Everlasting, the Lord of the cosmos Who has always been and shall always be, the eternally all alone before the beginning of time and after the end of all affairs. He will never terminate nor expire. Thus do I describe my Lord; there is no god except Allah; Great is He and how Great! Glorified is He and how Glorified! Almighty is He and how Almighty! He is far above what the unjust ones say about Him, far, far above that!

[Gepetto_Zapata]

Heyzzz, please "Ethereal", what sermon in Nahjulbalagha, is in you post ? And I am also curious why are you using Her, for Allah (a.j.)... (It just sounds wrong, but maybe it's not)...Also what is the meaning of your user name ?

Sorry for all the questions...

Edited April 19, 2008 by ahmedjaffal

[eThErEaL]

Heyzzz, please "Ethereal", what sermon in Nahjulbalagha, is in you post ? And I am also curious why are you using Her, for Allah (a.j.)... (It just sounds wrong, but maybe it's not)...Also what is the meaning of your user name ?

Sorry for all the questions...

No need to apologize.

1) sermon one.

2) If you read carefully, I am using Her only for God insofar as His Essence is concerned. The reason is because anything hidden and concealed, anything inner, and receptive, is feminine. Thats why women cover themselves. ;) Also in poetry God is sometimes referred to as she.

3) you can look up "ethereal" in any dictionary. generally speaking it has to to do poetic imagination, it has to do with being intangible. it is spirit like. heavenly. high. ect..

peace.

MK

Edited April 20, 2008 by eThErEaL

[Gepetto_Zapata]

Thanks "Ethereal", I like the way you think...(Deep thinking and imagination)... Cool. :)

Edited April 21, 2008 by ahmedjaffal

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19. "Al-Fattah"

The Almighty has said, "Say: Our Lord will gather us together and will in the end decide the matter between us (and you) in truth and justice, and He is the One to decide, the One Who knows everything" (Qura'n, 34:26).

In Arabic, fataha, the verb, means "opened," and muftah means key, whereas fath means victory or conquest. Fath also means flowing water, a creak, or a river. It also means: to arbitrate between two opponents. "Istiftah" means: seeking help or achieving victory. Both al-Fatih and al-Fattah are among the Attributes of Allah. They exist within the text of the Holy Qura'n.

"Al-Fattah" is a superlative of al-fath. To say that Allah is al-Fattah is to say that He is the One Who judges between those whom He creates, His servants, the obedient ones and the rebellious. It is derived from fath which means, in such usage, arbitration or decision-making. It exists in this meaning in the verse saying, "Lord! Decide between us and our people with truth, and You are the best of those who decide" (Qura'n, 7:89). It also means: the One Who grants victory as in this verse of Surat al-Anfal: "If you pray for victory, then indeed victory has come to you" (Qura'n, 8:19).

Al-Fattah is the One Who opens deadlocked matters and issues, Who reveals the truth, Who simplifies whatever seems to be complicated, Who controls the affairs of the heavens and the earth: "And with Him are the keys of the unseen treasures: none knows them but He, and He knows what is in the land and in the sea" (Qura'n, 6:59).

So He is the One Who opens what is closed and Who has the keys to everything, Who widely opens the gates of sustenance and brings down rain whereby He brings life back to dead lands, Who grants victory and support for His prophets whom He sends to various lands so that the light of the truth may shine therein, and so that He may purge their souls from evil intentions. He opens the closed hearts and fills them with His light, so they become tranquil, and they enjoy the feeling of success.

The Attribute "al-Fattah" inspires good manners which ought to be followed by anyone who correctly grasps the meanings it implies, who deeply contemplates upon it, who sincerely desires to be blessed by it. Among such manners is that one should maintain an attitude of beautiful anticipation of the Grace of Allah, continuously expecting to receive His favours, always looking forward to earning His blessings. He abandons haste, feels satisfied with his lot and with whatever his Lord has decreed for him. "Contentment is a treasure that never depletes," says an Arabic axiom. How true!

[hippiehijabi]

Salaam,

Thanks for posting the attributes... hope you post the rest...

Jazzak Allah Khair

[wayfarer.]

(wasalam)

yes inshallah :) its my aim to memorize and comprehend these Divine attributes to the best of my ability... May Allah (swt) grant us more strength to succeed in our endeavors

[wayfarer.]

20. "Al-`Aleem"

Allah has said, "... and trust in Allah; surely He is the Hearing, the Knowing" (Qura'n, 8:61).

"Al-`Aleem" is derived from `ilm, knowledge, which results from comprehending the truth about something and from the sure conviction which agrees with reality. "Al-`Aleem," when applied to the Almighty, is the One Who is most Knowing; surely His knowledge encompasses everything in existence even before anything begins to exist. Nothing at all can escape His knowledge. He is the One Whose knowledge is inclusive, be it apparent or hidden, minute or magnanimous.

He knows its beginning and its end, what is above or underneath it, and what results therefrom. Al-`Aleem is also the One Who knows what has happened and what will. The knowledge of the unknown is with Him, and so is the knowledge of the Hour; He knows what the wombs bear, when the rain falls, what every soul earns, what evil intentions one harbors, what worldly desires he/she conceals, when and where anyone will die.

Al-`Aleem is the One Who knows the details of all things, the particulars of things, what one's conscience and soul hide. Nothing at all, not even the weight of an atom in the earth or in the heavens, can ever escape His knowledge. From the word `ilm have many other words been derived. Al-`lim is one. It occurs in Surat al-Ma'ida in this verse: "... surely You are the great One Who knows the unseen" (Qura'n, 5:109). Another is al-A`lam which occurs in Surat al-Ana`m: "Allah best knows where He places His message" (Qura'n, 6:124). Al-`Aleem is a superlative of al-`alim.

The Holy Qura'n contains the following verses which demonstrate the various meanings and types of knowledge:

He knows that there is weakness in you. (8:66) He knows that there will be sick ones among you. (73:20) And surely We know that your breast straitens at what they say. (15:97) Allah knows what every female bears. (13:8)

"Al-`Aleem," one of the ninety-nine Attributes of Allah, occurs in many Qura'nic verses such as:

... that is the ordinance of the Mighty, the Knowing. (36:38) The revelation of the Book is from Allah, the Mighty, the Knowing. (40:2) ... surely He knows what is in the breasts. (11:5) ... We have no knowledge except what You have taught us; surely You are the Knowing, the Wise. (2:32) And the sun runs [its course] to a term appointed for it; that is the ordinance of the Mighty, the Knowing. (36:38)

This word is coined as a superlative derived from a verb meaning: "to know or to be familiar with." The Messenger of Allah is quoted saying that one who supplicates in the morning by thrice repeating, "In the Name of Allah with Whose Name nothing at all, be it in the earth or in the heavens, can ever harm, and He is the Hearing, the Knowing," will not be afflicted by any sudden calamity till evening time, and if he says so in the evening, he will not be afflicted by any sudden calamity till daybreak.

[wayfarer.]

21. "Al-Qabid"

Allah has said the following in the Holy Qura'n: "... and Allah straitens and amplifies..." (Qura'n, 2:245).

Linguistically, qabd, root verb of "al-Qabid," means: to take, hold, seize, grip, catch, handle, and the like.

It is the holding of something with the hand such as a sword's handle, It is meant as a way to forcefully take control of something or someone.

Allah Almighty has said the following in this sense: "... and Allah straitens and amplifies..." (Qura'n, 2:245), meaning He straitens, withholds, His sustenance of some while amplifying it for others.

"Al-Qabid" means: "the One Who takes hold of the souls by subduing them, the spirits by effecting justice in their regard, the means of sustenance by His wisdom, and the hearts by making them fear His Glory."

Al-Qabid is the One Who causes the souls to be taken away from their bodies, their temporary homes, at the time of death.

The angel who takes the souls away (i.e. the qabid) is called in Islam "Israel."

Al-Qabid is the One Who takes hold of the hearts, Who controls them, Who isolates them through their lack of knowledge, through their own oversights.

He takes hold of some hearts, so He unveils to them His Greatness and Glory. He pleases other hearts through the means whereby He gets closer to them out of His own Kindness, Munificence, and Beauty.

Al-Qabid is the One Who unveils His Glory to you, so He protects you; He is the One Who makes you dread being distanced from Him.

Al-Qabid is the One Who controls the entire cosmos; in the following verse, He makes a reference to His control over the earth:

"... and the whole earth shall be in His grip on the Day of Resurrection and the heavens rolled up in His right hand" (Qura'n, 39:67).

The Almighty says "right hand" this is a figure of speech denoting His total control over the heavens and the earth and everything in them. The expansion of the earth is done by Him during the life of this world; says He, "Have We not made the earth an even expanse?" (Qura'n, 78:6) meaning spread like a carpet.

On the Day of Judgment, the earth shall also be there, but it will look quite different from its present appearance...; everything about how it will look and what will happen above and underneath it is detailed in books of hadith, in traditions that will, God willing, see the light for the first time in English..., but let us not digress here by borrowing from another book of mine soon, Insha-Allah, to be written! (author :Yasin T. al-Jibouri)

Al-Qabid receives the knowledge of and appreciates acts of charity; to be charitable is to be a true servant of His, a blessed one. He says, "... Allah accepts repentance from His servants and takes the alms" (Qura'n, 9:104). He straitens the hearts, that is, places heavy burdens on them, burdens of woes and worries, and He also eases them.

[wayfarer.]

22. "Al-Basit"

Linguistically, "al-Basit" means: one who stretches his hand, be it as a gesture of good will (in order to shake hands with someone else), or otherwise (to harm someone else, be it by inflicting a physical harm on it, or by causing damage to his property or his own self).

It may be applied literally or metaphorically. The Almighty, for example, has quoted Cain son of Adam saying the following to his brother Able: "If you stretch forth your hand towards me to slay me..., etc." (Qura'n, 5:28).

It also means: to please. According to one tradition, the Messenger of Allah has said, "Fatima is part of me; whatever pleases her pleases me, and whatever displeases her displeases me, too."

Literally, it means: to relax the facial muscles in order to express pleasure and happiness, elation or excitement; all other meanings branch out of that.

Inbisat, its noun, means, among other things, abandoning modesty. "Al-baseeta" is the outstretched tract of land, and "bast" is: expansion or propagation.

Al-Basit is the One Who pleases the souls by making them happy and delighted. He is the One Who plants the seeds of life in the bodies to signal the beginning of life therein. He, at the advent of resurrection, brings life back to them in order to show people, in the life hereafter, what they used to do during their temporary life in this world.

The Attribute "al-Basit" does not exist in the text of the Holy Qura'n, yet its derivatives certainly do; these are examples where such derivatives exist:

Nay! His hands are spread out; He expends as He pleases. (5:64) Allah has made for you the earth a wide expanse. (71:19) Allah is the One Who sends forth the winds, so they raise a cloud, then He spreads it forth in the sky as He pleases, and He breaks it up, so you see rain coming forth from it; when He causes it to pour upon whomsoever He pleases of His servants, lo, they rejoice! (30:48)

The Holy Qura'n speaks of decorating the bodies with strength: "... and increased you in excellence in respect of physique" (Qura'n, 7:69). And it speaks of pleasing through both knowledge and excellence of physique when it says, "... and He has increased him abundantly in knowledge and in physique" (Qura'n, 2:247).

and al

We have to point out here that we ought to mention both divine Attributes of al-Qabid and al-Basit together in order to convey the meanings of might and wisdom. The Almighty is al-Qabid just as He is al-Basit.