Important Principles Concerning Allah's Names and Attributes

[Amatullah]

Aqeedah - <b>Important Principles Concerning Allah's Names and Attributes</b>

The Text: Before entering into the core of this book, I would first like to introduce some important principles related to Allah's Names and Attributes.[1]

<b>The First Principle:</b> What is obligatory from the texts of the Qur'aan and Sunnah regarding Allah's Names and Attributes.

With regard to the texts of the Qur'aan and the Sunnah, it is obligatory (concerning Allah's Names and Attributes) to leave their proofs and implications upon their literal meanings, without changing them. This is because Allah revealed the Qur'aan in a plain Arabic language and the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, used to speak with the Arabic language. Therefore, it is obligatory to leave the implications of the words of Allah and the words of the Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, as they are, in that language. Also, changing it from its literal meaning is speaking about Allah without knowledge and this is forbidden, due to the statement of Allah:

"Say: 'The things that my Lord has indeed forbidden are the great evil sins, whether committed openly or secretly, sins (of all kinds), unrighteous oppression, joining partners (in worship) with Allah for which He has given no authority, and saying things about Allah of which you have no knowledge.'" [2]

An example of this principle is found in the statement of Allah:

"Nay, both His hands are widely outstretched." [3]

Indeed, what is literally apparent from this ayah is that Allah has two actual hands. Thus, affirming that is obligatory, due to this principle. So if someone were to say that the meaning of His hands is "power", then we must say to him that this is changing the word from its literal meaning. And saying this is not permissible, for it is speaking about Allah without knowledge.

<b>The Second Principle:</b> Concerning Allah's Names

There are several subdivisions included in this principle:

<b>The first subdivision:</b> All of Allah's Names are the best

This means that they all possess the highest extent of goodness. This is since they are comprised of perfect attributes. There are no deficiencies to be found in them in any way whatsoever, for Allah says:

"To Him belong the best of Names." [4]

An example of this is the name Ar-Rahmaan, which is one of the Names of Allah, for it demonstrates a magnificent attribute – which is (His) vast mercy.

We know that Ad-Dahr (time) is not one of the Names of Allah, for it does not possess a meaning that reaches the highest extent of goodness. As for the Prophet's, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, statement: "Do not curse time, for indeed, Allah is Ad-Dahr (time)", [5]then its meaning is that He is the "Owner of time – the One who dispenses it". This change occurs based on the evidence found in his, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, statement in the second narration (of this hadeeth) in which Allah said: "In My hand is the Command. I turn (in cycles) the night and the day." [6]

<b>The Second Subdivision:</b> The Names of Allah are not confined to a fixed and definite number

This is based on the famous hadeeth: "I ask You, O Allah, by every one of Your Names by which You have named Yourself or revealed in Your Book. Or (those which You have) taught to one of Your creatures or appropriated for Yourself in the knowledge of the Ghaib (Unseen) that is with You." [7]

Specifying and grasping whatever Allah has appropriated for Himself in the knowledge of the Ghaib (Unseen) that is with Him, is impossible to attain.

The way to combine between this hadeeth and the other authentic hadeeth: "Verily, to Allah belong ninety-nine names, (by which) whosoever takes account of them (i.e. memorizes, learns and supplicates by them), will enter Paradise" [8] is that the meaning of this (latter) hadeeth is:

"Verily, from among all the names of Allah are ninety-nine names by which if someone takes account of them, he will enter Paradise."

It does not mean that Allah's names are restricted to this number (of 99).

The equivalent of this would be if one were to say: "I have one hundred dollars which I have counted out for the purpose of giving in charity." This does not negate that he has other dollars in his possession, which he has counted out for a purpose other than charity.

<b>The Third Subdivision:</b> The Names of Allah are not affirmed by the intellect – they can only be affirmed by Revelation

The Names of Allah are based upon Revelation and as such, their affirmation is dependent upon what is reported in the revealed texts concerning them. Therefore, nothing can be added to them nor subtracted. This is because the intellect is not able to itself ascertain which names Allah is most deserving of. So it is obligatory to depend upon the revealed texts for determining that. Also, naming Allah with that which He did not name Himself or rejecting what He did name Himself with, is a crime against Him and a perpetration of His right. Thus, abiding by the proper etiquettes with regard to that is obligatory.

<b>The Fourth Subdivision:</b> The meaning of each of Allah's Names applies to 1) Allah Himself, 2) the attribute that such a Name implies, and 3) the effect of such an attribute, if it is transitive.

Faith in Allah's names cannot be complete without affirming all of this.

An example of those names that are not transitive is the name Al-‘Adheem (The Most Great). One’s Faith is not complete until he believes that it is a name of Allah whose meaning applies to Him Himself, as well as the attribute that it encompasses, which is His magnificence (‘adhamah). An example of a name that is transitive is Ar-Rahmaan (the Most Merciful). One’s Faith is not complete until he believes that it is a name of Allah that applies to 1) Himself, 2) the attribute that it encompasses, which is his mercy, and 3) what results from that, which is that he grants mercy to whom He wills.

<b>- Shaikh Muhammad Ibn Saalih Al-'Uthaimeen</b> (rahimahullaah)

Source: Sharh Lum'atul-'Itiqaad (20-23) [Dar Al-Istiqamah Printing]

Footnotes: From the Checking of Ashraf Ibn 'Abdil-Maqsood to the Shaikh's book

Translator: Abu Maryam Taken from http://islamcanada.com/

[Muslimah]

<i>Originally posted by Amatullah </i><b>Aqeedah - Important Principles Concerning Allah's Names and Attributes</b>

 

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With regard to the texts of the Qur'aan and the Sunnah, it is obligatory (concerning Allah's Names and Attributes) to leave their proofs and implications upon their literal meanings, without changing them.  This is because Allah revealed the Qur'aan in a plain Arabic language and the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa  

An example of this principle is found in the statement of Allah:

\"Nay, both His hands are widely outstretched.\" [3]

Indeed, what is literally apparent from this ayah is that Allah has two actual hands.  Thus, affirming that is obligatory, due to this principle.  So if someone were to say that the meaning of His hands is \"power\", then we must say to him that this is changing the word from its literal meaning.  And saying this is not permissible, for it is speaking about Allah without knowledge.

As Salam Alykom Ukhti Amatullah

I can never come near Shaikh Muhammad Ibn Saalih Al-'Uthaimeen (rahimahullaah), or even claim to be a scholar or have knowledge. However, I think to the best of my knowledge, that according to Quran Allah describes Himself as:"There is nothing like Him; and He is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer.

" (Quran 42: 11). This Ayah is very clear describing Allah as nothing like Him, in other words, we must never in any way think of Allah having hands like us, or face like us. Allah only uses such symbolic style to bring things close to our minds. Yet we must only think of our Lors as nothing like Him. Even the fact brought to us in a hadeeth, that Allah decends in the last third of night to the lowest sky, we know that it happens, however, we know not how this decendence happens. We must not think about it as being part of Ghayb. So the ayah is just a harsh blame for the jews who were (waliyadhubillah) claiming that Allah's hands are tight in referrence to being miser (I seek Allah's forgiveness). In return He explained that no His hands are outstreched since He is Al Moe`tiy. But not to confirm that He has two hands.

wallahu a`alam

What ever is correct is from Allah, and whatever is wrong is from me and Shaytan