There is only one God: Allāh ﷻ.
He has no partner – neither in His Self, nor in His Attributes, nor in His Actions, nor in His Commands, nor in His Names. He is wājib al-wujūd, that is, His existence is necessary, and it is impossible for Him to be inexistent. He is Qadīm – which means, He has always existed, without a beginning. He is Bāqī – that is, He will exist forever without an end.
He alone is worthy and deserving of being worshipped.
He is Absolutely Independent [ghaniyy] and does not need anybody or anything;
everything else is in need of Him.
It is impossible to comprehend [or imagine] His Essence [dhāt], because anything that can be comprehended [or imagined] will be bounded by the intellect – and He is boundless; however, we can gain a general idea about His Attributes, by His Actions; then, knowledge of His Attributes leads one to attain gnosis about His Self.
His Attributes are not His Self per se; nor are they separate or dissociated from Him.
In other words, His Self and His Attributes are not the same thing; nor are His Attributes separate from His Self.
Just as His Self [dhāt], His Attributes are also Pre-eternal; He exists without a beginning [azalī] and will exist forever [abadī].
His Attributes are not His creation, nor subject to Divine Power.
Everything is an accident, an occurrence [ĥādith], except for the Self [dhāt] and
Attributes [şifāt] of Allāh ﷻ.
Whoever holds the belief or says that the Attributes of Allāh ﷻ are accidents [ĥādith], is a heretic.
Whoever says that anything else [other than Allāh] is Pre-eternal [qadīm]; or doubts that [everything else] has come into existence at some point in time [ĥudūth], is a kāfir.
Allāh is neither the father, nor the son of anyone; nor does He have a spouse. Whoever says that He has a father or a son or a wife is certainly a kāfir. In fact, whoever deems it to be within the realm of possibility [for Allāh to have a son or wife] is a heretic.
He is Ever-Living [ĥayy]; He gives life to every living thing. He gives life or death to anyone or anything, whenever He Wills.
His Power [qudrah] encompasses every contingent thing; no contingent thing is beyond His Divine Power.
That which is impossible to exist [muĥāl] is precluded from Divine Power; because muĥāl, by the very definition, means something that is impossible to exist; if it were subject to Divine Power [maqdūr] it would become possible for it to exist – which means that it would not be muĥāl anymore. For instance, it is impossible [muĥāl] for another god to exist; if [another god] were subject to Divine Power, then it would be possible for [such a god] to exist; then, it ceases to be impossible anymore.
And if one does not believe that it is impossible [muĥāl] for another god to exist, he rejects monotheism [tawĥīd]. Similarly, annihilation [fanā] of the Creator is impossible [muĥāl]. If it were subject to Divine Power, it would then become possible [for Him to be annihilated]. And that which can be annihilated cannot be God; which proves that one who believes that the impossible [muĥāl] is included in Divine Power has in essence, rejected God.
It is not necessary for everything within Divine Power [maqdūr] to actually exist;
however, it should be contingent [mumkin] for it to be subject to Divine Power, even if such a thing does not exist.
He is Absolutely Perfect and His Attributes are that of Perfection. He is transcendent from every flaw and free from any fault. It is impossible [muĥāl] for a flaw or fault to be present in Him. Rather, He is transcendent from even those attributes which have neither perfection nor flaws. For example, falsehood, deceit, breach of trust, oppression, ignorance, shamelessness etc. are all flaws and it is absolutely impossible for these flaws to exist in Him.
Therefore one who claims that “Allāh has power over falsehood” to mean that His speech can contain falsehood, actually claims that the impossible [muĥāl] is possible [mumkin] and that the Lord Almighty is flawed and has faults. Rather, such a person has rejected God Himself. It is absurd to believe that the Divine Power of the Lord will become defective if muĥāl is precluded from it, and why should it be so? If there is indeed a flaw, then it is in that muĥāl itself, which is unworthy of being associated with Divine Power.
His Essential Attributes [al-şifāt al-dhātiyyah] are:
1. Life [ĥayāh] 2. Power [qudrah] 3. Hearing [samá] 4. Seeing [başar] 5. Speech [kalām] 6. Knowledge [ílm] 7. Will [irādah] But His Hearing, Seeing, Speech is not by eyes, ears or the tongue; because, these are limbs and He is transcendent from corporeality.
He can hear the faintest of sounds, and can see the most infinitesmally small thing – including those minute particles that cannot be seen by the most powerful microscope. His Hearing or Seeing is not dependent on anything – He Sees and Hears everything that exists.
Al-Şifāt al-Fiýliyyah [Attributes of Action], whose opposites can also be attributed to Allāh táālā. For example, giving life and giving death [hence, Muĥyiy, Mumīt] He who can forgive and also punish; Divine Pleasure [riđā] and Divine Wrath [sakhaţ, ghađab].
Also these attributes are manifest when that action takes place; for example, tarzīq [giving sustenance]; Allāh táālā was Rāziq even when He had not created anything that requires rizq [sustenance] – but this Attribute became manifest when He gave them sustenance. Al-Şifāt al-Thubūtiyyah [Attributes of Affirmation], which are affirmed for Allāh táālā; He is One, He is Omnipotent, He is Ever-Living, Self-Subsisting and so forth; Attributes of Affirmation are further related to Self [dhāt] or Actions [fiýl]. Al-Şifāt al-Salabiyyah [Attributes of Negation], that Allāh táālā cannot be attributed with and it is necessary to believe transcendence [tanzīh] from such attributes, such as: He is not body, He is not a composite of particles, nor an indivisible particle [jawhar al-fard], He has no limits, nor can He be measured or enumerated; He is unlike anything else – He is free from shape, size, modality, time and space; He is not born from/of anything, nor anyone is born from/of Him.
Similar to other Divine Attributes, His Speech is also Pre-eternal [qadīm] and it is neither an accident [ĥādith] nor a creation [makhlūq] of Allāh ﷻ. One who claims that the Holy Qur’ān is created, is a kāfir according to our Imām Abū Ĥanīfah رضي الله عنه and others; in fact, the noble Companions رضي الله عنهم have made takfīr of such a person.
Divine Speech transcends sound; the Qur’ān that we recite with our tongues, written in the muş-ĥaf is in essence the Pre-eternal Speech without sound. Our recitation, writing and these sounds are all accidents [ĥādith] but that which was recited and is written is Pre-eternal; our memory is an accident, but that which have memorised is Pre-eternal. That, which is the source of light is Pre-eternal and the reflected light is an accident, an occurrence.
His Knowledge encompasses everything; the specifics of the constituents of a thing and the whole of it; all that exists [mawjūd] and all that does not exist [mádūm]; everything that is contingent and even those things that are impossible. He knew everything in Pre-eternity, Knows it now, and shall know forever. Things change but His Knowledge does not change. He knows the innermost thoughts in every heart: the whisperings and whims, the desires and fancies; His Knowledge is infinite.
He Knows the unseen and the manifest; His Knowledge is absolutely His own and belongs to Him alone; it is His exclusive attribute. Whoever attributes dhātī knowledge to anyone else other than the Lord Almighty Allāh – whether unseen or the manifest – is a kāfir. Dhātī knowledge means that one possesses knowledge [unseen or apparent] by oneself without being informed by Allāh ﷻ.
He is the Creator; whether beings or actions – everything is created by Him.
He is the actual giver of sustenance [rizq]; angels and others are means of delivering it.
He has destined [taqdīr] everything – whether good or evil – according to His Pre- eternal Knowledge. He Knew in Pre-eternity all that would happen and everything that everyone would do and accordingly, He has inscribed everything. Thus, it is not that we are compelled to do according to what He has Written; rather, He has written what we would do. For example, Zayd would do something evil and thus, He wrote evil for him. If Zayd were to do good, He would have written good for him.
The Prophet ﷺ has described those who deny destiny as the Magians of this nation.
Predestination is of three kinds: a. Absolutely Irrevocable [mubram e ĥaqīqi ]: Only Allāh ﷻ knows this, and this cannot change for any reason whatsoever. b. Merely Suspended [muállaq e maĥz]: This is mentioned in the books of Angels to be alterable, depending on certain things. c. Suspended, but Apparently Immutable [muállaq e shabīh ba mubram]: In the books of Angels, this kind is not mentioned as alterable, but in the Knowledge of Allāh ﷻ, it is (alterable). The first kind, as it is named, is absolutely irrevocable.
Even if the greatest among the beloved ones of Allāh ﷻ implore Him to alter it, they are advised to forsake their expectation concerning its change. Angels were sent to punish the People of Lūţ; our master Ibrāhīm, who was mercy personified, implored Allāh táālā to forgive them; after all, his blessed name itself means ab-raĥīm or ‘merciful father.’ He supplicated and beseeched his Lord Almighty to such an extent that he even argued with the Lord Almighty, as said in the Qur’ān:
يُجَـٰدِلُنَا فِىْ قَوْمِ لُوْطٍHe began arguing with Us concerning the people of Lūţ
Incidentally, this verse refutes heretics who claim that nobody, not even the beloved ones of Allāh ﷻ have any esteem or eminence near Allāh ﷻ and they say: ‘Nobody can utter a word in front of Him.’ Yet, the Lord Almighty has Himself said: He began arguing with Us concerning the people of Lūţ, [about Ibrāhīm ] which shows the eminence of Prophets in His Presence.
It is mentioned in a ĥadīth, that RasūlAllāh ﷺ heard a voice during his Ascension [miýrāj] – the voice of someone talking with Allāh loudly and fervently. Our Master asked Jibrīl عليه السلام “Who is this?” and he replied that it was Mūsā عليه السلام. RasūlAllāh ﷺ asked: “Does he speak with his Lord thus, in such an ardent manner?” Jibrīl عليه السلام replied: “His Lord knows that he has a fiery and fervent nature.”
In the Qur’ān, Allāh táālā has said:
وَلَسَوْفَ يُعْطِيكَ رَبُّكَ فَتَرْضَىٰAnd very soon, your Sustainer will give you so much, that you will be pleased
When the above verse was revealed, Sayyidunā RasūlAllāh ﷺ, the master of the beloved ones of Allāh [sayyid al-maĥbūbīn] said: “If so, I shall not be pleased, so long as a single follower of mine is in the Fire.” These are the high stations and ranks of the beloved ones of Allāh táālā, whose eminence is unsurpassed in the Presence of their Lord Almighty (May the blessings of Allāh táālā be upon them and salutations of peace), even the miscarried fetus is mentioned in the ĥadīth thus: “On the Day of Judgement, the miscarried fetus will contend for the forgiveness of its parents, similar to a creditor wrangling with a debtor, until [the miscarried child] will be told: ‘O arguing fetus!
Take your parents by the hand, and go into Paradise.’” Anyway, this was [mentioned]
If anyone thinks that someone can intercede near Allāh [because of their being beloved] such a person is also a polytheist and an ignoramus [mushrik, jāhil].
only as an answer to an objection, which will hopefully be beneficial for believers and effective in repelling the nastiness of human devils.
The point that we were discussing is that Divine Punishment for the People of Lūţ was an absolutely irrevocable ordainment [qađā mubram ĥaqīqī] and when the Friend of Allāh [Khalīlullāh ] kept insisting [hoping to intercede and gain pardon], he was commanded to refrain from such a thought:
يَـٰٓإِبْرَٰهِـۧمُ أَعْرِضْ عَنْ هَـٰذَا ۖ إِنَّهُۥ قَدْ جَآءَ أَمْرُ رَبِّكَ ۖ وَإِنَّهُمْ عَذَابٌ غَيْرُ مَرْدُودٍO Ibrāhīm, turn away from this [plea]; verily, the Decree of your Lord has come – and for them, a punishment shall come to pass which cannot be averted. Destiny which is suspended [muállaq] is alterable and this can be changed by prayers and intercession of the friends of Allāh [awliyā’a]; that which is intermediate – which is apparently unalterable and thus inscribed in the books of Angels; but this can be changed by the prayers [and intercession] of prominent Awliyā’a; this is what our master, Ghawth al-Aáżam Shaykh Ábd al-Qadir Jilānī meant when he said: “I can [intercede] and make the unalterable decree [mubram] to change.” This is the same kind of apparently unalterable decree mentioned in the ĥadīth:
Verily supplication wards off the unalterable decree
Note 1: Matters of predestination and Divine Decree are extremely complicated and cannot be understood by common folk and ordinary minds; attempting to understand these mysteries and delving deep in researching these issues is perilous and may lead one to perdition.
When our masters Abū Bakr al-Şiddīq رضي الله عنه and Úmar al-Fārūq رضي الله عنه were forbidden from discussing these matters, how can you and I hope to comprehend them? One should just know that Allāh táālā has not created humans insentient and motionless like rocks and trees; He has given them a limited choice [free will] to do a certain action
‘Umbilical cord’ is a hyperbole to mean ‘ardently’, as mentioned in Majmaá Biĥār al-Anwar 2/109, of Állāmah Ţāhir Patnī; the author has paraphrased it here for brevity.
or abstain from it; together He has given them intelligence to discern between good and evil, benefit and loss – and also gave them access to means such that those means will be available to them when they [humans] wish to do a certain action. Accountability of humans is for making that [choice] – to act or to abstain from it.
It is heresy to consider oneself absolutely compelled and powerless [hence, having no accountability for one’s actions] or completely independent [and free from destiny]. Note 2: It is reprehensible enough to commit an evil act; it is worse to attribute it to destiny and to the Divine Will of Allāh [as if the person committing evil has no responsibility for his action].
Rather, when one does a good deed, one should attribute it to the guidance and Grace of Allāh táālā; if a sin or evil act is committed, one should consider it due to the evil of one’s own lower self [nafs].
Allāh ﷻ is free from being in a direction, place, time, motion or stillness [i.e. from movement or being at rest], shape, form and all attributes of accidents [hawādith].
The vision of Allāh ﷻ in this world is a special attribute given only to our Master ﷺ;
however, it is possible – rather, a certain and an expected occurrence for every Sunni Muslim in the Hereafter. However, beholding Him by the heart, is proven for not only Prophets, but also Awliyā’a. It is reported that Imām Aáżam Abū Ĥanīfah رضي الله عنه saw Allāh táālā one hundred times in his dreams.
Muslims will see Allāh and that Vision will be without modality. That is, one who sees
Him, cannot describe ‘how’ he has seen. Because anything else we see has a distance – near or far; a direction in relation to the person seeing that thing – up, down, right, left, front and back. Allāh táālā is free from existing in a space or being in a direction. Then, ‘how’ will He be seen? Indeed, that is what I am saying: no one can describe the ‘manner’ in which He will be seen.
And Allāh-Willing, we will [probably] be able to say how we saw Him. It is also impossible for anything, even sight, to encompass Him.
He does what He Wills and as He Wills – no one can restrict Him; nor can anyone restrain Him from doing what He Wills. ▪ He does not get drowsy, nor is He overcome by sleep. He watches everything in the creation.
He is neither tired, nor does He become weary or fatigued. ▪ He gives sustenance to everything in the creation. ▪ He is more Merciful and Benevolent than one’s own parents. ▪ He is the Most Forbearing [al-Ĥalīm]. ▪ His benevolence is the comfort for broken hearts; He alone is worthy of greatness and glory. ▪ He creates [humans] in the wombs of their mothers, as He pleases. ▪ He forgives sins and accepts repentance. ▪ His Force is infinite [qahr], His Wrath is severe, His Anger is fierce. ▪ His Grasp is powerful and no one can escape Him; except, when He Himself chooses to release them. ▪ He can extend a small thing to make it into an enormously vast one;or shrink a gigantic thing into a tiny speck. ▪ He can give honour to the despicable and elevate the lowly to be respectable; or humiliate the honourable or disgrace the noble. ▪ He guides whom He Wills on the straight path and whom He Wills, He will let them go astray.
▪ He can grant His closeness to whom He Wills, and forsake whom He Wills or spurn from His Grace whom He wishes. ▪ He can give anything He wishes to whoever He wishes and take away anything He wishes from whosoever He wishes. ▪ Whatever He does is just and equitable; He is transcendent from being unfair; He is free from cruelty and oppression. ▪ He is the Highest, the Most Majestic and the Greatest. ▪ He [with His Power and Knowledge] encompasses everyone and everything. ▪ No one and nothing can encompass Him. ▪ Benefit and harm, welfare and ruin, blessing and deprivation are in His Power. ▪ He aids the oppressed and those denied justice and avenges injustice, punishes the cruel, the tyrants, the oppressors. ▪ Nothing can happen without His Will [mashīyah, irādah]. ▪ He is pleased with good deeds and is displeased with bad deeds and sins. ▪ It is entirely from His Mercy that He does not command us to do something beyond our capability. ▪ It is not obligatory for Allāh táālā to give reward or punishment; nor is it necessary for Him to do only that which is beneficial for His creation. ▪ He is the Absolute Sovereign; the Absolute Lord Almighty – He can do whatever He Wills and commands as He Wills. ▪ However, because of His infinite Mercy, He has promised Muslims that He will grant them Paradise and because of His Infinite Justice, He will cast the infidels, the disbelievers into Hell. ▪ His promise of reward [waád] and punishment [waýīd] do not change; He does not contravene His promises. ▪ He has promised that He shall forgive every small and big sin, even enormities, for anyone He pleases; except that He shall not forgive disbelief [and polytheism].
Every action of the Lord Almighty contains profound wisdom, whether we can perceive it or not, and regardless of our understanding. His Actions are not to achieve a specific goal or for an incentive – because an incentive is a reward which is the motivation for one to act; nor is it towards a terminus, because this is the same as acting to reach a specific goal. The Actions of Allāh táālā are neither dependent on any means (or cause) nor are they for any gain.
By His Infinite Wisdom, He has ordained a cause and effect relation between the means and their effects and outcomes. For example, the eye can see, the ear can hear; the fire burns and water quenches thirst. If He so Willed, the eye would hear, and sight would be in the ear; water would burn and singe; fire would quench thirst. If He does not Wish it to be, a million eyes will not be able to detect a mountain in daytime, a billion fires will not be able to harm a tiny piece, a splinter of wood.
How great was the size of the mammoth pyre in which the disbelievers cast our master Ibrāhīm عليه السلام! Nobody could go near the fire, and they had to use a catapult to pitch him into the furnace. When he was mid-air, Jibril عليه السلام appeared and said: “Ibrāhīm, do you need anything?” He replied, “Yes, but not from you.” Jibril عليه السلام said: “Then beseech Him, in Whose need you are.” Ibrāhīm عليه السلام said: “His knowledge of my state, obviates the need for me to state.” Allāh Almighty commanded the fire to cool down:
قُلْنَا يَـٰنَارُ كُونِى بَرْدًا وَسَلَـٰمًا عَلَىٰٓ إِبْرَٰهِـۧمَO fire! Become cool and [be] safe for Ibrāhīm.
It is said that every fire on earth was extinguished at that moment – and every fire took the Divine Command to be directed toward itself. Exegetes have said that these fires would have extinguished and become freezing cold to the point of discomfort if the word “become safe” was not mentioned along with Command to “cool down”. to humans to invent things that can ‘obey’ them, why would it be unimaginable for the Creator of everything to do so?
His Power is infinite and all-encompassing. In reality, everything obeys His Command.
Footnotes
Dhāt, or His Self; also translated as ‘Essence’.
Şifāt or His Attributes. Plural of şifah/şifat. Description and categorisation of attributes is mentioned a little further in the footnotes.
Ádam: inexistence – or non-existence or ceasing to exist.
Existed from Pre-eternity and without a beginning. Azalī also means the same.
Everything in creation ‘occurred’ and ‘came into existence’ when the Creator Willed it to exist; it was non- existent prior to this “coming into existence”; this is known as ĥudūth which means; ‘coming into existence, from being non-existent [ádam]’. The Mútazilah say that mádūm is a ‘thing’, an ‘entity’ – shayy – and that all things are established even before their coming into existence, but are hidden, similar to clothes being concealed in a suitcase. The Ahl al-Sunnah say that the non-existent is NOT a thing, regardless of its being possible to exist or impossible to exist [Bājūrī in Tuĥfah, #122]. See Endnote 1. 3
One who considers şifāt dhātiyyah as accidents is a kāfir. However, there is a difference of opinion between Māturīdīs and Ashárīs on şifāt fiýliyyah. See Endnote 2.
Doubts or is undecided or is unsure; because one should have firm and unflinching belief in fundamental precepts. Imām Aáżam (and thus, Māturīdīs) do not admit such ‘doubt’ even superficially and therefore, disallow the statement: “in-sha’Allāh, I am/will be a believer.” Rather, one should say: “I am certainly a believer” because the istithnā or saying In-shā’Allāh, appears as if one is not sure about their faith.
That is, if one mistakenly assumes that ‘taking a son is in Divine Power’ or in the metaphorical meaning of ‘son’ as the Jews and Christians say that we are ‘children of God’. However, if someone means ‘son’ as in ‘begotten by Him’ and who shares His Attributes, then it is outright kufr and idolatry.
Contingent [mumkin]: which may or may not exist; dependent on something for existence. Something that can possibly exist – and if exists, which can also be annihilated. 4
Wājib and muĥāl are precluded from Divine Power. For example, a man with hundred arms and twenty eyes – fully functional and not deformed, is contingent and subject to Divine Power; if Allāh táālā Wills, he can create such a thing; however, it is not necessary for such a thing to exist. It is a fundamental truth in the science of kalām, that only mumkin (contingent) is subject to Divine Power, as explicitly mentioned in numerous books of áqīdah. For example, existence of another god is muĥāl; falsehood in Divine Speech is also muĥāl; therefore, they are precluded from Divine Power.
Or His Attributes.
Some ignoramuses, posing as scholars and Sufi shaykhs, claim that it is only contingently impossible and not intrinsically impossible.
Because, such a person claims muĥāl to be mumkin and flaw for the Creator is muĥāl. If it were in Divine Power, it would be mumkin. And we know that he who has a flaw cannot be the Creator. Therefore, by claiming that a flaw is mumkin for the Lord Almighty, he has actually rejected God.
According to Deobandis, the meaning of Divine Power being all-encompassing means that it also includes flaws and if the Lord did not have the power to be flawed – and because men can have flaws – His power would become less than that of men! This is the implication of their statements.
Divine Attributes are categorised as: Al-Şifāt al-Dhātiyyah [Attributes of Self or Essential Attributes], whose opposites cannot be attributed to Allāh táālā. For example, qudrah [power], ílm [knowledge], ízzah [glory, might], áżmah [greatness]; it is impermissible to attribute its opposites [powerlessness, ignorance, disgrace, weakness, lowliness] to Allāh táālā. 5
This is to negate anthropomorphism.
According to physicists, neutrinos are believed to be the smallest observed particles in the range of 10-24m known as yoctometre (1 ym). An even smaller measurement of 10-35m, is known as the Planck length; typical scale of hypothetical loop quantum gravity or size of a hypothetical string and of branes; according to string theory, lengths smaller than this do not make any physical sense. Quantum foam is thought to exist at this level. Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orders_of_magnitude_(length). After a certain degree, subatomic particles cannot be ‘seen’ in the literal sense but their presence is inferred or ‘observed’ indirectly by complex equipment such as particle accelerators. Large accelerators are used for research in particle physics. The most powerful accelerator currently is the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) near Geneva, Switzerland, built by CERN. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Particle_accelerator 6
khawāţir, wasāwis [plurals of khāţir, waswasah]
dhātī
dhawāt pl. of dhāt: essence, beings, or entities.
A doctor dispenses medicine; people in authority, power, position or those who are wealthy may ‘bestow’ grants; similar to Awliyā’a who ‘give’ by the leave of Allāh. 7
Majūs: Zoroastrians; they reject predestination [taqdīr] and believe that men are responsible for their deeds and they shape their own destinies. See Abraham Jackson, The Zoroastrian Doctrine of the Freedom of the Will, April 22, 1920. Online: http://www.cais-soas.com/CAIS/Religions/iranian/Zarathushtrian/freedom_will.htm
For brevity, most áqīdah texts mention only two; mubram and ghayr mubram. The latter two are subcategories of the ghayr mubram or destiny that is alterable. See Endnote 3.
Sūrah Hūd, 11:74. Sayyidunā Lūţ عليه السلام is known as Lot in Judeo-Christian literature and is written thus in English translations. He was the nephew of Sayyidunā Ibrāhīm عليه السلام.
This is said by Wahābīs in general, and especially by Deobandis, who are the followers of Ismāýīl Dihlawī.
That is, nobody can intercede near Allāh. Ismāýīl Dihlawī has said in his Tafwiyat al-Īmān, p24: 8
Ibn Ĥajar in Fat’ĥ al-Bārī and Áynī in Úmdatu’l Qārī have mentioned this in the commentary of hadith §3887 about Miýraj, from a narration of Abū Úbaydah ibn Ábdullāh ibn Masúūd رضي الله عنه narrating from his father (i.e. Ibn Masúūd رضي الله عنه) and another narration of Ibn Masúūd via Ĥārith by Abū Yaálā and Bazzār.
Sūrah Đuĥā, 93:5.
Qurţubī in his tafsīr mentions a ĥadīth under this verse: “Then, by Allāh, I shall not be pleased as long as one amongst my followers is in the Fire”.
Paraphrased ĥadīth of Sunan Ibn Mājah, §1608. This is a weak narration because of Mandal ibn Álī (in the chain) who is weak, by common agreement [Buşīrī]. However, this is mentioned here to counter the false notions spread by Tafwiyatu’l Īmān concerning intercession. The full ĥadīth is thus: [Mawlā] Álī رضي الله عنه narrates that RasūlAllāh ﷺ said: The miscarried fetus will argue with its Lord when He sends the parents of the [miscarried] fetus into the Fire, until it is told: “O [miscarried] fetus that argues with its Lord; [take hold of your] parents and make them enter Paradise.” It shall then yank them both by the umbilical cord [sarar] until it makes them enter Paradise. 9
Sūrah Hūd, 11:76.
In Bahār e Sharīát, the ĥadīth is cited as مربأ ام دع ءاضقلا دري ءاعدلا نإ I could not find this exact wording [apparently, nor could the folks at Majlis Ílmiyyah] but similar narrations are cited by Alahazrat in Mustanad: مملا ءاضقلا دري ءاعدلا نإف[Kitāb al-Thawāb of Abū al-Shaykh]; مي نأ دع ءاضقلا دري دنجم هللا دانجأ نم دنج ءاعدلا [Musnad al-Firdaws of Daylamī]. Also, in Kanz al-Úmmāl §3158-59 [Álī al-Muttaqī]. 10
The Jabariyyah and the Qadariyyah; see my paper on free will titled, The Sunni View on Free Will to be published by Ridawi Press shortly, in-shā’Allāh.
Seeing Allāh with one’s own eyes and in a state of wakefulness. See Endnote 4.
Beholding Allāh táālā in one’s dreams; most scholars admit its possibility and that such a vision is without modality [kayfiyyah] or direction or form even in this circumstance; it is reported that Imām Abū Ĥanīfah رضي الله عنهsaid: “I have seen my Lord, the Glorious 99 times” and thereafter, he saw yet another time, completing the hundred. It is a lengthy anecdote and this space does not permit citing it in its entirety. It is also reported from Imām Aĥmad [ibn Ĥanbal] رضي الله عنه that he said: I saw my Lord Almighty in my dream and I asked Him: “O my Lord, how did those, who are close to You, become thus close?” He said: “By My Divine Speech [the Qur’ān], O Aĥmad” I asked Him: “My Lord, [reciting] with understanding or without?” and He said: “[Both;] with and without understanding”. [Álī al-Qārī in Minaĥ al-Rawđ al-Az’har, 186-187]. 11
See Appendix A for Qur’ānic verses from which these beliefs are derived.
These scenarios have been considered as plausible by scientists in our time. For example, a small speck from nothingness can explode into a whole universe which is continuously expanding (as claimed by the proponents of the Big Bang) and eventually all of it will be reversed and all matter would collapse into black holes, which would then coalesce, producing a unified black hole or the singularity (as claimed by the proponents of the Big Crunch).
He has the absolute Power to do whatever He Wills; He gives and withdraws honour and He subjects whom He Wills to humiliation and disgrace. We seek His Refuge from His Wrath. 12
Allāh is the Creator of means [sabab; pl. asbāb], this world of means [áālam al-asbāb] and the laws that govern the cause-effect relationships. He is Himself not bound or constrained by the laws He has created.
Narrated by Ubayy ibn Kaáb رضي الله عنه from the Prophet ﷺ: “Indeed, when they arrested Ibrāhīm عليه السلام to cast him in the fire, he said: “There is no God except You, Glory be to You, the Lord-Sustainer of the universe. All praise belongs to You, and to You belongs the kingdom; there is no partner unto You” He ﷺ said: Then they cast him from a catapult stationed far off and Jibril عليه السلام came to him and said: “O Ibrāhīm, are you in any need?” He replied: “As for any help, none needed from you.” Jibril عليه السلام said: “Then ask your Lord.” He replied: “His knowledge of my state obviates the need for me to state.” So Allāh táālā commanded, and He is the Most Truthful of all speakers: “O fire! Cool down and become safe for Ibrāhīm.” [Tafsīr Qurţubī].
Sūrah Anbiyā’a, 21:69.
Many people in our time, conditioned by an education system that places emphasis only on the physical aspect and the material world, may find this surreal. How can a ‘fire’ be sentient and ‘obey’ a command? Yet, in our time, anyone can ‘command’ devices which ‘listen’ and ‘respond’. Siri or Google or Alexa. One can command ‘smart devices’ – like commanding a light to dim or switch off. If Allāh táālā has granted the power 14
Ibn Ábbās رضي الله عنهما and Abū al-Áāliyah said: “If Allāh had not said “and be safe” in His Command, the fire would extinguish and would freeze and the cold would hurt Ibrāhīm عليه السلام [Tafsīr Ibn Kathīr]. Sayyidunā Álī رضي الله عنه and Ibn Ábbās رضي الله عنهما have said: If the Command [for the fire] to cool down was not joined by the Divine Command ‘be safe and comfortable’, Sayyidunā Ibrāhīm عليه السلام could not have survived the cold; there was no fire on earth on that day, except that it was extinguished, assuming that the command was directed to itself. [Tafsīr Qurţubī]. NOTE: The ĥadīth mentioned in footnote 51 above is weak, but Wahābīs dismiss this outright and class it as a falsehood [bāţil]. In an Arabic fatwā on https://islamqa.info [#22498], Ibn Taymiyyah is cited as follows: And that which is narrated that Khalīl [i.e. Ibrāhīm عليه السلام], when he was cast from the catapult, Jibril عليه السلام told him: “Ask” and he said: “He does not require me to ask, He Knows about my state”, there is no known chain of authority [isnadun márūf] and it is a falsehood [bāţil]. Rather, that which is established in the authentic [şaĥīĥ] narration from Ibn Ábbās is that he said: “Allāh is sufficient for me and He is the best Disposer of affairs.” [Majmūú al-Fatāwā 1/183] He is further quoted as: As for the saying: “He does not need my asking, my state is in His Knowledge,” this is invalid – and is against what Ibrāhīm al-Khalīl and other Prophets have said about beseeching Allāh and asking Him. It is against what Allāh táālā has commanded His slaves, [that is,] to beseech Him [i.e to do duáā] for the good in this world and the Hereafter... [Majmūú al-Fatāwā 8/538] It is an extremely silly objection made by Ibn Taymiyyah, whose derivation does not rise above the literal word and his followers imitate him blindly. It is surprising that some ulama have praised him as ‘intelligent,’ whereas his ‘brilliance’ can be seen only in repeating memorised facts. Critical reasoning is not his forte. Imām Subkī aptly described him as:“erudition greater than intelligence.” Look at the two citations above; there is practically NO difference in the outcome. The narration which is classed as şaĥīĥ by Ibn Taymiyyah ALSO indicates that Ibrāhīm عليه السلام did not expressly ask to be saved from fire, but left the matter to the Divine Judgement of Allāh táālā. Expressly asking for something, or remaining silent and leaving the matter to Allāh táālā are both valid actions from traditions of the Prophets. Ibrāhīm عليه السلام did not ‘refuse’ duáā here, which according to Ibn Taymiyyah would be the implication; rather, he عليه السلام left the matter to Allāh táālā and His Knowledge of the culmination of all events. “And I entrust my affair to [the Judgement of] Allāh” [Sūrah al- Ghāfir, 40:44]. In a ĥadīth qudsi, reporting from Allāh táālā: “If preoccupation with the Qur’ān and My remembrance [dhikr] keeps a man from asking Me, I will give him far more and superior than I would give to those who ask.” [Tirmidhī §2926; Bayhaqī in Shuāb al-Īymān §572 ] Does this mean the person ‘refuses’ to do duáā and thus go ‘against the Command of Allāh’? Certainly not! The hadith that rebukes those who abandon duáā is for those who do so in negligence and forgetting Allāh táālā. 15