Bismi llāh, wa l-hamdu lillāh, wa s-salātu wa s-salāmu ‘alā rasūli llāh, wa ‘alā ālihī wa sahbihī wa man wālāh. Ammā ba‘d:
Having sound belief in Allah and His messenger (ﷺ) is the first obligation upon every Muslim. Thus, it is of utmost importance that our hearts are free from beliefs that are not in line with traditional, Sunni Islamic creed (‘aqīdah). However, certain beliefs which contravene traditional, Sunni creed have spread among the masses in recent times, some of which are deeply problematic, such as the belief that:
• Allah is physically in the heavens, above His throne (‘arsh).
• Allah is comprised of physical organs and parts (hands, eyes, etc.).
• Allah literally descends in the last third of the night to answer those who call upon Him.
• etc.
It is important for us as Muslims to seek clarification so as to ensure that our beliefs are in line with the correct, mainstream, Islamic creed. In shā’ Allāh, this piece will try to summarise what the Sunni Muslim community – scholars and laity alike – have been upon for the past 1,400 years with regards to some of these beliefs.
The Question of "Where is Allah?"
To sum things up, we cannot believe that Allah is in a place. We cannot say that Allah is in the heavens, nor can we say Allah is everywhere (unless we say that Allah is everywhere with His knowledge). But why?
Simple. It's because Allah is the creator of all places and directions. Therefore, the creator of place and direction cannot Himself be in a place or direction; otherwise, the Creator would be contained within His creation! And by limiting Allah to a place or direction, one implies that Allah has a body such that He can now reside in a place and direction, thereby resembling Allah to His creations. Subhān Allāh! How can God be limited by His own creations? How can God be in need of a place and direction? This goes against His being al-Ghaniyy – the one absolutely free of all need!
If one were to say that Allah is "on" something, this would mean that Allah is carried by something, and so Allah would thus be in need of the object that carries Him! If one were to say that Allah is "in" something, this would mean that Allah is contained by something, and so He would thus be limited by the object that contains Him!
If one were to say that Allah is above His ‘arsh, then where was He before He created the ‘arsh? If Allah is in a place, direction, or space, then where was He before He created place, direction, and space?
The question of "Where is Allah?" in and of itself is wrong. When we ask where a person or thing is, we ask about things that exist in directions and space. However, Allah is the creator of direction and space, and to limit Him to a direction or place implies resembling Him to the creation.
‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib (Allah be well-pleased with him) summed it up well when he said, "Allah existed when there was no place, and He is now where He has always been (i.e. without place)." (al-Farq Bayn al-Firāq, pg. 333)
Thus, to sum up the correct Islamic belief as held by the Sunni community for over 1400 years: Allah exists beyond place, direction, time, or space. Allah does not need space and time to exist. We do not say that Allah is physically in the heavens, physically above His throne, or physically everywhere. Allah is free from all imperfections and limitations. Human imagination cannot conceptualise Him, nor can human understanding grasp His reality, nor does He resemble creation.
Allah is Not Comprised of Parts or Organs
Another belief some may have is that Allah is composed of parts and organs. This usually arises due to:
1) Ambiguous Qur’ānic āyahs and ḥadīths such as:
• the ḥadīth, "Allah's yad ('hand') is with the group." (al-Tirmidhī)
• the ayah where Allah describes the righteous as saying, "We only feed you for the wajh ('face') of Allah." (Qur’ān 76:9).
2) The natural human tendency to visualise things in their minds that they cannot tangibly perceive.
Long story short: Allah is not comprised of parts or organs. He does not have physical hands, eyes, or any other organ – He does not resemble His creations in any way. Thus, He hears without needing ears, He sees without needing eyes, and He knows without needing a mind or heart. Allah is free from all imperfections and limitations. Human imagination cannot conceptualise Him, nor can human understanding grasp His reality, nor does He resemble creation.
Furthermore, were we to believe that Allah is comprised of parts and organs, we would be admitting that He is a body, and a body must necessarily reside in a place and direction, which is impossible for Allah as He would then be limited by a creation of His, namely place and direction. As such, the belief that Allah is comprised of parts and organs is highly problematic as it likens Allah to His creation, and as Allah says, "There is nothing whatever like unto Him" (Qur’ān 42:11).
Dealing with Āyahs/Ḥadīths that Seem to Ascribe Human Qualities to Allah
Allah is distinct from His creations in every way. Thus, any āyah/ḥadīth which seems to ascribe human qualities to Allah must not be taken literally. To take them literally would be rather foolish. Every language has its figures of speech, and Arabic is certainly no exception. If someone asked you to "lend him a hand" or to "keep an eye" on someone, would you take those literally? So if you wouldn't take every expression of the English language in its literal sense, then what about the Arabic language, a language so rich that Allah made it the chosen language for His final revelation?
If we were to take every ayah of the Qur’ān literally, then what about the ayah in Qur’ān 9:67 where Allah says that "they (i.e. the hypocrites) have forgotten Allah, so Allah has forgotten them"? Are you going to take that literally and say that Allah is attributed with forgetfulness? Na‘ūdhu billāh!
Add to that the fact that the Arabic word yad alone doesn't just mean "hand" – it has 24 other possible meanings, some which befit Allah and some which do not, as mentioned by Ibn Ḥajar al-‘Asqalānī (Allah have mercy upon him) in Fatḥ al-Bārī. Even in the English language, the word "hand" has several meanings. Google it.
Now, as for āyahs and ḥadīths that seemingly ascribe human qualities to Allah, the scholars have two ways of dealing with them:
1) Tafwīd (consignment): We are to read these āyahs/ḥadīths while leaving their true meaning to Allah, believing in them as Allah meant them. In other words, we affirm what Allah has affirmed, though we consign the specific meaning and reality of such ambiguous texts to Allah alone, without trying to interpret them. As some of of the scholars would say regarding such texts, "Pass by them as they are, without asking how." Thus, we say, "I affirm that Allah has a yad (literally: 'hand'), wajh (literally: 'face'), etc., but as for the reality of the yad and wajh of Allah, I do not know, and I leave that to Allah. However, I also affirm that the yad and wajh of Allah are unlike the hand and face of the human being; I do not believe that Allah has a physical hand and face, as that would imply resembling Allah to the creation."
2) Ta’wīl (interpretation): We figuratively/metaphorically interpret these texts in a manner befitting Allah and in a manner that fits within the parameters of the Arabic language. Thus, we say that yad ("hand") in the aforementioned ḥadīth means "protection and preservation", while the expression "for the wajh ('face') of Allah" in the aforementioned āyah means "for the sake of Allah's reward and acceptance." However, we don't affirm these interpreted meanings with certainty as other meanings could be correct; rather, we say that, for example, "hand" in that āyah signifies Allah's protection, though it could have other meanings.
Another example is the ḥadīth which states that Allah yanzilu ("descends") in the last third of the night to answer those who call upon Him. When coming across such āyahs/ḥadīths, one should refer them to reliable, traditionally trained scholars so as to ascertain their proper interpretation*. If one does not have access to such scholars, one should simply believe in the āyah/ḥadīth while consigning the knowledge of the reality described in the āyah/ḥadīth to Allah. So with this particular ḥadīth, one would say for example, "I believe in the nuzūl (literally: descent) of Allah in the last third of the night, but as to the 'how' of this nuzūl, Allah knows best. At the same time though, I also believe that Allah does not Himself physically descend, as Allah exists without being in need of a place."
Conclusion
In summary:
• Allah exists without being in a place. Allah does not need space and time to exist. We do not say that Allah is physically in the heavens, physically above His throne (‘arsh), or physically everywhere. Allah does not have a "where" as Allah is the creator of "where".
• Allah is not composed of organs or parts.
• When coming across an āyah/ḥadīth that apparently ascribes human qualities to Allah, we refer them to reliable scholars so as to ascertain their proper interpretation. If one does not have access to such scholars, one should simply believe in the āyah/ḥadīth while consigning the knowledge of the reality described in the āyah/ḥadīth to Allah.
For those who are interested in further reading, then have a read of this, this, this, and this. (The third one is especially good.)
In shā’ Allāh, this has cleared some things up. If not, please do not hesitate to seek clarification.
Success and guidance is with Allah alone.
And Allah alone knows best.
Having sound belief in Allah and His messenger (ﷺ) is the first obligation upon every Muslim. Thus, it is of utmost importance that our hearts are free from beliefs that are not in line with traditional, Sunni Islamic creed (‘aqīdah). However, certain beliefs which contravene traditional, Sunni creed have spread among the masses in recent times, some of which are deeply problematic, such as the belief that:
• Allah is physically in the heavens, above His throne (‘arsh).
• Allah is comprised of physical organs and parts (hands, eyes, etc.).
• Allah literally descends in the last third of the night to answer those who call upon Him.
• etc.
It is important for us as Muslims to seek clarification so as to ensure that our beliefs are in line with the correct, mainstream, Islamic creed. In shā’ Allāh, this piece will try to summarise what the Sunni Muslim community – scholars and laity alike – have been upon for the past 1,400 years with regards to some of these beliefs.
The Question of "Where is Allah?"
To sum things up, we cannot believe that Allah is in a place. We cannot say that Allah is in the heavens, nor can we say Allah is everywhere (unless we say that Allah is everywhere with His knowledge). But why?
Simple. It's because Allah is the creator of all places and directions. Therefore, the creator of place and direction cannot Himself be in a place or direction; otherwise, the Creator would be contained within His creation! And by limiting Allah to a place or direction, one implies that Allah has a body such that He can now reside in a place and direction, thereby resembling Allah to His creations. Subhān Allāh! How can God be limited by His own creations? How can God be in need of a place and direction? This goes against His being al-Ghaniyy – the one absolutely free of all need!
If one were to say that Allah is "on" something, this would mean that Allah is carried by something, and so Allah would thus be in need of the object that carries Him! If one were to say that Allah is "in" something, this would mean that Allah is contained by something, and so He would thus be limited by the object that contains Him!
If one were to say that Allah is above His ‘arsh, then where was He before He created the ‘arsh? If Allah is in a place, direction, or space, then where was He before He created place, direction, and space?
The question of "Where is Allah?" in and of itself is wrong. When we ask where a person or thing is, we ask about things that exist in directions and space. However, Allah is the creator of direction and space, and to limit Him to a direction or place implies resembling Him to the creation.
‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib (Allah be well-pleased with him) summed it up well when he said, "Allah existed when there was no place, and He is now where He has always been (i.e. without place)." (al-Farq Bayn al-Firāq, pg. 333)
Thus, to sum up the correct Islamic belief as held by the Sunni community for over 1400 years: Allah exists beyond place, direction, time, or space. Allah does not need space and time to exist. We do not say that Allah is physically in the heavens, physically above His throne, or physically everywhere. Allah is free from all imperfections and limitations. Human imagination cannot conceptualise Him, nor can human understanding grasp His reality, nor does He resemble creation.
Allah is Not Comprised of Parts or Organs
Another belief some may have is that Allah is composed of parts and organs. This usually arises due to:
1) Ambiguous Qur’ānic āyahs and ḥadīths such as:
• the ḥadīth, "Allah's yad ('hand') is with the group." (al-Tirmidhī)
• the ayah where Allah describes the righteous as saying, "We only feed you for the wajh ('face') of Allah." (Qur’ān 76:9).
2) The natural human tendency to visualise things in their minds that they cannot tangibly perceive.
Long story short: Allah is not comprised of parts or organs. He does not have physical hands, eyes, or any other organ – He does not resemble His creations in any way. Thus, He hears without needing ears, He sees without needing eyes, and He knows without needing a mind or heart. Allah is free from all imperfections and limitations. Human imagination cannot conceptualise Him, nor can human understanding grasp His reality, nor does He resemble creation.
Furthermore, were we to believe that Allah is comprised of parts and organs, we would be admitting that He is a body, and a body must necessarily reside in a place and direction, which is impossible for Allah as He would then be limited by a creation of His, namely place and direction. As such, the belief that Allah is comprised of parts and organs is highly problematic as it likens Allah to His creation, and as Allah says, "There is nothing whatever like unto Him" (Qur’ān 42:11).
Dealing with Āyahs/Ḥadīths that Seem to Ascribe Human Qualities to Allah
Allah is distinct from His creations in every way. Thus, any āyah/ḥadīth which seems to ascribe human qualities to Allah must not be taken literally. To take them literally would be rather foolish. Every language has its figures of speech, and Arabic is certainly no exception. If someone asked you to "lend him a hand" or to "keep an eye" on someone, would you take those literally? So if you wouldn't take every expression of the English language in its literal sense, then what about the Arabic language, a language so rich that Allah made it the chosen language for His final revelation?
If we were to take every ayah of the Qur’ān literally, then what about the ayah in Qur’ān 9:67 where Allah says that "they (i.e. the hypocrites) have forgotten Allah, so Allah has forgotten them"? Are you going to take that literally and say that Allah is attributed with forgetfulness? Na‘ūdhu billāh!
Add to that the fact that the Arabic word yad alone doesn't just mean "hand" – it has 24 other possible meanings, some which befit Allah and some which do not, as mentioned by Ibn Ḥajar al-‘Asqalānī (Allah have mercy upon him) in Fatḥ al-Bārī. Even in the English language, the word "hand" has several meanings. Google it.
Now, as for āyahs and ḥadīths that seemingly ascribe human qualities to Allah, the scholars have two ways of dealing with them:
1) Tafwīd (consignment): We are to read these āyahs/ḥadīths while leaving their true meaning to Allah, believing in them as Allah meant them. In other words, we affirm what Allah has affirmed, though we consign the specific meaning and reality of such ambiguous texts to Allah alone, without trying to interpret them. As some of of the scholars would say regarding such texts, "Pass by them as they are, without asking how." Thus, we say, "I affirm that Allah has a yad (literally: 'hand'), wajh (literally: 'face'), etc., but as for the reality of the yad and wajh of Allah, I do not know, and I leave that to Allah. However, I also affirm that the yad and wajh of Allah are unlike the hand and face of the human being; I do not believe that Allah has a physical hand and face, as that would imply resembling Allah to the creation."
2) Ta’wīl (interpretation): We figuratively/metaphorically interpret these texts in a manner befitting Allah and in a manner that fits within the parameters of the Arabic language. Thus, we say that yad ("hand") in the aforementioned ḥadīth means "protection and preservation", while the expression "for the wajh ('face') of Allah" in the aforementioned āyah means "for the sake of Allah's reward and acceptance." However, we don't affirm these interpreted meanings with certainty as other meanings could be correct; rather, we say that, for example, "hand" in that āyah signifies Allah's protection, though it could have other meanings.
Another example is the ḥadīth which states that Allah yanzilu ("descends") in the last third of the night to answer those who call upon Him. When coming across such āyahs/ḥadīths, one should refer them to reliable, traditionally trained scholars so as to ascertain their proper interpretation*. If one does not have access to such scholars, one should simply believe in the āyah/ḥadīth while consigning the knowledge of the reality described in the āyah/ḥadīth to Allah. So with this particular ḥadīth, one would say for example, "I believe in the nuzūl (literally: descent) of Allah in the last third of the night, but as to the 'how' of this nuzūl, Allah knows best. At the same time though, I also believe that Allah does not Himself physically descend, as Allah exists without being in need of a place."
Conclusion
In summary:
• Allah exists without being in a place. Allah does not need space and time to exist. We do not say that Allah is physically in the heavens, physically above His throne (‘arsh), or physically everywhere. Allah does not have a "where" as Allah is the creator of "where".
• Allah is not composed of organs or parts.
• When coming across an āyah/ḥadīth that apparently ascribes human qualities to Allah, we refer them to reliable scholars so as to ascertain their proper interpretation. If one does not have access to such scholars, one should simply believe in the āyah/ḥadīth while consigning the knowledge of the reality described in the āyah/ḥadīth to Allah.
For those who are interested in further reading, then have a read of this, this, this, and this. (The third one is especially good.)
In shā’ Allāh, this has cleared some things up. If not, please do not hesitate to seek clarification.
Success and guidance is with Allah alone.
And Allah alone knows best.
* The scholars of ta’wīl have interpreted this ḥadīth in two ways: 1) the angels of Allah and His mercy descend 2) it is a metaphor conveying Allah's turning towards His slaves in kindness by answering their du‘ā’s. Both interpretations have sound bases in the Qur’ān, Sunnah and are well within the parameters of the Arabic language, the discussion of which is beyond the scope of this piece. As such, with regards to this ḥadīth, you have the option of: 1) simply affirming the fact that Allah does nuzūl in the last third of the night without going into the "how", while believing that Allah Himself does not physically descend, or 2) believing that the nuzūl here refers to the descent of the angels and mercy of Allah, not Allah Himself – either way, both options do not allow for the belief that Allah Himself physically descends. And Allah knows best.↩
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