Important Principles concerning Allaah's Names & Attributes
Creator: Shaykh Muhammad ibn Salih al-`Uthaymeen
Date: 2007-07-07
Format: text
Identifier: http://abdurrahman.org/tawheed/impattributesuthaimeen.html
Language: en
Subject: iman
Title: Important Principles concerning Allaah's Names & Attributes
Created on: Sat Jul 07 13:40:23 -0400 2007
Updated on: Sat Jul 07 13:40:23 -0400 2007
Version: 1
Abstract: ... what results from that, which is that he grants mercy to whom He wills. The Third Principle: Concerning Allaah's Attributes There are also subdivisions included in this principle: The First Subdivision: All of Allaah's Attributes are of the highest degree of perfection and praise possible. There is no deficiency found in them in any way whatsoever. Some examples of these Attributes are: (His) living, knowledge, ability, hearing, seeing, wisdom, mercy, highness and other than these. This is based on His saying: "And to Allaah belongs the highest description." [Surat-un-Nahl (16): 60] It is also because the Lord is absolutely perfect; thus His Attributes must be perfect. If an attribute is deficient and imperfect, then it is restricted from Him, such as death, ignorance, inability, deafness, blindness, and other than that. This is because Allaah will punish those who describe Him with deficiencies and He has freed Himself from all the defects that they attribute to Him. Also, it is not possible for the Lord (Rabb) to have a defect due to the incompatibility of deficiency with the aspect of Lordship (Rububiyyah). If an attribute is perfect in one way and deficient in another way, then it is not affirmed for Allaah nor is it restricted from Him in the absolute sense. Rather, a distinction between the two cases must be made. Thus, it is affirmed for Allaah in the circumstances when it is perfect and it is not possible to affirm it for Him in the condition when it is deficient. Examples of this are planning (Makr), plotting (Kaid), deception (Khadaa') and so on. These three attributes are perfect when they are implemented as a response to their equals (being done by an opponent), since they indicate that the One who is doing it is not incapable of encountering His enemy with his same action. And it would be deficient in any other condition. So it is affirmed for Allaah in the first condition and not in the second. Allaah says: "They (disbelievers) were planning and Allaah too was planning (i.e. makr). And Allaah is the best of those who plan." [Surat-ul-Anfaal (8): 30] "Verily, they are but scheming a plot. And I too am scheming a plot (i.e. kaid)." [Surat-ut-Taariq (86): 15-16] "Verily, the hypocrites seek to deceive Allaah, but it is He who deceives (i.e. khadaa') them." [Surat-un-Nisaa (4): 142] So if for instance, it is said: "Has Allaah attributed plotting to Himself?" Then do not say yes, and do not say no. Instead say: "He is plotting against those who are deserving of that, and Allaah knows best." The Second Subdivision: The Attributes of Allaah can be divided into two categories: Those that are affirmed (Thubootiyyah) and those that are negated (Salbiyyah). Thubootiyyah: consists of the attributes that Allaah has affirmed for Himself, such as living, knowledge and ability. Affirming these for Allaah in a manner befitting to Him is obligatory. This is because Allaah has affirmed them for Himself and He is the most knowledgeable concerning His Attributes. Salbiyyah: consists of the attributes that Allaah has negated for Himself, such as injustice. Negating these from Allaah is obligatory because Allaah has negated them from Himself. However, it is obligatory to believe in affirming their most perfect opposites, for Allaah, since a negation is not complete until it consists of an affirmation. An example of this is Allaah's statement: "And your Lord treats no one with injustice." [Surat-ul-Kahf (18): 49] Thus, it is obligatory to negate injustice from Allaah, while affirming (the opposite) - which is justice - for Him, based on its most perfect perspective. The Third Subdivision: The Affirmed Attributes (Thubootiyyah) can further be divided into two categories: Dhaatiyyah (Attributes of His Essence): They are the attributes that do not cease nor will ever cease to be descriptive of Him, such as hearing and seeing. Fi'aliyyah (Attributes of His Actions): They are the attributes that are connected to His Will (Mashee'ah). If He wills, He will do it and if He wills, He will not do it, such as rising over the Throne and (His) coming. It is possible that an attribute could be both Dhaatiyyah and Fi'aliyyah, according to each of the two, such as Speech. In regards to the origin of the attribute, it is an attribute of His Essence (Dhaatiyyah) because Allaah never stopped nor will stop speaking. And in regards to the units of Speech that are put forth, it is an attribute of the action (Fi'aliyyah), since Speech is connected to His Will. He speaks as He wills, when he wills. The Fourth Subdivision: Each Attribute of Allaah should bring three questions to mind. The first question: Is i... [Full Article...]
