Faith in Names and Attributes of Allah

What must we know about Allah?

The fourth aspect of a Muslim faith is to believe in both the names and attributes of Allah. This may seem a trivial issue to some but there are many so called philosophers and theologians amongst Muslims who have disputed the concept of names and attributes of Allah. For example, there are some who would say that “Allah is Samee (All-Hearing) without a Hearing, He is Baseer (All-Seeing) without sight.’ This was especially well-known in the Mu’tazilah Madhhab.

Allah says in the Quran:

“(all) the Most Beautiful Names belong to Allah, so call on Him by them,” (Surah al-A’raf:180)

Scholars have noted a notable difference between the names and attributes of Allah. The names of Allah refer to His essence. So, his names al-Qadeer (the Powerful), al-‘Aleem (The All-Knowing), al-‘Azeez (the Almighty), al-Hakeem (the Wise) – for example – all point to one Essence, which is the holy Essence of Allah. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said: “we know that all the names agree in that they refer to the Essence of Allah. Even though they have different meanings, they are in agreement and are the same with regard to His Essence, different with regard to His Attributes.” [Majmoo‘ al-Fataawa, 3/59].

Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “The names and attributes of Allah, may He be exalted, are names in that they refer to His Essence and they are attributes with regard to the meanings contained in these words. In the first regard they are the same because they refer to one Essence, namely Allah, may He be exalted and glorified, and in the second regard they are different because each one has a different meaning.

So al-Hayy (the Ever-Living), al-‘Aleem (the All-Knowing), al-Qadeer (the Powerful), as-Samee‘ (the All-Hearing), al-Baseer (the All-Seeing), ar-Rahmaan (the Most Merciful), ar-Raheem (the Most Compassionate), al-‘Azeez (the Almighty), al-Hakeem (the All Wise) are all names of one named entity, who is Allah, may He be exalted, but the meaning of al-Hayy (the Ever-Living) is different from the meaning of al-‘Aleem (the All-Knowing), and the meaning of al-‘Aleem (the All-Knowing) is different from the meaning of al-Qadeer (the Powerful), and so on.

When we consider the names and attributes of Allah, we should be wary of not equating that to any of the attributes of the creation. According to the scholars of sunnah, in affirming the names and attributes of Allah, we should be wary of the two great prohibitions, which are (1) Tamtheel (resembling Allah to His creation), and (2) Takyeef (asking how the Names and Attributes are). These two prohibitions are proven by the text (of the Quran and the Sunnah) and also by the intellect. Allah says in the Quran:

“There is nothing like unto Him.” (Surah ash-Shura:11)
“So put not forward similitude for Allah.” (Surah an-Nahl:74)
“Do you know of any who is similar to Him?” (Surah Maryam:65)

The rational proof according to scholars is that the creator can never be like His creation and that the creation will be destroyed. As Allah says in the Quran:

“Whatsoever is on it (the earth) will perish. And the Face of your Lord full of Majesty and Honor will abide forever.” (Surah ar-Rahman:26-27)