THE DIVINE ATTRIBUTES FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE ESSENTIALS OR BASIC FOUNDATIONS OF THE RELIGION Now let us discuss the matter from the viewpoint of respected scholars of Islamic theology. Even though there are some differences in style between the Sufis and the scholars of Islamic theology...
THE ATTRIBUTES IN THE NEGATIVE OR THE ATTRIBUTES OF EXEMPTION OR FREEDOM These Attributes are concepts which express that God Almighty is absolutely free or exempt from any need, defect, fault, or shortcoming such as impotence, poverty, neediness, the need to eat or drink, and to...
These are the following six Attributes: (The All-Holy, Self-)Existence, Oneness, Having No Beginning, Eternal Permanence, Being Unlike the Created, and Self Subsistence. These are particular to God and cannot be attributed to anyone or anything other than God. Since the opposites of these Attributes are not in question for the...
3. Qidam (Having No Beginning) God Almighty exists free of time; He has no beginning and His existence does not rest on a cause previous to Him. His Attribute of Having No Beginning is a blessed title of His being eternal in the past in connection with His...
5. Muhalafatun lil-hawadith (Being Unlike the Created) This Attribute denotes that the All-Majestic, All-Exalted God does not resemble, in any way, any of His creatures in His Essence or Attributes. ▪On account of the fact that the opposites of the Essen- tial Attributes of God Almighty are inconceivable...
As for the Attributes of action, briefly, they are six and are as follows: Creation, Originating Uniquely, Producing, Giving Life and Reviving, Causing to Die, and Providing. 1. Khalq (Creation) Literally meaning originating out of nothing and formation, khalq (creation) denotes that God originates something when nothing of it exists and makes it with...
2. Ibda’ (Originating Uniquely) Ibda’ means that God Almighty creates without there be anything before to imitate and in a unique, unequalled, and unprecedented way. ▪In place of ibda’, the words ihdath (innovation), ihtira’ (creating out of nothing), i’jad (invention), and sun‘a (making) can be used, although there are slight differences among them. In fact, all of these words or concepts...
4. Tarziq (Providing) Literally meaning providing, sustaining, and maintaining, tarziq is also among the Attributes of action. Everything from food and beverages to whatever we need for our physical, mental, and spiritual life is included in the meaning of the word rizq (provision) and, therefore, everything is provided by God, the All-Providing. In...
According to the religious methodology or the basic principles of religion, God’s Attributes consist of certain transcending and blessed concepts—whose transcendence and blessedness come from the Being Whom they describe; these de scribe God Almighty and are, in one sense, regarded as the veils of...
Hearing, sight, and feeling in this corporeal world occur by means of certain causes and means, and what we experience here is the lowest level of these functions. •It is God Who supplies us with the necessary means for these functions and it is He Who...
I realized that I had forgotten to write about God’s Attributes which are used in the Qur’an and Sunna in a figurative sense. Since a reference was made to them at the beginning of the article on God’s Attributes of Glory, it is necessary that...
“Asking” in “He asks the angels;” “Ordering” and “Prohibiting” in the Prophetic sayings where we see the phrases “He orders” and “He prohibits;” “Witnessing” in the sayings where the phrase “He wit nesses” is mentioned; “Moving Speedily” in the sayings such as “He moves speedily to respond with favor;” “Approaching” in such sayings as “He immediately approaches with favor;” ...
The Attributes Whose existence is indispensable and mark God’s absolute Perfection have been called the Positive or Affirmative Attributes. God has Life, has perfect Knowledge of everything and an overwhelming Power over everything. He has also a Will Which determines whatever It wishes, however It wishes....
2. ‘Ilm (Knowledge) On account of being related to everything the existence of which is either necessary, contingent or disallowed, Knowledge is the Attribute Whose area of comprehension is the broadest; it is also the origin of contingencies. Reminding us of this breadth, the manifest Qur’an declares: With Him are the keys to the Unseen; none knowsthem but He. And He...
4. Basar (Sight) Sight is one of God’s Positive, or Affirmative, Attributes. Through this Attribute of Glory, God Almighty sees everything, large or small, mighty or insignificant, material or spiritual, earthly or heavenly, and protects and cares for whatever and whoever He wills, with nothing remaining hidden from...
▪God’s Will concerns both the creation and operation of the universe and the worldly life of creatures, and the religious life of conscious beings. His Will concerning the creation, operation, and worldly life of creatures is the determining Attribute in the creation and life of...
7. Kalam (Speech) Speech is another of the All-Exalted God’s Affirmative Attributes, Which marks His Perfection. ▪All religious commands and all decrees and directions that come on different wavelengths in the form of Revelation and inspiration, with their unique nature, have originated from that Attribute. In many...
From this continuous, wise and imperious activity, the deeds of an All-Powerful and All-Knowing Doer can be discerned… There appears visible to our eye a comprehensive, permanent, orderly and awesome truth, one that changes, transforms, and renews all beings in heaven and on earth, with imperious...
So the truth of dominicality that manifests itself within the truth of activity reveals and makes itself known in qualities and acts such as creating, originating, fashioning and bringing into being, with knowledge and wisdom; determining, forming, administering and changing with regularity and balance; transforming,...
Since the time of the Last Messenger, upon him be peace and blessings, the All-Beautiful Names of God, exalted is His Majesty, have been a right-guiding source for knowing and recognizing the Divine Being in accordance with His Attributes of Majesty and Grace, and for...
Whatever truth of the Divine Essence the Names reflect and whatever Attribute they translate, all of the All-Beautiful Names of God are expressive of a different beauty, sacredness, sanctity, and perfection in the name of that All-Transcending Being. Whenever they are mentioned, they mark the...
If God Almighty had not introduced Himself to us with His All-Beautiful Names, we would never be able to comprehend the truth concerning these Names in what is going on in the universe or to know the All-Sacred Being Who is called by them. It...
No matter what their true nature is, the All-Beautiful Names Which God Almighty has taught us in His manifest Book are each a mysterious key for a certain sort of relationship with Him in the heart and the spirit; through these we can traverse our...
Those who have maintained that the All-Beautiful Names are only those which we have been taught by the Qur’an and the Sunna do not deem it proper to attribute any other Names to God Al- mighty. Furthermore, they do not approve of mentioning God...
With respect to the level of existence of everything and as it is something that has been created, every being, every object speaks of Him in its own peculiar language and style. All creatures say in unison: Our words differ, but Your Beauty is one; all of...
All of the All-Beautiful Names are absolutely sacred. Some have regarded it impermissible to use some of these Names for others than God. These are Names like Allah (God), ar-Rahman (the All-Merciful), al-Quddus (The All-Holy and All-Pure), al Muhyi, (The Giver of life and All-Reviving), al-Mumit (The One Who causes to die), Maliku’l-Mulk (The Absolute Master of all dominion), Dhu’l-Jalali...
THE NAMES INDICATING THE DIVINE ESSENCE Allah: God, the Proper Name of the Divine Being (Ar-)Rabb: The Lord (God as the Creator, Provider, Trainer, Upbringer, and Director of all creatures) (Al-)Malik: The All-Sovereign, the Owner and Master of everything (Al-)Quddūs: The All-Holy and All-Pure (Who is absolutely free of...
THE NAMES ORIGINATING IN DIVINE ATTRIBUTES OF GLORY (Al-)Hayy: The All-Living (Ash-)Shakur: The All-Responsive (to the good and gratitude of His creatures) (Al-)Qahhar: The All-Overwhelming (with absolute sway over all that exists) (Al-)Qahir: The All-Overpowering, Who crushes those who deserve crushing (Al-)Muqtadir: The All-Omnipotent (Al-)Qawiyy: The All-Strong (Al-)Murid: The All-Willing (Al-)Qadir: The All-Powerful ...
THE NAMES INDICATING DIVINE ACTS (Al-)Mubdi: The All-Initiating (Al-)Wakil: The One to rely on and to Whom affairs should be entrusted (Al-)Baith: The One Who restores life to the dead (Al-)Mujib: The All-Answering (of prayers) and Meeting (of needs) (Al-)Wasi‘: The All-Embracing (in His Knowledge and Mercy) (Al-)Hasib: The All-Sufficing...
THE FOUNDATIONAL NAMES (Al-)Hayy: The All-Living (Al-)‘Alim: The All-Knowing (Al-)Murid: The All-Willing (Al-)Mutakallim: The All-Speaking (Al-)Qadir: The All-Powerful (Al-)Jawad: The All-Generous (Al-)Muqsit: The All-Dealing of justice THE NAMES OF MAJESTY (Al-)Kabir: The All-Great (Al-)‘Aziz: The All-Glorious with irresistible might (Al-)‘Alim: The All-Knowing (Al-)Jalil: The All-Majestic and All-Supreme (Ad-)Dayyan: The Supreme Ruler and All-Requiting (of good and evil) (Al-)Majid: The...