The Names and Attributes of Allaah

Q: What is the belief of Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jama’ah regarding the Names and Attributes of Allaah? And what is the difference between a Name and an Attribute? And does confirming the Name necessitate confirming the Attribute? And does confirming the Attribute necessitate confirming the Name?

A: The belief of Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jama’ah regarding the Names and Attributes of Allaah is to confirm the Names and Attributes which Allaah has confirmed for Himself, without distorting the meaning, without negating it, without explaining how and without comparison.

The difference between a Name and an Attribute is that a Name is something by which Allaah has named Himself, and an Attribute is something by which Allaah has described Himself and there is a clear difference between them.

A Name is considered to be an appellation by which Allaah, the Almighty, the All-Powerful is known, and which implies an Attribute; and confirming a Name entails confirming the Attribute, for example:

“Verily, Allaah is Ghafoor (the Most Forgiving), Raheem (the Most Merciful).”

and the Name:

“Ghafoor”

necessitates confirming the Attribute of Forgiveness, while the Name:

“Raheem”

necessitates confirming the Attribute of Mercy.

But confirming an Attribute does not necessitate confirming a Name, for example, the Attribute of Al-Kalam (speech) does not necessitate that we confirm for Allaah the name: Al-Mutakallim (the Speaker); and based upon this, the Attributes are greater in number, because every Name necessitates an Attribute, but not every Attribute necessitates a Name.

• Transcribed from: Fatawa Arkaan-ul-Islam, Islamic Verdicts on the Pillars of Islam, Volume 1, Creed and Prayer – Shaykh ‘Uthaymeen

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Abu Bakr: His Bravery

‘Ali said: ‘Tell me who is the bravest of men?’ They said, ‘You.’ He said, ‘As for me, I never encountered anyone but that I took my due from him, but tell me who is the bravest of men?’ They said , ‘We don’t know. Who is it?’ He said, ‘Abu Bakr. On the Day of Badr we made a shelter from the sun for the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and then we said, “Who will be with the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, so that none of the idolaters may fall upon him?” By Allah, none of us drew near except for Abu Bakr who brandished a sword over the head of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. No one fell upon him but that he in turn fell upon him. So he is the bravest of men.’

‘Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, said: I saw the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and Quraysh grabbed him. One held him and another threw him down and they were saying, ‘Are you the one who has made the gods into one god?’ By Allah, none of us approached except Abu Bakr, striking this one and restraining that one, and throwing down another saying, ‘Woe to you! Will you kill a man because he says, “My Lord is Allah?”‘ Then ‘Ali raised a cloak which he was wearing and wept until his beard was wet and said, ‘I adjure you by Allah! Is the believer of the people of Fir’awn better or Abu Bakr?’ People were silent. He said, ‘Will you not answer? By Allah, an hour of Abu Bakr is better than a thousand hours of the like of the believer of the people of Fir’awn. He was a man who concealed his iman, and this was a man who was open about his iman.’

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“Resting is Being at the Service of the Muslims”

Concerning the Imaam, the Shaykh – Muhammad ibn Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen (rahima-hullaah), it has been narrated by Shaykh Badr ibn Naadir al-Mashaaree:

“Despite the ill-health of the Shaykh, he was steadfast in delivering the Jumu’ah khutbah in al-Jaami’ al-Kabeer and leading the prayers and meeting the people to answer their questions and enquiries; All this in spite of what he was going through himself, such that it was said to him: “Rest yourself O Shaykh”, to which he replied: “Resting is in being at the service of the Muslims”.”

• ad-Durr ath-Thameen fee Tarjamti Faqeehil-Ummah al-‘Allaamah ibn ‘Uthaymeen – Page 296
• Retrieved from: Fatwa Online

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Ikhlas (Sincerity)

Q: What is the meaning of Ikhlas? And what if the worshipper desired to worship something else, what is the ruling?

A: Ikhlas towards Allah means that by his worship, a person intends to draw closer to Allah, the Most Glorified, the Most High, and to gain access to the Abode of His Generosity (i.e. Paradise). If someone desired something other than this by his worship, then that requires elaboration in accordance with the following categories:

1. That he desires to draw closer to other than Allah by this worship, and to be praised for it by his fellow-creatures, this renders the deed in vain and it is a form of Shirk. It is reported in an authentic Hadith on the authority of Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Prophet salAllahu ‘alayhi wasallam said that Allah the Most High said:

“I am the One Who does not stand in need of any partners. If anyone performs a deed in which he associates anyone else with Me, I shall abandon him and his Shirk.” (1)

2. That he intends to achieve some worldly gain, such as leadership, rank or wealth, without intending to get closer to Allah, the Most High, this action of his is in vain and it does not bring him closer to Allah, the Most High, according to the Words of Him, Most High:

Whosoever desires the life of the world and its glitter; to them We shall pay in full (the wages of) their deeds therein, and they will have no diminution therein. They are those for whom there is nothing in the Hereafter but Fire; and vain are the deeds they did therein. And no effect is that which they used to do.

(Al Hud 11: 15-16)

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