Anthropomorphism

Mujassima? Does Allah have hands and feet?

The Quran verses and hadiths mention them, but they are not similar to human’s or any other of His creation’s hand or feet  nor anything else. laysa ka mithlihi shayun – there is nothing like Allah.

Belief in it is Compulsory, but the HOW is an innovation.

“The Most Beneficent (Allah) Istawa (rose over) the (Mighty) Throne (in a manner that suits His Majesty).: – (20:5)

Ja’far Ibn Abdullah narrated: We were with Malik Ibn Anas when a man came to him and said: “O Abu Abdullah (Allah said) ‘Ar-Rahman upon the Throne Istawa’ (20:5), how was His Istiwa? Imam Malik inclined his head and was silent until the sweat of fever covered his brow, then he looked up and said: “Istiwa is not unknown, the Kayf (how) is uncomprehendable, believing in it is wajib (obligatory), and asking about it is bid’ah (innovation), and I do not think that you are anything but an innovator.” Then he ordered that the man be expelled. - [Abu-Naeem Al-Asbahani in 'Hilyatul-Awliya wa Tabaqat Al-Asfiya' (Vol. 6, pg. 325-326)]

The names & attributes of Allah are not like ours, because we see and Allah sees but He is the All-Seeing. We hear and Allah hears but He is the All- Hearing. His attributes are not like ours. The creator is not like the creation because Allah resembles nothing of His creation. laysa ka mithlihi shay. Surah 42:11

There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the Hearing, the Seeing - [42:11]

-And no, we do not attribute to Allah human attributes.

To believe that Allah Most High resembles His creation in any way, or attribute human forms and qualities to Him (anthropomorphism/tashbih) constitutes disbelief (kufr). Imam al-Tahawi (Allah have mercy in him) states in his famous reference work on Muslim beliefs, “Anyone who describes Allah as being in any way the same as a human being has become an unbeliever. All those who grasp this will take heed and refrain from saying things such as the unbelievers say, and they will know that He, in His attributes, is not like human beings.” (Al-Aqida al-Tahawiyya, article 34)

Imam Abu Hamid al-Ghazali (Allah have mercy on him) states, “Whosoever thinks that Allah has a body made of organs is an idol-worshipper… Whosoever worships a body is considered a disbeliever by the consensus of all the scholars – both the early scholars (salaf) as well as the late ones (muta’akhirun).” (Iljam al-Anam an ilm al-Kalam, P: 6-8)

Mulla Ali al-Qari states in his commentary of Al-Fiqh al-Akbar, “We are unable to comprehend Allah Most High. Whatever occurs in one’s mind [regarding Allah’s appearance], Allah is other than that, for Allah says: ‘But they shall not encompass Him with their knowledge.’” (Minah al-Rawd al-Azhar fi sharh al-Fiqh al-Akbar, P: 117)

Abu ’l-Fadl al-Tamimi al-Hanbali says, “Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (Allah have mercy on him) condemned those who said that Allah is a body (jism)… since the term jism/body linguistically is used to indicate things that have length, width, depth, and a compound nature. (See the footnotes to Minah al-Rawd al-Azhar fi sharh al-Fiqh al-Akbar, P: 118)

Ibn Taymiyyah: “Indeed, the term body (jism), organs (‘arad), extent (mutahayyiz) and their like are all newly-invented terminologies. We have mentioned many a time before that the Salaf and the Imaams have not spoken about such things, neither by way of a negation nor by way of affirmation. Rather, they declared those who spoke about such matters to be innovators and went to great lengths to censure them.” –(ibn Taymiyyah, Majmoo’ al-Fataawaa 3/306-310 and 13/304-305, Minhaajus-Sunnah an-Nabawiyah 2/134-135, 192, 198-200 and 567)

We attribute to Allah only His attributes which He mentioned in the Qur’aan and through  His Prophet SAWS – and He states He has a hand – so who are we to deny?

Mujahid narrated Abdullah ibn Umar (RA) said: “Allah created four things with His Hand; 1. The Throne 2. The Pen 3. Aadam and 4. The paradise of ‘Adn. He then said to the rest of the creation ‘Kun’ [Be] and it was.” - [Adh Dhahabi in ‘Mukhtasar al-‘Uluw’ (p105), Abu al-Shaikh al-Asbahani in 'al-‘Adhuma' (5/1555), Tafsir al-Tabari (21/239), ‘The chain is authentic according to the conditions of Muslim.’]

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Some people accuse us of taking the Hadeeth texts literally.

Imaam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (d.241H): ”The hadeeth, in our estimation, is to be taken by its apparent (dhaahir) meaning, as it has come from the Prophet sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam…” - (Usool as Sunnah no.27 of Imaam Ahmad)

Al-Khattaabee (d.388H) said: “The madhab of the Salaf with regard to the Attributes of Allaah is to affirm them as they are with their apparent (dhaahir) meaning, negating any resemblance to the creation and without asking how they are.” - (Al-Ghuniyah ‘an Kalaam wa Ahlihi, as quoted in Mukhtasar al-‘Uluww (p.257/no.311). See also al-Asmaa was-Sifaat (2/p.198) of al-Bayhaqee)

Al-Khateeb al-Baghdaadee (d.463H) said: “As for speech about the Attributes (of Allaah), what is authentically related about them in the Sunnah, then the way of the Salaf, may Allaah be pleased with them all, was to affirm them all as they are, upon their apparent (dhaahir) meaning…” - (Al-Kalaam ‘alas-Sifaat (pp.19-20) of al-Baghdaadee)

Shaykh ‘Abdul-Qaadir al-Jeelaanee (d.561H) said: “It is essential to carry the Attribute of al-Istawaa (Allaah’s ascending) upon its apparent sense… it is related from them (i.e. the Salaf) that they carried the meaning of Istawaa with its apparent meaning.” - (Al-Ghuniyatut-Taalibeen (1/50) of ‘Abdul-Qaadir al-Jeelaanee)

Ibn Qudaamah (d.620H) said: “The way of the Salaf is to have faith in the Names and Attributes of Allaah that He has described Himself with in His Revelation, or upon the tongue of His Messenger sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, without increasing or decreasing upon it, nor exceeding the limits, nor explaining them, nor making ta’weel of them in a way which opposes the apparent (dhaahir) meaning.” - (Dhammut-Ta’weel (p.11) of Ibn Qudaamah)

Al-Haafidh ibn ‘Abdul-Barr (d.463H) wrote: “Ahlus-Sunnah are agreed in affirming all of the Attributes which are related in the Qur’aan and the Sunnah, having faith in them and understanding them in a real sense (‘alal-haqeeqah) not metaphorically.” - (ibn ‘Abdul-Barr, At-Tamheed 7/145)

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Evidence from Qur’aan & Sunnah

They have not appraised Allah with true appraisal, while the earth entirely will be [within] His grip on the Day of Resurrection, and the heavens will be folded in His right hand. Exalted is He and high above what they associate with Him – [39:67]

al-Bukhaari (6661) and Muslim (2848) from Anas ibn Maalik, according to which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Hell will keep saying, ‘Are there any more (to come)?’ until the Lord of Glory, may He be blessed and exalted, places His foot on it, then it will say, ‘Enough, enough, by Your glory!’ And all its parts will be integrated together. 

Al-Bukhaari (4850) and Muslim (2847) narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Hell and Paradise disputed, and Hell said: ‘I have been favoured with the arrogant and proud.’ Paradise said: ‘What is the matter with me, that no one will enter me except the weak, humble and downtrodden?’ Allah, may He be blessed and exalted, said to Paradise: ‘You are My mercy by which I will show mercy to whomsoever I will of My slaves.’ And He said to Hell: ‘You are My punishment with which I will punish whomsoever I will of My slaves. And each of you will be full.’ As for Hell, it will not be full until Allah, may He be blessed and exalted, places His foot on it and it says, ‘Enough, enough.’ Then it will be full and all its parts will be integrated together, and Allah will not treat any of His creation unjustly. As for Paradise, Allah will create a creation just for it.” 

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Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “The Kursiy (foot stool) is the place of the two feet, and the size of Throne cannot be known.”  - This was narrated by Ibn Khuzaymah in at-Tawheed, 1/248, no. 154; Ibn Abi Shaybah in al-‘Arsh, 61; ad-Daarimi in ar-Radd ‘ala al-Muraysi; ‘Abdullah ibn al-Imam Ahmad in as-Sunnah; and al-Haakim in al-Mustadrak, 2/282 – he classed it as saheeh according to the conditions of the two shaykhs (al-Bukhaari and Muslim), and adh-Dhahabi agreed with him. It was also classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Mukhtasar al-‘Uluw, p. 102; and by Ahmad Shaakir in ‘Umdat at-Tafseer, 2/163. 

Abu Moosa al-Ash‘ari (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Kursiy is the place for the two feet, and it creaks as a saddle creaks.  - Narrated by ‘Abdullah ibn al-Imam Ahmad in as-Sunnah; Ibn Abu Shaybah in al-‘Arsh, 60; and by Ibn Jareer, al-Bayhaqi and others. Its isnaad was classed as saheeh in al-Fath, 8/47 and by al-Albaani inMukhtasar al-‘Uluw, p. 123-124 

These two reports confirm that Allah, may He be exalted, has two feet, and this is the belief of Ahl as-Sunnah. 

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So  the evidences (from Qur’aan & Sunnah) are there – the attributes of Allah – Believing in it is Compulsory. But we do NOT ask how. Because there is nothing like Allah.  Hands-feet the only similarity are the names, but only Allah know how.

Ibn Taymiyyah states: “Whoever considers the Attributes of Allaah to be like the attributes of the creation, such that the Istawaa of Allaah is like the ascending of the creation, or His Descending (Nuzool) is like the descending of the creation or other than that, then he is a deviated innovator. ” – (Majmoo’ al-Fataawaa 5/262).

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In Qur’an there are 2 types of statements

1) Metaphorical

2) Literal

However, the origin of Qur’an is literal.

Abul Hasan al-Ash’aree (d.324H) who wrote in Al-Ibaanah ‘an Usool ad-Diyaanah (p.133): ”The ruling concerning the Speech of Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, is that it is taken upon its apparent (dhaahir) and real meaning. Nothing is removed from its apparent meaning to a metaphorical one except with a proof…”

And we are not allowed to give a metaphorical. Meaning until we have evidence that it is metaphorical. But they say all of the Qur’an is metaphorical. Until they have hujjah that is it literal. They criticize us saying we cannot take the Qur’an literally. We don’t take the Qur’an literally

There are metaphorical verses in the Qur’an

-such as Surah 17:24

-7:24 say to lower unto them the wing of submission and humility through mercy

-but we don’t have wings

And lower unto them the wing of submission and humility through mercy, and say: “My Lord! Bestow on them Your Mercy as they did bring me up when I was small.” (Al-Isra 17:24)

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 “The hypocrites, men and women, are from one another, they enjoin (on the people) Al-Munkar (i.e. disbelief and polytheism of all kinds and all that Islam has forbidden), and forbid (people) from Al- Ma’ruf (i.e. Islamic Monotheism and all that Islam orders one to do), and they close their hands [from giving (spending in Allah’s Cause) alms, etc.]. They have forgotten Allah, so He has forgotten them. Verily, the hypocrites are the Fasiqun (rebellious, disobedient to Allah).” (At-Tawbah 9:67)

• -we do not take 9:67 literally
• -tafseer of the ayah is that ALLAH ignores them, not that ALLAH forgets

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