الله

1. الله الله الله

2. الله

3. Allah • A name for the True Existent, the One who comprises of all Divine Attributes; the One described with Qualities of Lordship; and Unique in terms of Authentic Existence. • Comprises the meanings of all other Names • Al-Imam ash-Shafi‘i and proof of Allah’s existence ... جاء بعض الزنادقة إلى الإمام الشافعي -رحمه الله- وسألوه: ما الدليل على وجود الله؟ فقال: ورق التوت طعمه واحد، تأكله الدودة فيخرج منها الإبريسم (الحرير)، ويأكله النحل فيخرج منه العسل، وتأكله الشاة والبقر والأنعام فتلقيه بعرًا وروثًا،وتأكله الظباء فيخرج منها مسكا فمن جعل هذه الأشياء مع أن الطعم واحد.

4. Allah • It is inconceivable for man to be characterised with the Name Allah, contrary to the other Names of Allah. • Al-Gazzali describes Man’s portion of this name: The portion of this name which man (may possess) is ta’alluh. By this I mean that his heart and concern should be so completely engrossed in Allah Most High that he does not see, pay attention to or hope for anyone except Him. How can he not be so when he understands from this name that Allah is the Authentic Existent, the Real One, and that everything and everyone that is apart from Him is doomed to destruction and perdition and is worthless except through Him... Thus the Messenger of Allah observed Allah such that he said, "The truest verse the Arabs spoke was the saying of Labid 'Everything besides Allah is worthless batil.

5. Islamic Doctrine • In brief, belief in Allah entails: Belief that Allah subhanahuwata‘lais characterised with all perfections and exalted beyond all imperfections. The vast majority of Muslims over the past 13 centuries, generation after generation, ascribed to the belief code delineated by the great scholars al-Imam Abu al-Hasan al-Ash‘ari and al-Imam al-Maturidi

6. The 20 Attributes of Allah SIFAH NAFSIYYAH 1. Wujud (Being) His being/existence is compulsory, intrinsic not by means of anyone or anything. Non-existence is impossible in relation to Allah.

7. The 20 Attributes of Allah SIFAT SALBIYYAH • Thereafter He subhanahuwata‘alahas 5 Salbiyyah Attributes: 2. Qidam (Pre-Eternal) The belief that Allah is Qadim - He existed before everything; He was never non-existent; and His existence has no beginning

8. The 20 Attributes of Allah 3. Baqa (Eternal) To believe that Allah is eternal. His eternality has no end, by no means does He fade away, and He cannot be overcome by nonexistence SIFAT SALBIYYAH

9. The 20 Attributes of Allah 4. Mukhālafatuhuli’lhawādith (Dissimilar to contingents) To believe that Allah does not resemble anything of created beings in any way or manner. Not in His Essence, Attributes or Actions. Thus, all that you see or crosses your mind, Allah is unlike it. SIFAT SALBIYYAH

10. Digression سئلت أم سلمة رضي الله عنها عن قول الله تعالى: ((الرحمن على العرش استوى)) فقالت: الكيف غير معقول، والاستواء غير مجهول، والإقرار به من الإيمان والجحود به كفر. وروي مثله عن ربعة بن أبي عبد الرحمن ومالك بن أنس UmmuSalamahradiayaLlahuanhawas asked about the verse ar-Rahman has made istiwa’ over the thrown and she replied, “al-kayf (its modality) is inconceivable; Its (meaning) is known; belief in it is from Iman and rejecting it is disbelief”

11. The 20 Attributes of Allah SIFAT SALBIYYAH 5. Qiyāmuhu bi-nafsihi (Self-sufficient) To believe that Allah does not need anything whatsoever. Thus, He is not in need of time, place or anything from created beings. He is independent of everything and everything is dependent in Him

12. The 20 Attributes of Allah SIFAT SALBIYYAH 6. Waḥdāniyyah (Unique/ Absolutely)  To believe that Allah is One, Unique, He has no partner, parallel or equal, nothing resembles Him.

13. The 20 Attributes of Allah SIFAT MA‘ANI 7. Hayat (Life) To believe that Allah is living and His living does not resemble our living because our living is via intermediaries such as the circulation of blood and breathing whereas Allah’s living is without the intermediary of anything and it is eternal and permanent

14. SIFAT MA‘ANI The 20 Attributes of Allah 8. Ilm (Knowledge)  To believe that Allah all-Knowledgeable. He knows all things, hidden and apparent. He know the number of sand grains, raindrops, tree leaves. He knows the secret and that which is more hidden. Nothing is kept hidden from Him. His knowledge is not acquired – He knows all things prior to their existence.

15. The 20 Attributes of Allah SIFAT MA‘ANI 9. Qudrah (Power) To believe that Allah is attributed with power and that He has power over all things.

16. The 20 Attributes of Allah SIFAT MA‘ANI 10. Irādah (Will) To believe that Allah is attributed with will and that nothing occurs without His will, thus anything He willed existed and anything He did not will cannot exist.

17. SIFAT MA‘ANI 11. Sama’ Hearing To believe that Allah hears everything whether it is silent or loud. However, His hearing is not like our hearing because our hearing is by means of the ear and His hearing is without the means of anything.

18. The 20 Attributes of Allah SIFAT MA‘ANI 12. Basar (Sight) To believe that Allah sees everything. He even sees the black ant on a dark night and what is smaller than it. Nothing on the face of the Earth and in its inner core or above the sky and below it is hidden from His sight. However, His seeing is not like our seeing because our seeing is by means of the eye and His seeing is without the means of anything.

19. The 20 Attributes of Allah SIFAT MA‘ANI 13. Kalām(Speech) To believe that Allah’s speech does not resemble our speech because our speech is created in us and is by the means of a tool consisting of a mouth, tongue, and lips, and His speech is not like that.

20. الرحمن الرحيم