THE ATTRIBUTES OF ALMIGHTY ALLAH (GOD) BY BABA ALI MUSTPAHA

In the name of Allah the Beneficent, the Merciful, Peace be Upon Our Leader Muhammad and his household and his companions. Those attributes are the Principles of belief (TAWHID) in Islam. Furthermore, this article THE ATTRIBUTES OF ALMIGHTY ALLAH (GOD) has two parts, part one, Essential Attributes of Allah (God) and their opposites was purposely written for the undeveloped minds (children) while the second part which is God and His attributes was written for the developed and matured minds (Adults and intellectuals)

PART 1:

The Essential Attributes of Allah (God) and their Opposites

1. Al-Wujud – The Existance

Is imperative in respect of Allah Ta’ala. This attribute is called ‘Nafsiyyah’ meaning an attribute which refers directly to the Essence of Allah.

2. Wal-Qidamu – The Eternity

Is an Essential attribute of Allah Ta’ala.

3. Wal-Baqau – Everlastiness

Is an Essential attribute of Allah Ta’ala

4. Wal- Mukhalafatu – Contraiety

Is an Essential attribute of Allah Ta’ala

5. Wal-Qiyamu bin Nafs – The Self Sufficient

Is an Essential attribute of Allah Ta’ala

6. Wal-Wahadaniyyatu – The Oneness

Is an Essential attribute of Allah Ta’ala

These Attributes are called “Saibiyyah” meaning ‘No creature possess the type of Attributes e.g No creature is eternal, everlasting, self-sufficient or One.

7. Al-Qudratu – The Power

Is an Essential attribute of Allah Ta’ala

8. Wal-Iradatu – The Will

Is an Essential attribute of Allah Ta’ala

9. Wal- Limu – The Knowledge

Is an Essential attribute of Allah Ta’ala

10. Wal-Hayatu – The Life

Is an Essential attribute of Allah Ta’ala

11. Was – Sam’U – The Hearing

Is an Essential attribute of Allah Ta’ala

12. Wal- Basaru – The Seeing

Is an Essential attribute of Allah Ta’ala

13. Wal- Kalamu –The Speaking

Is an Essential attribute of Allah Ta’ala.

Those are called ‘Ma’ani’ meaning the attributes referring to the subject matter of the qualities belonging to Allah Ta’ala alone.

(Then to believe that) His being

14. Qadiran – Powerful

Is an Essential attribute of Allah Ta’ala

15. Wa-Muridan – Willing

Is an Essential attribute of Allah Ta’ala

16. Wa –Aliman – Knowledgeable

Is an Essential attribute of Allah Ta’ala

17. Wa-Hayyan – The Living One

Is an Essential attribute of Allah Ta’ala

18. Wa –Samian – The One who Hears

Is an Essential attribute of Allah Ta’ala

19. Wa – Basiran – The One who sees

Is an Essential attribute of Allah Ta’ala

20. Wa – Mutakalliman – The One who speaks

Is an Essential attribute of Allah Ta’ala

Those are called ‘Ma’anawiyyah’ meaning: The attribute which refers to the permanent nature of the Essence of the Supreme Being, The Almighty Allah (SWT). The total is 20 Attributes which are all Essential and Imperative Attributes of Allah.

(We should believe that) to create this universe is not compulsory on him.

(Then to believe that)

21. Wa-Nafyul- Gharadi – Being Free from any need

Is an Essential attribute of Allah Ta’ala

22. Wa- Nafyul-Wujubil Fiili – Being free from any influence of any power

Is an Essential attribute of Allah Ta’ala

23. Wa- Nafyul tathiribi Quwwati – Being free from any influence of nature

Is an Essential attribute of Allah Ta’ala

24. Wa- Huduhul – Alami- High in eternity of the Universe

Is an Essential attribute of Allah Ta’ala

This is the end of some of Essential Attributes of Allah (S.W.T).

THE OPPOSITE OF THE ABOVE MENTIONED ATTRIBUTES ARE:

1. Al-Adamu – Non-Being

Is impossible in respect of Allah Ta’ala

2. Al- Huduthu – Being created

Is impossible in respect of Allah Ta’ala

3. Al- Fana’il – Ending

Is impossible in respect of Allah Ta’ala

4. Al- Mumathalatu – Resembling

Is impossible in respect of Allah Ta’ala

5. Al-Iftiqaru – Being in need

Is impossible in respect of Allah Ta’ala

6. Al-Shakiru – To have an associate

Is impossible in respect of Allah Ta’ala

7. Al-Ajzu – Incapability

Is impossible in respect of Allah Ta’ala

8. Al- Ikrahu – Compulsion

Is impossible in respect of Allah Ta’ala

9. Al-Jahiu – Ignorance

Is impossible in respect of Allah Ta’ala

10. Al- Mawtu – Death

Is impossible in respect of Allah Ta’ala

11. As-Samaimu – Deafness

Is impossible in respect of Allah Ta’ala

12. Wal – Ama – Blindness

Is impossible in respect of Allah Ta’ala

13. Wal – Bakamu – Dumbness

Is impossible in respect of Allah Ta’ala

Those are the opposite to His attributes of Ma’ani.

(The) His Being

14. Ajizan – Incapable

Is impossible in respect of Allah Ta’ala

15. Wa-Karihan/Mukrahan - Compelled

Is impossible in respect of Allah Ta’ala

16.   –Ignorant

Is impossible in respect of Allah Ta’ala

17. Wa – Mayyitan – Dead

Is impossible in respect of Allah Ta’ala

18. Wa –Asamma – Deaf

Is impossible in respect of Allah Ta’ala

19. – Blind

Is impossible in respect of Allah Ta’ala

20. Wa – Abkama – Dumb

Is impossible in respect of Allah Ta’ala

Those are the opposite of His attributes of the Ma’anawiyyah

Then followed by “Allawazimu” which means: The necessities, they are as follows:

21. Thubutul-Gharadi – Being in need of something

Is impossible in respect of Allah Ta’ala

22. Wa – Thubutu Wujubil fili being compelled to do something

Is impossible in respect of Allah Ta’ala

23. Wa Thubutul-Tathiri Bi Quwwatin – Being influenced by power

Is impossible in respect of Allah Ta’ala

24. Wa – Thubutul tathiri bi Tab’in – Being influenced by nature

Is impossible in respect of Allah Ta’ala

25. Wa qidamul Alami – Eternity of the world

Is impossible in respect of Allah Ta’ala

This is the end of some impossible qualities in respect of Allah Ta’ala.

PART II

GOD AND HIS ATTRIBUTES

God is the essence of existence, His Arabic name is Allah.

He is the first and the last. He is unique, and nothing resemble Him in any respect, He is self-sustained, does not need anything, everything needs Him.

He is One and the One

God is the Mighty and the Almighty. He is the Willer of existing things and the things which will exist, and nothing happens except with His will. He is the Knower of all that can be known. His knowledge encompasses the whole universe which He has created and He alone sustain. He comprehends even suggestions of the mind, and the concealed secrets in the innermost part of the breasts of men. God is living: neither passing away nor lost death overtake Him. He is the all hearing of all audible things. His hearing is not affected by distance, and He hear even the sound of the creeping ant upon a rugged rock. He is the all seeing, and light and dark do not affect the degree of His seeing visible things. And He speaks with an eternal speech not resembling the speech of created things. God’s might, will, knowledge, life, hearing, seeing and speech are inherent attributes in Him, and not a thing or things fall apart from Him.

God is the Just, the Wise, The Merciful, the Compassionate, The Beneficient, The Eternal, The Creator, The Omni-Present and the Lord of the Universe. There is no god but God.

“Allah, there is no God but He, the Ever-living, the self subsisting by Whom all subsist. Slumber overtakes Him not, nor sleep. To Him belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth. When is He that intercede with Him but by His permission? He knows what is before them and what is behind them. And they encompass nothing of His knowledge except, what He pleases. His throne, (power, knowledge) extends over the heavens and the earth and preservation of both of them tire Him not, and He is the Most High. The Great (Q2:255).

“Say, praise be to God and peace upon His Servants whom He has chosen, is God better or what they associate with Him? “Or Who created the heavens and the earth and sends dawn on you rain from heaven! And then we come to grow thereby beautiful gardens it is not possible for you to cause their trees to grow. Is there a god with God? Nay they are people who make peers with Him!

“Or who answers the distressed when he calls upon Him and removes his pain, and will make you successors in the earth? Is there a god with God? Little is it that you mind!.

“Or who guides you in the darkness of the land and the sea, and who sends the wind as good news before His Mercy? There a god with God? Exalted as God above what they associate with Him?

“Or originated the Creation. Then reproduces it and Who gives you sustenance from the heavens and the earth? Is there a god with God? Say: Bring your proof if you are truthful.

“Say, No one in the heaven or the earth knows the unseen but God (Q27:59-65). He is Allah, there is no god but He: The Knower of the unseen and the seen: He is the Beneficent, The Merciful.

“He is Allah; there is no god but He. The King, The Holy, the Peace, the Grantor of Security, The Guardian over all, the Mighty, The Supreme, The Possessor of greatness, Glory be to God, (Away from what they associate with Him.

“He is Allah, the Creator, the Maker, The Fashioner, all beautiful names belong to Him. Everything in heavens and everything in the earth declare His glory; and He is the Might, the Wise (Q59, 22-24).

Thus Muslims ascribe to God all noble names and attributes which befit His Holy Character. However, Muslims traditionally insist on learning and remembering the following thirteen attributes specifically:

1. That God exists otherwise the Universe could not have existed. Everything in the World need a creator to exist and the Creator is God.

2. That God had no beginning, otherwise He would have needed a creator to begin Him, and the Creator would need another creator and so on.

3. That God will have no end, where as everything in the world will perish, only created things come to an end, but God was not created.

4. That there is no similarity between God and the Universe, otherwise God would have  beginning and would need a creator, but He does not.

5. That God is self-sustained and is not in need of anything or anyone, whereas every anything else needs Him and His sustenance.

6. That God is One, and He has no partner.  Otherwise, the world would not be in such good Order.

7. That God is Might, and His power is unlimited, otherwise this wonderful universe could not have been created.

8. That God creates and determine things by His own will. He is not Under any coercion or compulsion.

9. That God knows all and everything in the Universe. His knowledge encompasses all matters and all events, including all subtleties, hidden things and future event. Just as an electrician would know the details of all the pieces of his work and the function of each part. God knows all elements of His creation and the way they work and function. He even knows what is hidden in the hearts of men.

10. That God is living otherwise, how could He exist and create with a will and encompassing knowledge?

11. That God hears even the crawling of an ant. Yet God has no ears like we do.

12. That God sees, even concealed and unseen things, but God has no eyes like we do.

13. That God speaks, as He spoke to Moses and to Muhammad. Yet God does not speak with a tongue like our tongues.

Those thirteen holy attributes which are inherent in God may be summarized as follows.

“Existence, Eternity, Perpetuity, Dissimilarity, Self-Sustenance, Unity, Might, Will, Knowledge, Life, Hearing, Sight and Speech”.

The opposites of those holy attributes are not applicable to God, and God cannot be described by any of them. They are:

“Non-existence, beginning, endings, similarity, need, plurality, weakness, coercion, ignorance, death, deafness, blindness and dumbness”. All those are weakness or vices inconsistent with the absolute perfection of God. Therefore none of them applies to God.

CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC

By the time you go through this article, The Attributes of Almighty Allah (God) you will realize that Covid 19 is nothing, but that the Almighty Allah is showing to His servants in the world that he is One and in full control.

According to Nigerian Television Authority (N.T.A) Daily Report as on Friday 17^th April, 2020, the Global Confirmed Cases is almost two million, while death is about 160,000 globally with United States of America (USA) leading with about 600,000 confirmed cases, with many deaths. We are informed that the two Holy Mosques for Muslims in Mecca and Medina in (Saudi Arabia) were locked and there are possibility that this year 2020 Hajj rite for Muslims will not be performed. We are also informed that due to the lockdown in Italy, the Pope addressed the Easter message to the empty St Peters Square in Rome.

Other Countries under total lockdown due to Covid 19 are India, France and Spain while many countries are partially lockdown, those include UK, Germany, Iran, USA, Netherland, Turkey while in Africa, Lagos the Nigerian Commercial Capital and Abuja the administrative capital and some states like Ogun, Abia in the country are also lock down. In Sudan, the capital Khartoum is also in Lock down.

Finally, due to Covid 19 our country Nigeria has about 400 confirmed case and about 14 death as on Friday 17^th April, 2020. One of such death is that of Mallam Abba Kyari, the Chief of Staff to President Muhammad Buhari who tested positive on his return from Germany on official assignment. He died on Friday 17^th April 2020 at the age of 67. He died in Lagos and was buried in Abuja, He is a friend and close associate of President Muhammad Buhari. Adio Ya’ Abba May Allah give you Al-Janna Firdausi.

Baba Ali Mustapha is of Ngrannam Ward near former 7up depot, Bolori II, Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria.

Email: Babaalimustapha3@gmail.com

Reference:

1. KAWA’IDUS-SALAT IN ENGLISH, Translated by Hamza Jibril Ahmat, published by Anwar Arabic Bookshop, P.O. Box 892 Kano-Nigeria.

2. ISLAM, FAITH AND DEVOTION by MUHAMMAD ABDUL RAUF, Ph.D, Director The Islamic Centre Washington, DC, USA, Published by Islamic Publications Bureau, 136A Isolo road, Mushin, P.O. Box. 5106, Lagos, Nigeria.