In His saying, “There is nothing like Him,” a clear refutation of the anthropomorphists.
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The Shaykh : Now, in His saying: [Ash-Shuraa 42:11], this is a clear refutation of the anthropomorphists, those who affirm that Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, has a like. The argument of those who affirm similarity between the Creator and the created is that they say: The Qur'an is Arabic, right? And if it is Arabic, then Allah the Exalted has addressed us with what we understand, and He cannot address us with what we do not understand. And Allah the Exalted addressed us, saying that He has a face, that He has an eye, that He has hands, that He has a foot, and so on. And according to the Arabic language, we do not understand from these things anything other than what we observe. Therefore, the meaning of these words must be similar to their meaning regarding created things: a hand and a hand, a face and a face, an eye and an eye, a finger and a finger, a leg and a leg, a foot and a foot, and so on. We only said this because we have evidence. Do you understand? Good.
There is no doubt that this argument is weak, and it is weakened by what has preceded, which is the proof that Allah has no like. We say: Allah addressed us with what He addressed us with regarding His attributes, but we know with certainty that the attribute is according to the one who possesses it. The evidence for this is in the example: it is said that the camel has a hand and the ant has a hand, and no one understands from the hand we attributed to the camel first that it is like the hand we attributed to the ant. This is the case with created things, so how much more so when it is among the attributes of the Creator? The difference would be more apparent and clearer. Therefore, the statement of these anthropomorphists is refuted by reason, just as it is refuted by revelation. The statement of these anthropomorphists is refuted by reason, just as it is refuted by revelation.
So he said:[Ash-Shuraa 42:11] He (Glorified and Exalted is He) has affirmed for Himself hearing and sight, because none other than Him hears or sees. Those whom they worship besides Allah do not hear; even if they did hear, they would not respond. Nor do they see, as Allah (Mighty and Majestic) said: [An-Nahl 16:20-21] So they have no hearing, no intellect, and no sight. Even if it were assumed that they had these, they would not respond. [Al-Ahqaf 46:5] But He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. Allah (Mighty and Majestic) is All-Hearing and All-Seeing. Through hearing, He perceives what is heard, and through sight, He perceives what is seen. So He (Exalted and Majestic is He) is All-Hearing and All-Seeing.
As for hearing and sight, we will postpone discussing their classification, if Allah wills, until it comes in the author's text. But we understand now that hearing hears every sound, even if it is faint. It has passed to us in the previous lesson the saying of Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her):. And Allah, Mighty and Majestic, said regarding this woman: [Al-Mujadila 58:1]. As for the All-Seeing, He is the One who sees every visible thing, even if it is faint or far away. Yes, Allah the Exalted said: [Al-An'am 6:59]. And He, Glorified and Exalted is He, sees what it is not possible for a created being to see, because His sight is perfect in every aspect. So the people of the Sunnah and the community believe in the negation of similarity for Allah, because it is a defect, and they affirm for Him hearing and sight, by His saying, the Exalted: [Ash-Shuraa 42:11].
There is nothing like unto Him
لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْءٌThere is no doubt that this argument is weak, and it is weakened by what has preceded, which is the proof that Allah has no like. We say: Allah addressed us with what He addressed us with regarding His attributes, but we know with certainty that the attribute is according to the one who possesses it. The evidence for this is in the example: it is said that the camel has a hand and the ant has a hand, and no one understands from the hand we attributed to the camel first that it is like the hand we attributed to the ant. This is the case with created things, so how much more so when it is among the attributes of the Creator? The difference would be more apparent and clearer. Therefore, the statement of these anthropomorphists is refuted by reason, just as it is refuted by revelation. The statement of these anthropomorphists is refuted by reason, just as it is refuted by revelation.
So he said:
and He is the Hearing, the Seeing.
وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُ(20) And those they invoke other than Allah create nothing, and they [themselves] are created. (21) They are, [in fact], dead, not alive, and they do not perceive when they will be resurrected.
وَالَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ لا يَخْلُقُونَ شَيْئاً وَهُمْ يُخْلَقُونَ أَمْوَاتٌ غَيْرُ أَحْيَاءٍ وَمَا يَشْعُرُونَ أَيَّانَ يُبْعَثُونَAnd who is more astray than he who invokes besides Allah those who will not respond to him until the Day of Resurrection, and they, of their invocation, are unaware.
وَمَنْ أَضَلُّ مِمَّنْ يَدْعُو مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ مَنْ لا يَسْتَجِيبُ لَهُ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ وَهُمْ عَنْ دُعَائِهِمْ غَافِلُونَAs for hearing and sight, we will postpone discussing their classification, if Allah wills, until it comes in the author's text. But we understand now that hearing hears every sound, even if it is faint. It has passed to us in the previous lesson the saying of Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her):