The Ruling on Learning the Names and Attributes of Allah the Exalted
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Question:
There is a question, Your Eminence, which actually concerns the creed. The questioner, Qahtan ibn Sa'id from the Hadramaut Governorate, says in this question: Your Eminence, is learning the attributes of Allah obligatory or recommended? Or is it the same whether one learns these attributes or not? And what do you say about those who say that learning these attributes is not appropriate because it causes a person to be tormented by the questions "How?" and "What?"? And what books do you advise us to learn in this field? May Allah reward you.
Answer:
Learning the names and attributes of Allah from the Great Qur'an and the pure Sunnah is among the best means of drawing near to Him; because this helps in magnifying Allah, sanctifying Him, and asking Him by His names and attributes . And Allah says: [Al-A'raf: 180]. This indicates that it is prescribed for us to know them so that we may call upon Him by them.
And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Jami` at-Tirmidhi 3508Sahih (Darussalam) This indicates that it is incumbent upon the people of knowledge and the people of faith to learn the names and attributes of Allah so that they may ask Him by them, praise Him by them, and act in accordance with their implications; so that they attain Paradise. This is how it should be for the believer, and he knows that Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He) is the One possessing the best names, and that there is no one like Him, no equal to Him, and no peer to Him, and that He is perfect in His essence, His names, His attributes, and His actions, and that Allah is not likened to His creation; because He, the Exalted, says: [Al-Shura: 11].
So He is the Most Merciful with a mercy not like our mercy, and He is the Most High with a height not like our height, and He is the One who rose above the Throne not like our rising, Merciful not like our mercy, He becomes angry not like our anger, He laughs not like our laughter, and so on of His attributes . Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you.
There is a question, Your Eminence, which actually concerns the creed. The questioner, Qahtan ibn Sa'id from the Hadramaut Governorate, says in this question: Your Eminence, is learning the attributes of Allah obligatory or recommended? Or is it the same whether one learns these attributes or not? And what do you say about those who say that learning these attributes is not appropriate because it causes a person to be tormented by the questions "How?" and "What?"? And what books do you advise us to learn in this field? May Allah reward you.
Answer:
Learning the names and attributes of Allah from the Great Qur'an and the pure Sunnah is among the best means of drawing near to Him; because this helps in magnifying Allah, sanctifying Him, and asking Him by His names and attributes . And Allah says:
And to Allah belong the best names, so invoke Him by them
وَلِلَّهِ الأَسْمَاءُ الْحُسْنَى فَادْعُوهُ بِهَاAnd the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
Indeed, Allah has ninety-nine Names, whoever counts them shall enter Paradise.
إن لله تسعة وتسعين اسمًا، من أحصاها دخل الجنة، وهو وتر يحب الوترThere is nothing like unto Him, and He is the Hearing, the Seeing.
لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْءٌ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ البَصِيرُSo He is the Most Merciful with a mercy not like our mercy, and He is the Most High with a height not like our height, and He is the One who rose above the Throne not like our rising, Merciful not like our mercy, He becomes angry not like our anger, He laughs not like our laughter, and so on of His attributes . Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.