The Status of Having Knowledge
of
‘Asmaa Allaah and His Sifaat
Taken from
‘Fiqh of al-‘Asmaa al-Husna’
By
Shaykh AbdurRazaaq bin AbdulMuhsin al-Badr
Translated by
Abbas Abu Yahya
Shaykh AbdurRazaaq bin AbdulMuhsin al-Badr said:
‘There are many Ayaat which come in the Qur’aan with the command to learn this noble knowledge of Tawheed and to have a concern with this great principle.
Allaah said: << فَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ >>
<< then know that Allaah is All-Mighty, All-Wise. >> [al-Baqarah: 209]
Allaah said: << وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ>>
<<and know that Allaah is All-Aware of everything.>> [al-Baqarah: 231]
Allaah said: << وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ>>
<< know that Allaah is All-Seer of what you do.>> [al-Baqarah: 233]
Allaah said: << وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ حَلِيمٌ>
<<And know that Allaah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Forbearing.>> [al-Baqarah: 235]
Allaah said: << وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ>>
<< and know that Allaah is All-Hearer, All-Knower.>> [al-Baqarah: 244]
Allaah said: << وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ غَنِيٌّ حَمِيدٌ >>
<< And know that Allaah is Rich (Free of all wants), and Worthy of all praise.>> [al-Baqarah: 267]
Allaah said: << اعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ >>
<<Know that Allaah is Severe in punishment and that Allaah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.>> [al-Maidah: 98]
Allaah said: << فَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ مَوْلَاكُمْ نِعْمَ الْمَوْلَى وَنِعْمَ النَّصِيرُ >>
<<then know that Allaah is your Maulâ (Patron, Lord, Protector and Supporter, etc.), (what) an Excellent Maulâ, and (what) an Excellent Helper!>> [Anfal: 40]
Allaah said: << وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ مَعَ الْمُتَّقِينَ >>
<<and know that Allaah is with Al-Muttaqeen.>> [al-Baqarah: 194]
Allaah said: << وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ مَا فِي أَنْفُسِكُمْ فَاحْذَرُوهُ >>
<<And know that Allaah knows what is in your minds, so fear Him. >> [al-Baqarah: 235]
Allaah said: << فَاعْلَمْ أَنَّهُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ >>
<<So know that Lâ ilâha ill-Allâh (none has the right to be worshipped but Allaah)>> [Muhammad: 19]
There are nearly thirty Ayaat with these meanings.
As for the mention of Allaah, regarding His ‘Asmaa and His Sifaat in the Qur’aan then there are many. There cannot be a comparison of His mentioning about His ‘Asmaa and Sifaat with any other topic, since His ‘Asmaa and Sifaat are the greatest thing mentioned in the Qur’aan and the best thing and the most exalted.
Shaykh ul-Islaam Ibn Taymeeyah (d.728) -Rahimullaah- said:
‘The Qur’aan has more of a mention of the Names of Allaah and His Sifaat and His Actions, than the mention of food, drink and marriage in Paradise.
The Ayaat which include the mention of the Names of Allaah and His Sifaat are greater in amount than the Ayaat of the Day of Judgement.
That is why the greatest Ayaah in the Qur’aan is the Ayaat-ul-Kursi which consists of the Names and Sifaat of Allaah. As is established in the authentic hadeeth which is narrated by Muslim from the Prophet -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam– that he said to Ubayy bin Ka’ab:
‘Do you know which Ayah in the Book of Allaah is the greatest?’
He answered: << اللَّهُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ >>
<<Allaah! Lâ ilâha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), the Ever Living >> [al-Baqarah: 255]
The Prophet -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam- patted him on his chest with his hand and said: ‘Knowledge congratulates you Abu al-Mundhir.’
And the best Soorah is the Soorah Umm al-Qur’aan (Al-Faatihah), as is established in the hadeeth of Abu Sa’eed bin al-Mu’ala in Bukhari. [This wording is by Imaam Ahmad in ‘Musnad’ with an authentic chain]
The Prophet -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam- said:
In this Soorah there is a greater mention of the Names of Allaah and His Sifaat than the mention of the Last Day.
It is established in the Saheeh of Bukhari from the Messenger -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam- from more than one narration that Soorah Al-Ikhlaas << قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ >> <<Say: ‘He is Allaah, (the) One. >> is equivalent to a third of the Qur’aan, and it is established in the Saheeh of Bukhari that the Messenger -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam- gave good news to the one who used to read this Soorah when he said: Indeed I love this Soorah because it contains the Sifaat of ar-Rahman; so due to that Allaah loved this person.
So this hadeeth explains that Allaah loves the one who loves the remembrance of the Sifaat of Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta’ala, and this matter is a detailed one.’
[Taken from ‘Fiqh of al-‘Asmaa al-Husna’ p.8-10]