Allah - An advanced look at God in Islam - 3 - A Description of Allah

Allah describes to us what we humans should believe about Him in one of the shortest and most beautiful Surahs of the Koran - Al Ikhlas (The Sincerity).

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ

قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ

اللَّهُ الصَّمَدُ

لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ

وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ 

[112.1] Say: He, Allah, is One.

[112.2] Allah is He on Whom all depend.

[112.3] He begets not, nor is He begotten.

[112.4] And none is like Him.

And the nature of Allah is related in a famous verse from Surah Al-Baqara (chapter of the Cow). This is such a beautiful ayah (verse) that it is given a special name: Ayatul Kursi (Verse of the throne)

للّهُ لاَ إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ لاَ تَأْخُذُهُ سِنَةٌ وَلاَ نَوْمٌ لَّهُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الأَرْضِ مَن ذَا الَّذِي يَشْفَعُ عِنْدَهُ إِلاَّ بِإِذْنِهِ يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ وَلاَ يُحِيطُونَ بِشَيْءٍ مِّنْ عِلْمِهِ إِلاَّ بِمَا شَاء وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضَ وَلاَ يَؤُودُهُ حِفْظُهُمَا وَهُوَ الْعَلِيُّ الْعَظِيمُ 

[2.255] God! There is no God but He, the (Ever) Living, the self-subsistent. Slumber seizeth Him not nor sleep; His is whatever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth; Who is he that can intercede with Him but by His permission; He knoweth what is before them and what is behind them, while they cannot comprehend anything out of His Knowledge save that which He willeth, His Throne ¹⁰ extendeth over the heavens and the earth, and the preservation of them both tireth Him not, And He is the Most High, the Most Great.

The nature of our God is often disputed by different sects and groups in Islam. The Sunni and Shia understanding of the nature of Allah is very similar, but the group in Islam that is most different is the Wahabi/Salafi groups. The following (incomplete) list identifies the agreed-upon nature of Allah in bullet
points and if you click the reference number links then you will be shown the source of the claim and the argument/explanation for it.

• There is One God! [Koran 112.1]
• He doesn't give birth to/create a son or daughter. [Koran 112.3, 4.171]
• Jesus (AS) is not the son of Allah. [Koran 4.171, 112.3]
• Nothing is like Allah. [Koran 112.4]
• Allah is not a man or a woman. (see above)
• Allah is the Lord of the Worlds. [Koran 1.2]
• Allah is self-sufficient. [Koran 2.255, 57.24]
• Allah is the King. [Koran 59.23]
• Allah is the Most High. [Koran 2.255]
• Allah is the Holy. [Koran 59.23]
• Allah is the Giver of Peace. [Koran 59.23]
• Allah Loves the believers. [Koran 3.31, 5.54]
• Allah is the Granter of Security. [Koran 59.23, 106.4]
• Allah is the First. [Koran 57.3]
• Allah is the Last. [Koran 57.3]
• Allah is Everlasting. [Koran 2.255]
• Allah is Merciful. [Koran 1.1]
• Allah is Forgiving. [Koran 2.52, 2.58]
• Allah is Kind. [Koran 57.9]
• Allah is the Master of the Day of Judgment. [Koran 1.4]
• Allah is Beneficent. [Koran 1.1]
• Allah is Mighty. [Koran 57.1]
• Allah cannot become tired. [Koran 2.255]
• Allah is Strong. [Koran 58.21]
• Allah is Wise. [Koran 57.1]
• Allah has the best names (attributes). [Koran 59.24]
• Everything depends on Allah. [Koran 112.2] ²
• Allah has not been created by anything else. [Koran 112.3]
• Allah is a protector to Man. [Koran 4.171]
• Allah sets a seal upon the hearts of sinning people. ³
• Allah punishes people for their sins. ⁴
• Allah leaves the sinning people in their act of sin. ⁵
• Allah is severe in justice (punishment of evil). [Koran 59.4, 59.7]
• Allah created Man. [Koran 2.21, 49.13]
• Allah shapes you in the womb. [Koran 3.6]
• Allah has power over all things. [Koran 2.20, 2.106, 57.2]
• Allah is the Creator (of everything). [Koran 2.29, 59.24]
• Allah is the Designer. [Koran 59.24]
• Allah created the heavens and the earth (in 6 periods/days). [Koran 2.29, 57.4]
• Allah made iron. [Koran 57.25]
• Allah gives life. [Koran 2.28]
• Allah takes life away. [Koran 2.28] ⁶
• Allah sees all what you do. [Koran 2.110, 57.4]
• Allah knows all what is in your heart (your emotions and secrets). [Koran 57.6]
• Allah knows everything. [Koran 2.231]
• Allah sees everything. [Koran 4.33, 58.6]
• Allah knows all hidden things. [Koran 57.3]
• Allah teaches you. [Koran 2.282]
• Allah resurrects all. [Koran 57.17]
• Everything returns to Allah. [Koran 3.109] ⁷
• Allah is omniscient. [Koran 57.4]
• Allah causes the night and the day. [Koran 57.6]
• Allah sends clear communications. [Koran 57.9] ⁸
• Allah does not Love any arrogant boaster. [Koran 57.23]
• Allah does not Love the mischief-makers. [Koran 5.64]
• Allah does not guide the transgressors. [Koran 63.6]
• Allah has grace and gives grace to whomsoever He pleases. [Koran 57.29]
• Allah allows the believers to be hurt. [Koran 58.10] ⁹
• Allah (good) will prevail over evil. [Koran 58.21]
• Allah helps His creation. [Koran 59.11]
• The Truth is from Allah. [Koran 2.147]
• Allah revealed the Torah to Prophet Moses (AS). [Koran 3.3]
• Allah revealed the Injeel (Gospel) to Prophet Jesus (AS). [Koran 3.3]
• Allah revealed the Zaboor (Psalms) to Prophet David (Dawood) (AS). [Koran 17.55]
• Allah revealed the Koran (Quran) to Prophet Muhammed (SAW). [Koran 3.3]
• Allah is the Lord of the 'Arsh. [Koran 85.15, 25.60] ¹⁰
• Allah is closer to you than your Jugular vein. [Koran 50.16]

Notes & References


² It is said that all life on Earth depends on the Sun's energy, and this is almost correct save for a few underwater creatures. Allah caused everything in the world to come to existance and He continues to
maintain it. It is God that caused creation to have properties or to have a special nature. Were it not for Him then there would be nothing in existence save himself. All the living organisms depend on His material gifts of food, sunlight, air, water, etc.

³ [Koran 2.7] "Allah has set a seal upon their hearts and upon their hearing and there is a covering over their eyes, and there is a great punishment for them". Please refer to other resources for further explanation.

⁴ God punishes the sinners either in this world or in hell, or both. It all depends on what Allah wills. Please refer to other resources for further explanation.

⁵ Sometimes leaving people in their state is a good punishment because sinning is not the key to happiness and people suffer by their own hands and this is most ironic since they are the cause and the cure to their problem! Or it could be seen as God giving man a chance to realize their error and correct it! Allah is Most Merciful!

⁶ [Koran 2.28] - Allah orders your death, but the Angel of death ('Azraeel) takes your soul.

⁷ [Koran 3.109] - "All living things will be made to return back to life on the day of judgment. All the arguments return to Him for His decree". There is proof for this from Hadith, e.g. "If someone kills a sparrow for sport, the sparrow will cry out on the Day of Judgment, 'O Lord! That person killed me in vain! He did not kill me for any useful purpose.'" [Sunan An-Nisaee]. And "Sayyiduna Amr ibn al-Aas [radhiallaahu anhum] mentions, 'The earth will be flattened on the day of Qiyaamat, Jinns, humans, animals and creatures will be resurrected. On the day, Allah will command the animals to take revenge (from the one who oppressed it) to such an extent that if a horned sheep tossed a hornless sheep, it will avenge it. When Allah resolves the matter of retaliation between animals, He will order them to turn into sand. When the disbeliever sees this, he will say, 'How nice if I was also turned into sand.'"" (Musnad Abu Dawud pg. 248)

⁸ [Koran 57.9] - What is meant by the word 'communication' most of the time in the Koran is that Allah has sent many Prophets and Messengers to warn people and ask them to stay on the right path so that they may enter heaven. Other times, what is meant is the books from God, the Torah, Zaboor (psalms), Injeel (Gospel; It is NOT the New Testament), and Quran. Other possible meanings meant can be imams, angels, dreams and normal people. Allah talks to you through them, and these are the ways Allah communicates with you.

⁹ Please refer to other resources for further explanation.

¹⁰ [Koran 85.15, 25.60] - The 'arsh means the Throne of Allah. Different groups of Muslims have different opinions of what the 'arsh is. Most Sunni Muslims believe the 'arsh to be something physical, that it is a place, while most Shia Muslims believe it to be something physical but dynamic and is often mentioned in the quran metaphorically to shows the power and majesty of Allah. Some Muslims say that the 'arsh is the whole of the creation based on the verse 'His Throne extendeth over the heavens and the earth'. Please refer to other resources for further explanation.