Understanding the meaning of Tawheed al-Asmaa’ was-Sifaat
Ulama Institute #1
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Tawheed al-Asmaa’ was-Sifaat is one of three categories of monotheism: Tawheed ar- Ruboobiyyah, Tawheed al-Uloohiyyah, and Tawheed al-Asmaa’ was-Sifaat. Studying these three categories of monotheism separately helps us to gain a more complete understanding of the type of belief that Allah has made obligatory upon His servants.
Tawheed ar-Ruboobiyyah or the monotheism related to Allah’s Lordship is to believe that Allah ﷻ alone is the sole Creator and Sustainer of everything in existence. It is He alone who gives life and it is He alone who brings death and He ﷻ is the One who provides for all of creation.
The second category of monotheism is Tawheed al-Uloohiyyah or the monotheism related to Allah’s ﷻ right to be worshipped. This type of monotheism requires firm belief that nothing deserves to be worshipped except Allah . This category of monotheism is a direct result of belief in Allah’s ﷻ Lordship.
The third category of monotheism is Tawheed al-Asmaa’ was-Sifaat or the monotheism related to Allah’s Names and Attributes. This category of monotheism necessitates that Allah ﷻ may only be described with the Names and Attributes of perfection which have been mentioned by Allah and His Messenger ﷺ . This means that Muslims must affirm whatever Names and Attributes that Allah ﷻ and His Messenger have affirmed. Similarly, Muslims must reject any attributes which describe Allah as being deficient or flawed. So, Muslims affirm what Allah ﷻ and His Messenger affirm, and reject whatever Allah and His Messenger ﷺ reject.
It is the belief of Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah that Allah ﷻ should only be described with the Names and Attributes of perfection which He ﷻ has used to describe Himself in the Qur’aan or which His Messenger ﷺ has used to describe Him ﷻ in the Sunnah. So it is obligatory that Muslims affirm whatever He has affirmed for Himself and similarly affirming the names and attributes which Allah has affirmed for Himself in His Book and in the Sunnah of His Messenger in a manner that befits Him, without distorting or denying the meanings, or asking how, or likening Him to His creation.
Tawheed al-Asmaa’was-Sifaat is really only an extension of Tawheed ar-Ruboobiyyah which began to be examined and studied independently because of the large numbers of people who opposed it. All of the authentic texts which mention Allah’s Names and Attributes are precise. So it is obligatory upon every Muslim to read them, comprehend their clear meanings, and accept them.
It is also obligatory to accept all of the Names and Attributes of Allah that have been transmitted authentically by way of the Qur’aan and the Sunnah. These Names and Attributes should be accepted without misunderstanding their meanings, misinterpreting them, or comparing them to the creation. This principle is based upon the statement of Allah;
لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِۦ شَىْءٌۭ ۖ وَهُوَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلْبَصِيرُ ( سورة الشورى: ۱۱)
“…There is nothing like Him, and He is the All-Hearing, All-Seeing.” [Soorat ash-Shooraa: 11]
There is great benefit to be found in the study of Allah’s a Names and Attributes. The Messenger of Allah ﷻ said: “Indeed Allah has ninety-nine names; one hundred Names less one name. Whoever enumerates them will enter Paradise.”
So in an attempt to make the memorization of these Names easier we will present ninety-nine Names of Allah as they appear in the Qur’aan and the Sunnah.
Learning from the lesson:
- What is meant by the term Tawheed al-Asmaa’ was-Sifaat?
- Why are the Names and Attributes of Allah ﷻ important to Muslims?
- Why is studying the Names and Attributes of Allah ﷻ beneficial?
Discussion
- In this Article you learned that it is the belief of Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah that Allah should only be described with the Names and Attributes of perfection which He has used to describe Himself in the Qur’aan or which His Messenger has used to describe Him in the Sunnah. This principle prohibits Muslims from referring to Allah with names that cannot be found in the Qur’aan or the authentic Sunnah of the Prophet even if the meanings of those names are praiseworthy. How does this principle help us to improve our relationship with Allah and our worship of Him? How does this principle protect us from developing misconceptions about Allah ﷻ ? Divide into small groups and discuss the importance of this principle in light of those two important questions. Then locate a Name or an Attribute from the Qur’aan or the authentic Sunnah that has helped you to improve your worship of Allah ﷻ.
