Praise be to Allah (The Glorified and Exalted).
When examining a religion, the most important consideration one must make is, “Who is God?.” It is essentially the belief in God, that is the most important and fundamental feature of any religion. The religion of Islam is strictly a monotheist religion that offers a direct relationship with God. The focus of the entire religion is on the worship of the Creator alone, with no co-partners, co-equals, or any intermediaries. Considering, the language of Islam is Arabic, God is commonly referred to by the Arabic term “Allah,” which literally means “The God.” In Arabic, the term "ilah=god" and "aliha=gods." The term “Allah” is used by every Arabic speaker of various religions, to refer to the One God. However, there beliefs concerning Him vary. It is also important to note that the revelation of the Qur’an is in the highest formality of classical Arabic, in which Allah frequently speaks in the royal plural. Thereby, referring to Himself in the third person, such as in the form “We,” “Us,” and “Our.” There are also other verses of the Qur’an in which Allah is more personal and refers to Himself in the first person, such as “I” and “Me.”
Allah in Islam pertains to the utmost epitome of belief one can possibly contemplate concerning the Creator. The Arabic term “Allah” also does not elude to any gender, nor can it be changed into the plural. Allah is truly thought of in terms of absolute perfection and is not represented by any image. The following verses of the Qur’an best describe the Creator:
“Glory to Him! He is High above all that they say! Exalted and Great (beyond measure)!” [17:43]
The following verses of the Qur’an elucidate the fact that Allah has no partnership in His dominion:
The greatness and glory of Allah is to such an immense degree that He has placed a veil (partition) between Himself and His creation, in order to protect the creation from His Grandeur. If the veil were to be removed, the creation would be destroyed by the Glory of Allah. This is mentioned in the following hadith:
Abu Musa (may Allah be pleased with him; this is a statement that the reader should repeat after the name of every companion) reported:
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was standing amongst us and he told us five things. He said: Verily the Exalted and Mighty Allah does not sleep, and it does not befit Him to sleep. He lowers the scale and lifts it [i.e. the scale of judgment]. The deeds in the night are taken up to Him before the deeds of the day and the deeds of the day before the deeds of the night. His veil is the light. If he withdraws it (the veil), the splendor of His countenance would consume His creation so far as His sight reaches [i.e. the entire creation would be consumed or destroyed because everything is within His sight.]. [Muslim: Book 1 (Book of Faith): Hadith 343]
The following hadith pertains to the time after the Prophet’s (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) ascent to Heaven:
Abdullah b. Shaqiq reported:
I said to Abu Dharr: Had I seen the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), I would have asked him. He (Abu Dharr) said: What is that thing that you wanted to inquire of him? He [Abdullah] said: I wanted to ask him [the Prophet] whether he had seen his Lord. Abu Dharr said: I, in fact, inquired of him, and he [the Prophet] replied: I saw Light [i.e. not Allah, but His veil]. [Muslim: Book 1 (Book of Faith): Hadith 342]
The following verse of the Qur’an refers to the Glory of Allah:
There are some religions that attempt to portray the All-Mighty in human form. By being constrained to such a form, such as the body of a human, these religions have made Allah dependent on eating, sleeping, and devices such as a beating heart, or blood vessels in order to survive. Glory to Allah (The Exalted and Glorified), He is Self-Sustained and does not rely on anything. This is the true reality of His level of absolute Self-Sufficiency and Perfection. The verses of the Qur’an and hadith quoted in this chapter, pertain to man’s life in this world. On Judgment Day, Allah (The Exalted and Glorified) will reveal Himself only to the Believers, in a manner that befits His Majesty. Allah will also protect the Believers from being harmed by His Glory.
When examining a religion, the most important consideration one must make is, “Who is God?.” It is essentially the belief in God, that is the most important and fundamental feature of any religion. The religion of Islam is strictly a monotheist religion that offers a direct relationship with God. The focus of the entire religion is on the worship of the Creator alone, with no co-partners, co-equals, or any intermediaries. Considering, the language of Islam is Arabic, God is commonly referred to by the Arabic term “Allah,” which literally means “The God.” In Arabic, the term "ilah=god" and "aliha=gods." The term “Allah” is used by every Arabic speaker of various religions, to refer to the One God. However, there beliefs concerning Him vary. It is also important to note that the revelation of the Qur’an is in the highest formality of classical Arabic, in which Allah frequently speaks in the royal plural. Thereby, referring to Himself in the third person, such as in the form “We,” “Us,” and “Our.” There are also other verses of the Qur’an in which Allah is more personal and refers to Himself in the first person, such as “I” and “Me.”
Allah in Islam pertains to the utmost epitome of belief one can possibly contemplate concerning the Creator. The Arabic term “Allah” also does not elude to any gender, nor can it be changed into the plural. Allah is truly thought of in terms of absolute perfection and is not represented by any image. The following verses of the Qur’an best describe the Creator:
“Say: He is Allah, the One and Only / Allah, the Eternal, Absolute / He begets not, nor is He begotten / And there is none like unto Him.”
[112]
“No vision can grasp Him / But His grasp is over All vision: He is Above all comprehension, / Yet is acquainted with all things.” [6:103]
“His is the highest description (i.e. none has the right to be worshipped but He, and there is nothing comparable unto Him) in the heavens and in the Earth. And He is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise” [30:27]
“To Allah belong the East and the West: Whithersoever ye turn, there is the presence of Allah. For Allah is Omnipresent, All-Knowing.” [2:115]
[112]
“No vision can grasp Him / But His grasp is over All vision: He is Above all comprehension, / Yet is acquainted with all things.” [6:103]
“His is the highest description (i.e. none has the right to be worshipped but He, and there is nothing comparable unto Him) in the heavens and in the Earth. And He is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise” [30:27]
“To Allah belong the East and the West: Whithersoever ye turn, there is the presence of Allah. For Allah is Omnipresent, All-Knowing.” [2:115]
“Glory to Him! He is High above all that they say! Exalted and Great (beyond measure)!” [17:43]
“Allah. There is no god but He, the Living, the Self-subsisting, Eternal. No slumber can seize Him, Nor sleep. His are all things in the heavens and on Earth. Who is there that can intercede in His presence except as He permits? He knows what (appears to His creatures as) before or after or behind them. Nor shall they compass aught of His knowledge except as He willeth. His Pedestal doth extend over the heavens and the Earth, and He feeleth no fatigue in guarding and preserving them for He is the Most High, the Supreme (in glory).” [2:255]
The following verses of the Qur’an elucidate the fact that Allah has no partnership in His dominion:
“If there were, in the heavens and the Earth, other gods besides Allah, there would have been confusion in both! But glory to Allah, the Lord of the Throne: (High is He) above what they attribute to Him!” [21:22]
“He knows what is hidden and what is open: too High is He for the partners they attribute to Him!” [23:92]
“Allah is He, than Whom there is no other god; the Sovereign, the Holy One, the Source of Peace (and Perfection), the Guardian of Faith, the Preserver of Safety, the Exalted in Might, the Irresistible, the Supreme: Glory to Allah. (High is He) above the partners they attribute to Him.” [59:23]
“He knows what is hidden and what is open: too High is He for the partners they attribute to Him!” [23:92]
“Allah is He, than Whom there is no other god; the Sovereign, the Holy One, the Source of Peace (and Perfection), the Guardian of Faith, the Preserver of Safety, the Exalted in Might, the Irresistible, the Supreme: Glory to Allah. (High is He) above the partners they attribute to Him.” [59:23]
The greatness and glory of Allah is to such an immense degree that He has placed a veil (partition) between Himself and His creation, in order to protect the creation from His Grandeur. If the veil were to be removed, the creation would be destroyed by the Glory of Allah. This is mentioned in the following hadith:
Abu Musa (may Allah be pleased with him; this is a statement that the reader should repeat after the name of every companion) reported:
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was standing amongst us and he told us five things. He said: Verily the Exalted and Mighty Allah does not sleep, and it does not befit Him to sleep. He lowers the scale and lifts it [i.e. the scale of judgment]. The deeds in the night are taken up to Him before the deeds of the day and the deeds of the day before the deeds of the night. His veil is the light. If he withdraws it (the veil), the splendor of His countenance would consume His creation so far as His sight reaches [i.e. the entire creation would be consumed or destroyed because everything is within His sight.]. [Muslim: Book 1 (Book of Faith): Hadith 343]
The following hadith pertains to the time after the Prophet’s (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) ascent to Heaven:
Abdullah b. Shaqiq reported:
I said to Abu Dharr: Had I seen the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), I would have asked him. He (Abu Dharr) said: What is that thing that you wanted to inquire of him? He [Abdullah] said: I wanted to ask him [the Prophet] whether he had seen his Lord. Abu Dharr said: I, in fact, inquired of him, and he [the Prophet] replied: I saw Light [i.e. not Allah, but His veil]. [Muslim: Book 1 (Book of Faith): Hadith 342]
The following verse of the Qur’an refers to the Glory of Allah:
“Of Him seeks (its need) every creature in the heavens and on Earth: every day in (new) Splendor doth He (Shine)!” [55:29]
There are some religions that attempt to portray the All-Mighty in human form. By being constrained to such a form, such as the body of a human, these religions have made Allah dependent on eating, sleeping, and devices such as a beating heart, or blood vessels in order to survive. Glory to Allah (The Exalted and Glorified), He is Self-Sustained and does not rely on anything. This is the true reality of His level of absolute Self-Sufficiency and Perfection. The verses of the Qur’an and hadith quoted in this chapter, pertain to man’s life in this world. On Judgment Day, Allah (The Exalted and Glorified) will reveal Himself only to the Believers, in a manner that befits His Majesty. Allah will also protect the Believers from being harmed by His Glory.