knowing Allah’s Most Beautiful Names and His sublime attributes in accordance with what is stated in the revealed texts and established by the evidence. In this matter, one must not go beyond the Quran and hadith, for the Lord’s names and attributes are determined solely by revelation; they can be known only through what has come in the Book and the sunnah. Imam Ahmad said: “Allah may be described only as He has described Himself or as His Messenger—peace and blessings be upon him—has described Him. One must not go beyond the Quran and hadith.”1.

Ibn Abd al-Barr—may Allah have mercy on him—said: “In all matters of creed concerning Allah’s names and attributes, nothing is accepted except what is expressly stated in Allah’s Book, authentically reported from the Messenger of Allah—peace and blessings be upon him—or established by consensus of the Muslim community. Solitary reports concerning any of this or similar matters are to be accepted without disputation.”2.

Describing Allah as He has described Himself and as His Messenger—peace and blessings be upon him—has described Him is among the firmly established principles and great foundations of faith, without which faith cannot exist. Whoever repudiates any one of His attributes—negating and denying it—is not a believer. The same applies to anyone who divests His attributes of their meaning or likens them to the attributes of created beings. Glory be to Allah above what they ascribe to Him, and Allah is immeasurably exalted above what they say.

Nuaym ibn Hammād al-Khuzāī—may Allah have mercy on him—said: “Whoever likens Allah to anything in His creation has disbelieved, and whoever denies what Allah has used to describe Himself has disbelieved. Nothing by which Allah or His Messenger—peace and blessings be upon him—has described Him constitutes likening Him to creation.”3.