as having a Hand, by any clear indication—or even a subtle one?
For the most that someone straining to make this argument can cite is His saying:
“Say: He is Allah, the One,”
and His saying:
“There is nothing like Him,”
and His saying:
“Do you know of any equal to Him?”
These verses indicate only the negation of corporeality and resemblance to created beings. As for denying a Hand befitting His Majesty, nothing in these words indicates that in any way whatsoever. Likewise, does reason clearly indicate that the Creator has no “Hand” whatsoever—neither a “Hand” befitting His Majesty nor a “hand” like those of created beings? Does reason indicate this at all, even in some subtle way?
If, then, neither revelation nor reason contains anything that rules out an actual Hand altogether—and if any supposed contrary evidence rests only on subtle arguments, even according to those advancing it, while in reality it is merely a fallacious objection—can the Quran and Sunnah be filled with references to the Hand: that Allah Most High created with His Hand, that “His two Hands are outstretched,” and that dominion is in His Hand, with countless such references in the hadith, yet Allah’s Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and those in authority fail to explain to people that neither the literal nor the apparent meaning of these words is intended? Must “Jahm ibn Safwān” then arise after the age of the Companions has passed to explain to people what was revealed to them through their Prophet, followed in this by “Bishr ibn Ghiyāth” and all those accused of hypocrisy who followed their path?
How could our Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, teach us everything, even “how to relieve ourselves,” and say, “I have left nothing that brings you nearer to Paradise without telling you of it, nor any