ALWAYS

11-26-18





Praise be to Allaah.


One of the firm beliefs held by people of deep faith and complete Tawheed is that the Lord, may He be exalted, is able to do all things, and His power is without limits. He has absolute power, perfect will and ultimate control of all affairs. If He wills a thing, it happens as He wills it at the time when He wills it, and in the manner that He wills.


There are many definitive texts in the Book of our Lord and in the Sunnah of His Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) which affirm this and state it clearly, with no ambiguity. It is sufficient here for us to quote some of the verses that indicate this, such as the verses (interpretation of the meaning):


“The Originator of the heavens and the earth. When He decrees a matter, He only says to it : ‘Be!’ — and it is”


[al-Baqarah 2:117]


Al-Haafz Ibn Katheer said in his commentary on this verse (Tafseer 1/175): “Here Allaah explains the completeness of His power and the greatness of His authority, and that if He wills and decrees something, He simply says to it, ‘Be!’ – just once – and it is, i.e., it comes into existence as He willed it. This is like the verse in which Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):


‘Verily, His Command, when He intends a thing, is only that He says to it, “Be!” — and it is!’


[Ya-Seen 36:82].”


And Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):


“When He has decreed something, He says to it only: ‘Be!’ — and it is”


[Aal ‘Imraan 3:47]


“It is He Who gives life and causes death. And when He decides upon a thing He says to it only: ‘Be’ — and it is”


[Ghaafir 40:68]


“And Our Commandment is but one as the twinkling of an eye”


[al-Qamar 54:50]


Al-Haafiz Ibn Katheer said in his commentary on this verse (4/261): “Here Allaah tells us how His will is executed in His creation, and how His decree is implemented. ‘And Our Commandment is but one’ means, We only issue a command once, and We do not need to repeat it a second time, and what We command happens in the twinkling of an eye, it is not delayed for an instant. How well the poet put it:


‘When Allaah wills something, all He says to it is “Be!”, once, and it is.’”


And there are many other verses which speak of this matter and explain it.


Once this is established, then why did Allaah create the heavens and the earth in six days?


Firstly:


It is narrated in more than one verse of the Book of our Lord that Allaah created the heavens and the earth in six days. For example, Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):


“Indeed, your Lord is Allaah, Who created the heavens and the earth in Six Days, and then He rose over (Istawa) the Throne (really in a manner that suits His Majesty)”


[al-A’raaf 7:54]


Secondly:


There is nothing that Allaah does but there is great wisdom in it. This is one of the meanings of Allaah’s name al-Hakeem (The Most Wise). Allaah may or may not show this wisdom to us, and those who have deep knowledge may understand it, to the exclusion of others.


But the fact that we may not know or understand this wisdom should not make us deny it or object to the rulings of Allaah, or try to ask too much about this wisdom that Allaah has hidden from us. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):


“He [Allaah] cannot be questioned as to what He does, while they will be questioned”


[al-Anbiya’ 21:23]


Some scholars have attempted to explain the reason why the heavens and the earth were created in six days:


1 – Imam al-Qurtubi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in al-Jaami’ li Ahkaam al-Qur’aan, commenting on al-A’raaf 7:54 (4/7/140):


“Allaah mentions this period – i.e. six days – although if He had wanted to create it in an instant, He could have done so, because He is Able to say to it ‘Be!’ and is. But He wanted to:


-Teach His slaves kindness and deliberation in their affairs.


-Manifest His power to the angels step by step.


-And there is another reason: He wanted to create it in six days because Allaah has decreed a course for everything, for which reason He He delays the punishment for the sinners, because everything has an appointed time with Him.”


2 – Ibn al-Jawzi said in his tafseer called Zaad al-Maseer (3/162), commenting on the verse in Soorat al-A’raaf:


“If it is said, why did He not create it in an instant when He is Able to do so? There are five answers to this question:


(i)He wanted to create something each day to show His power to the angels and those who witnessed it. This was suggested by Ibn al-Anbaari.


(ii) He was preparing things for Adam and his offspring before Adam existed, to emphasize Adam’s high standing before the angels.


(iii) Doing things in a short time is more indicative of power, and deliberation is more indicative of wisdom. Allaah wanted to manifest His wisdom in that, just as He manifested His power when He said, ‘ “Be!” And it is.’


(iv) He taught deliberation to His slaves, because if the One Who does not make mistakes created the universe in a deliberate manner, then it is more appropriate for those who are vulnerable to making mistakes to do things in a deliberate manner.


(v) Creation was accomplished step by step, lest anyone think that this happened as the result of an accident of nature.


3 – al-Qaadi Abu’l-Sa’ood said in his commentary on the verse in al-A’raaf (3/232):


“The fact that Allaah created things in stages although He is able to have created everything in one go is indicative of the Divine Will and is a sign of His power for those who understand, and it encourages deliberation in all things.”


And he said in his commentary on al-Furqaan 25:59 (6/226):


“The One Who created these great stars in this precise configuration in stages, even though He is able to create them in one go, (that was) for a great reason and sublime purpose, which human minds cannot comprehend fully.”


Based on the above, it is clear that Allaah has absolute power, ultimate will and perfect control, and He has wise reasons for everything that He creates, which no one knows but He, may He be exalted. Now you can understand some of the reasons why Allaah created the heavens and the earth in six days when He is able to have created them simply by saying “Be!”.


May Allaah send blessings and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon his family and companions.


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Question


This is a question, which is supposedly asked by missionaries. “Can Allah create a rock which He can’t lift?’ How do we respond to this?.


Answer


Praise be to Allaah.


This question – and others like it – contain a great contradiction. Many disbelievers try to use such questions in their debates with Muslims, seeking to force the respondent to say either “No He can’t” in which case they will say, “How can He be a god if He cannot create something?” or if he says, “Yes, He can,” they will say: “How can He be a god if He is unable to carry or lift this rock?”


The answer is:


This question is not valid at all because the power of Allaah is not connected to irrationalities. How can He be a god if He is unable to lift their “rock,” when one of the attributes of Allaah is power? Can there be any attribute in any created thing that is greater than the attributes of its Creator?


Professor Sa’d Rustam answered this question in a sound scientific manner, which we will quote in full here. He said:


The power of Allaah – which is undoubtedly absolute and unlimited – is connected to things that are rationally possible, not things that are rationally impossible. No matter how absolute and limitless His power, it must still remain within the bounds of possibility, and it is not connected to irrationalities. This is not a limitation of it. In order to clarify this point we will give some examples:


We ask all of these bishops and theologians: Can God create another god like Him? If they say yes, we say to them: How can this created being be a god if he is created? How can he be like God when he has a beginning, whereas God exists from eternity? In fact the phrase “creating a god” is a sophism or false argument, and is a contradiction in terms, because the mere fact that something is created means that it cannot be a god. This question is like asking could God create “a god who is not a god”? it is self-evident that the answer can only be: The power of Allaah has nothing to do with that, because the idea that something can be a god and not a god is illogical and is irrational, and the power of Allaah has nothing to do with irrationalities.


Another example: We may also ask them: Can God really expel anyone from under His control? If they say yes, they have imposed a limit on the control of Allaah, and if they say no – which is correct – they have agreed with us that the power of Allaah is absolute and has nothing to do with irrationalities, because it is rationally impossible for any created being to be expelled from the control of its Creator.


A third example: One day one of the disbelievers asked me: Can your Lord create a rock that is so huge that He would be unable to move it? And he added in a sarcastic manner: If you say, yes He can, you will have stated that your Lord is unable to move the rock, and this indicates that He is not a god, but if you tell me, No, He cannot, you will have admitted that He is not able to do all things, therefore He is not a god.


I answered this disbeliever simply: Yes, it is not part of the power of Allaah that He is able to create a rock that He is unable to move, because everything that Allaah creates He is able to move, but the fact that it is impossible for the power of Allaah to be connected to the creation of this supposed rock does not indicate that He is lacking in power. Rather – on the contrary – it is indicative of His complete power, because this question of yours is like asking: Can Allaah be unable to do something that may be rationally possible? No doubt, if we say no, this does not mean that the power of Allaah is limited, rather it is an affirmation of the completeness of His power, because not being incapable means having power. If we say that Allaah cannot be unaware of or forget anything, saying that does not mean that He is incapable or is lacking, rather it is an affirmation of His perfection and complete power and knowledge.


The Four Gospels and the Epistles of Paul and John deny the divinity of Christ as it is denied by the Qur’aan, by Sa’d Rustam.


And Allaah knows best.


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Question


One of my friends listens to music. When he is given advice, he responds by saying that Allaah is Forgiving and Most merciful, but I tell him that Allaah is Severe in punishment. I would like some evidence from the Sunnah and Qur’aan that Allaah is Severe in punishment.


Answer


Praise be to Allaah.


The questioner is to be appreciated for his keenness to guide his friend. Friends should be keen to advise and guide their brothers, without worrying about their reaction or getting tired. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):


“The believers, men and women, are Awliyaa’ (helpers, supporters, friends, protectors) of one another; they enjoin (on the people) Al-Ma‘roof (i.e. Islamic Monotheism and all that Islam orders one to do), and forbid (people) from Al-Munkar (i.e. polytheism and disbelief of all kinds, and all that Islam has forbidden); they perform As-Salaah (Iqaamat-as-Salaah), and give the Zakaah, and obey Allaah and His Messenger. Allaah will have His Mercy on them. Surely, Allaah is All-Mighty, All-Wise”


[al-Tawbah 9:71]


Secondly: the majority of scholars are of the view that music is haraam, as is indicated by a great deal of evidence from the Qur’aan and Sunnah. This was narrated from Ibn ‘Abbaas, Ibn Mas’ood, al-Shu’bi, al-Thawri and other scholars.


See Sunan al-Bayhaqi, 10/223; al-Muhalla, 9/59; al-Mughni, 14/160


Thirdly: there are many verses and hadeeths which speak of the severity of Allaah’s punishment. These texts may be divided into two categories:


1 – Those which deal directly with music


2 – Those which speak of the severity of Allaah’s punishment in general


With regard to the first category, a number of hadeeths have been narrated concerning this.


It was narrated that Anas ibn Maalik (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Two sounds are cursed in this world and the Hereafter: flutes (musical instruments) at times of joy and wailing at times of sorrow.” Narrated by al-Bazzaar and al-Diya’ al-Maqdisi in al-Ahaadeeth al-Mukhtaarah; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Tahreem Alaat al-Tarb, p. 51.


Being cursed means being cast out far from the mercy of Allaah.


Al-Tirmidhi narrated (2138) from ‘Imraan ibn Husayn that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Among this ummah will be (people who will be) swallowed up by the earth, transformed into pigs and monkeys, and pelted with stones from above.” A man among the Muslims said, “O Messenger of Allaah, when will that be?” He said: “When female singers and musical instruments appear, and wine is drunk.” Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi.


With regard to the second category: In the Qur’aan Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):


“O you who believe! Ward off yourselves and your families against a Fire (Hell) whose fuel is men and stones, over which are (appointed) angels stern (and) severe, who disobey not, (from executing) the Commands they receive from Allaah, but do that which they are commanded”


[al-Tahreem 66:6]


“The Day they will be dragged on their faces into the Fire (it will be said to them): Taste you the touch of Hell!”


[al-Qamar 54:48]


“But if you do it not, and you can never do it, then fear the Fire (Hell) whose fuel is men and stones”


[al-Baqarah 2:24]


“When iron collars will be rounded over their necks, and the chains, they shall be dragged along,


72. In the boiling water, then they will be burned in the Fire”


[Ghaafir 40:71-72]


“and every obstinate, arrogant dictator (who refuses to believe in the Oneness of Allaah) was brought to a complete loss and destruction.


16. In front of him (every obstinate, arrogant dictator) is Hell, and he will be made to drink boiling, festering water.


17. He will sip it unwillingly, and he will find a great difficulty to swallow it down his throat, and death will come to him from every side, yet he will not die and in front of him, will be a great torment”


[Ibraaheem 14:15-17]


“Verily, the tree of Zaqqoom


44. Will be the food of the sinners.


45. Like boiling oil, it will boil in the bellies,


46. Like the boiling of scalding water.


47. (It will be said:) Seize him and drag him into the midst of blazing Fire,


48. Then pour over his head the torment of boiling water.


49. Taste you (this)! Verily, you were (pretending to be) the mighty, the generous!”


[al-Dukhaan 44:43-49]


“then as for those who disbelieved, garments of fire will be cut out for them, boiling water will be poured down over their heads.


20. With it will melt (or vanish away) what is within their bellies, as well as (their) skins.


21. And for them are hooked rods of iron (to punish them).


22. Every time they seek to get away therefrom, from anguish, they will be driven back therein, and (it will be) said to them: Taste the torment of burning!”


[al-Hajj 22:19-22]


In the Sunnah, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Hell will be brought on the Day of Resurrection with seventy thousand reins, each of which will be held by seventy thousand angels, dragging it along.” Narrated by Muslim, 2842.


And he said: “This fire of yours which is lit by the sons of Adam is one seventieth part of the fire of Hell.” They said: “By Allaah, if it was like this that would be sufficient.” He said: “It is sixty-nine times worse than that, each time as hot as this (worldly fire).” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 3265; Muslim, 2843.


And he said: “Allaah has promised that whoever drinks intoxicants, He will give him to drink of the mud of khabaal.” They said: “O Messenger of Allaah, what is the mud of khabaal?” He said: “The sweat of the people of Hell” or “The juices of the people of Hell.” Narrated by Muslim, 2002.


And he said: “If a drop of Zaqqoom were to fall in this world, it would destroy the livelihood of the people of this world, so how about the one whose food it is?” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 2585; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami’, 5126.


And he said: “The most lightly punished person in Hell will have two sandals and laces of fire because of which his brains will boil like a cauldron. He will not think that anyone else is more severely punished than him, but he will be the most lightly punished.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 6562; Muslim, 213.


And he said: “The man from among the people of Hell who lived the most luxurious life in this world will be brought and dipped in the Fire, then it will be said to him, ‘O son of Adam, have you ever seen anything good, have you ever enjoyed any pleasure?’ and he will say, ‘No, by Allaah, O Lord.’” Narrated by Muslim, 2707.


And he said: “If there were in this mosque one hundred thousand or more, and there was among them a man from the people of Hell and he breathed out and his breath touched them, the mosque and everyone in it would be burned.” Narrated by al-Bazzaar; classed a saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Targheeb, 3668.


Ibn al-Qayyim said in al-Jawaab al-Kaafi, p. 53-68:


Many ignorant people rely on the mercy of Allaah and His forgiveness and kindness, and they ignore His commands and prohibitions, and forget that He is severe in punishment and He does not ward off His wrath from evildoers. Whoever relies on His forgiveness whilst persisting in sin is like one who is stubborn.


One of the scholars said: If Allaah has decreed that the hand is to be cut off for stealing three dirhams, then do not feel safe from His punishment in the Hereafter.


It was said to al-Hasan: “We see that you weep a great deal.” He said: “I am afraid lest Allaah throws me in the Fire and does not care about me.”


And he used to say: “Some people indulged in wishful thinking about forgiveness until they departed this world without having repented, and they would say: ‘I think positively of my Lord,’ but he was lying. If he had thought positively about his Lord, he would have done good deeds.


Then he mentioned some of the hadeeths which speak of the severity of Allaah’s punishment, then he said:


There are far more hadeeths on this subject than we can mention. The one who is sincere should not ignore them and give himself free rein to commit sin and depend on his hope and positive thoughts about Allaah.”.


























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