Explain an example of how Muslims have gone astray in each of the five

aspects of Tauheed Asma Wa Sifaat.

Tauheed Asma Wa Sifaat is one of the three categories

of Tauheed. In general, Tauheed Asma Wa Sifaat is an
affirmation of the Oneness of all the divine names and
attributes of Allah (SWT). Tauheed Asma Wa Sifaat can be
classified further into five aspects.

All the five aspects explain clearly on how a Muslim

should preserve the unity of all Allah’s names and attributes.
Its help them to have the true understanding and belief in
Allah on the subject of Tauheed Asma Wa Sifaat. Without this
right faith and understanding of Allah’s names and
attributes, the Muslims can easily deviate from the correct
path that Allah (SWT) and Prophet Muhammad (SAW) have
ordered, thus they have gone astray, Nauzubillah!

The first aspect of Tauheed Asma Wa Sifaat is

maintaining the unity of Allah’s names and attributes in a
manner how Allah (SWT) has described Himself and how His
Prophets (SAW) have qualified Him, without explaining away
His names and attributes by giving the meaning other than
the obvious meanings.

To begin with, let’s look at these two verses from the

Quran regarding Istawa; His raising over the Throne.

“Allah is He Who raised the heavens

without any pillars that you can see.
Then, He rose above (Istawa) the Throne
(really in the manner that suits His
Majesty)...” (TMQ Surah Ar-Ra’d 13: 2)

“Surely, your Lord is Allah Who Created

the heavens and the earth in six Days
and then rose over (Istawa) the Throne

1
 (really in the manner that suits His
Majesty), disposing the affair of all
things. No intercessor (can plead with
Him) except after His Leave. That is
Allah, your Lord; so worship Him
(Alone). Then, will you not remember.”
(TMQ1 Surah Yunus 10: 3)

The Muslims must affirm Allah’s attribute of Istawa as

it is or to be taken in absolute sense in order to protect their
true faith. In addition, the Muslims must not give further
interpretation because their knowledge is limited compared
to Allah’s (SWT) boundless knowledge. Thus, they can easily
make mistakes. Hence, it is only Allah (SWT) alone knows
the state of lstawa. As stated by Imam Malik, 'Istawa is
known but its state is unknown.' Besides, Allah (SWT) says in
the Quran regarding His Knowledge of all things:

“And with Him are the Keys of the Ghaib

(all that is hidden), none knows them
but He. And he knows whatever there is
in the land and in the sea; not a leaf
falls, but He knows it. There is not a
grain in the darkness of the earth nor
anything fresh or dry, but is written in a
Clear Record." (TMQ Surah AI-An'am 6:
59)

The next aspect of Tauheed Asma Wa Sifaat is referring

to Allah as He has referred to Himself without giving Him any
new names and new attributes. How the tauheed of a Muslim
may go off track for messing up the characteristics of the
second aspect of Tauheed Asma Wa Sifaat? Allah (SWT) says
in the Quran:

“Allah cursed him. And he [Shaitan

(Satan)] said: “I will take an appointed
portion of your slaves. Verily, I will
1
TMQ - Translation of the Meaning of the Quran.

2
 mislead them, and surely, I will arouse
in them false desires; and certainly, I
will order them to slit the ears of cattle,
and indeed I will order them to change
the nature created by Allah.” And
whoever takes Shaitan (Satan) as a Wali
(protector or helper) instead of Allah,
has surely suffered a manifest loss.”
(TMQ Surah An-Nisa 4: 118-119)

If a Muslim assigned a new name - the One Who Curse -

to Allah based on his understanding of the above mentioned
Surah thus he is against the principle of the second aspect of
Tauheed Asma Wa Sifaat. Someone who violated this aspect
of tauheed is obviously has gone astray.

Although there are many proofs provided to support the

first and the second aspect of Tauheed Asma Wa Sifaat,
there still exist sects who denied and misinterpreted the
attributes of Allah (SWT) like the Jahamiyyah.

The next two aspects of Tauheed Asma Wa Sifaat are

vice versa with each other. There are a lot of examples for
both of these two features of Tauheed Asma Wa Sifaat.
Normally, a Muslim can simply go astray in these two
subjects simply by committing an act of shirk in the form of
humanization and deification.

Let starts with the third aspect first. The Muslims are
not allowed to assign Allah (SWT) the attributes of His
creation. This is because His resemblance is so high that no
creatures can partake of it. This claim is supported by a
verse from the Quran that prohibit human being to consider
anything as similar to Allah (SWT):

"So put not forward similitude for Allah

(as there is nothing similar to Him, nor
He resembles anything). Truly! Allah

3
 knows and you know not." (TMQ Surah
An-Nahl 16:74)

The verse from Quran below can be used to show how

the Muslims have gone astray in aspect number three.

“(Allah) said: O Iblis (Satan)! What

prevents you from prostrating yourself to
one whom I have created with Both My Hand.
Are you too proud (to fall prostrate to
Adam) or are you one of the high
exalted?” (TMQ Surah Sad 38: 75)

If a Muslim interprets that Allah’s hand into different

things or giving resemblance to any of the created things, he
has in fact deviated from the correct belief in Tauheed Asma
Wa Sifaat. Thus, a Muslim must negate the existence of
anything like Him in order to be true to his religion.

The Muslims must abide by this aspect firmly in order to

distinguish their faiths from one of the deviant groups, Al-
Mujassimah. Allah (SWT) says in the Quran that He forbids
people consider anything as resembling Him:

"So put not forward similitude for Allah

(as there is nothing similar to Him, nor
He resembles anything). Truly! Allah
knows and you know not" (TMQ Surah
An-Nahl 16: 74)

Another verse from the Quran that supports the

uniqueness of Allah’s attributes is:

“...Do you know any who is similar to

Him? (of course none is similar or co-
equal or comparable to Him, and He has
none as partner with Him).” (TMQ Surah
Maryam 19: 65)

4
 Next is the fourth aspect which says that the Muslims
are prohibited to assign created beings the names and
attributes of Allah (SWT). All Allah (SWT) names and
attributes are for Him only and the created beings have no
right to claim them as one of theirs. Allah (SWT) is One and
Only and there is absolutely nothing like him. This statement
confirmed by this verse from the Quran:

“And there is none co-equal or

comparable unto Him.” (TMQ Surah Al-
Ikhlas 112: 4)

One classic example taken from the past is about a

bold statement made by Muhiyddin Ibn Arabi in connection
with his master Abu Said al-Kharraz:

“In relation to existence, He (Allah) is

the very essence of existing things.
Thus in a certain sense, relative beings
are elevated in themselves, since in
truth they are none other than He who
bears the name Abu Said al-Kharraz.”

Ibn Arabi obviously awarded his master with the divine

attributes that are supposed for Allah (SWT) only.
Unfortunately, his loyal followers never noticed that they
have violated the fourth aspect, thus they blindly accepting
him as their Greatest Shaykh!

One of the examples to show how Muslims have gone

astray in the fourth aspect is, when Mullah Muhammad Bakir
Madjlisi2 (1627 - 1698 A.D) said that he hoped his works
“may give life to the hearts and spirits of the dead-hearted
people.”

If the Muslims proclaim that their works are able to give

guidance to other, it must possess the same ability that only
Allah (SWT) has absolutely right on it. Hence, they are
2
He was a 12’er

5
clearly deviated from the straight path since they dare to
declare that their works to have such capability. This is
because, as Allah (SWT) says in the Quran:

“....He whom Allah guides, he is the

rightly guided, he whom He sends
astray, for him you will find no Wali
(guiding friend) to lead him (to the right
Path).” (TMQ Surah Al-Kahf 18: 17)

Another verse from the Quran that say only Allah

(SWT) has absolute power to give guidance to His
creations is:

"Verily, you (O Muhammad) guide not

whom you like, but Allah guides whom
He wills. And He knows best those who
are the guided ones."(TMQ Surah 28:
56)

Therefore, to claim that human beings have the same

attribute as Allah (SWT) is a lie. They are not only lying but
at the same time the have committed an act of shirk that
lead them astray.

The fifth and the last aspect of Tauheed Asma Wa

Sifaat is, the Muslims are prohibited using or giving Allah’s
names to His creations in the define form without the
preceded by the prefix “Abd” meaning “slave of” or “servant
of”.

A Muslim who likes to use Allah’s names in the definite

form despite knowing those meanings has no respect to
Allah (SWT). This is because the definite forms represent a
level of perfection which only belongs to Allah (SWT). Thus, if
a Muslim is using any of Allah’s names in the definite form,
he is arrogantly accepting the attributes supposedly belong
to Him. A believer Muslim must be always obedience to Allah

6
(SWT). How easy the Muslims have gone astray by violating
the fifth aspect of Tauheed Asma Wa Sifaat.

One example taken from the time of Prophet

Muhammad (SAW) is a false prophet named Yamamah who
used the name Rahman for himself. His was acted like the
name that he has designated himself. Allah (SWT) says in
Quran:

“And (all) the Most Beautiful Names belong

to Allah, so call on Him by them, and leave
the company of those who belie or deny (or
utter impious speech against) His Names.
They will be requited for what they used to
do.” (TMQ Surah Al-A’raf 7: 180)

In addition, in one of the seerah, Prophet Muhammad

(SAW) asked Abu Shuraih to change his nick name for the
respect of Allah’s names.

It is narrated from Abu Shuraih (RA): His

Kunyah was Abul-Hakam. So the Prophet
Mohammad (SAW) once said to him, “Allah is
Al-Hakim (the Judge); and His Judgement is
to prevail.” Then Abu Shuraih said, “My
people come to me for adjudication of their
disputes; and when I judge between them,
both parties are pleased with my
judgement.” The Prophet Muhammad (SAW)
rejoined, “How excellent is this! Do you have
any children?” I said, “Yes, Shuraih, Muslim
and Abdullah.” The Prophet Muhammad
(SAW) asked, “Who is the eldest?” I said,
“Shuraih.” Then the Prophet Muhammad
(SAW) said, "You are henceforth to be called
Abu Shuraih."

Thus, it clearly shows that the Muslims must comply

totally with the fifth aspect of Tauheed Asma Was Sifaat

7
even though the user does not intend the actual meaning for
him, himself.

In conclusion, to have the right faith in all five aspects

of Tauheed Asma Wa Sifaat is mandatory for the Muslims to
believe that there is none like Allah (SWT). Therefore, they
do not deny any of the attributes with which Allah (SWT) has
described himself and the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) has
qualified Him. They do not change the words from their
(right) places or belie or deny His names or attributes. They
do not discuss the nature of His attributes, or liken His
attributes to the attributes of His creation, because again
there is nothing that can be compared to Him, and He has no
equal or rival.

8
9