Educate Yourself: Islam 1.1 “Introduction
to Islam, God and the Pre- Decree” (Redstone Academy)

Islam: Muslims believe that Islam is the Religion revealed by God (Allaah) to mankind. It was first revealed to the Prophet Adam (peace be upon him), and then to every Prophet after him finishing with the final Prophet, Muhammad (peace be upon him) who was born in Makkah over 1400 years ago. The definition of Islaam is:

“To submit to Allah by worshipping Him alone; and
to surrender to Him in obedience; and to keep away
from idolatry and idolaters.”

Muslims believe that the one who does this sincerely will truly be at peace with himself and his life. Muslims believe
that Islaam is the Religion ordained by Allah for
mankind.


Tawheed: This is the key foundation upon which
Islam is built. It is the basis of the Islamic faith.
It means: 1. That Allah alone is worshipped to
the exclusion of all other gods, idols, celestial
bodies and beings.
2. He is the sole Lord,
Creator, Controller and Sustainer of all of
creation.
3. He has beautiful Names and lofty
Attributes that are unique to Him, and His
creation does not resemble Him.

"Religion with Allah is Islaam.” Qur’aan 3:19
“O you who believe, obey Allah and the Messenger.” Qur’aan 4:59
“Who can be better in Religion than the one who submits his whole self to Allah.” Qur’aan 4:125

When one wishes to become a Muslim, he is
required to say: “I testify that there is no deity
worthy of worship except Allah, and I testify that
Muhammad is His servant and Messenger.”
Muhammad (peace be upon him) is revered and
followed by Muslims, but never worshipped. In the
life of a Muslim, Allaah must always come first.
Allah stated in the Qur’aan, “I did not create the Jinn and mankind except to worship Me alone.”

“Say: He is Allah, the One and Only! Allaah, the
Eternal absolute! He is the father of none, and
none is His father. And there is none like unto
Him” Qur’aan 112

““Allah. There is no god but He, the Everliving,
Self-subsisting, Eternal. No slumber can seize
Him, nor sleep. His are all things in the Heavens
and on earth.” Qur’aan 2:225

If they worship Him and obey Him, He will enter them into Paradise and save them from the punishment of Hell. Muslims have a duty to accept whatever happens as the Will of Allah.
This means that however bad something appears,
Muslims believe that:
1. Allah has always known about it because He is the All- Knowing,
2. That He wrote everything that is to occur till the Day of Judgement,
3. That He Wills everything that takes place,
4. That He creates everything, good and evil. So He allowed it to happen for a good reason and for a wisdom, even if people do not comprehend that
wisdom.

This shows that Muslims are required to rely upon Allah and hold that He alone is ultimately in control of what happens. This is why Muslims add the words “inshā’Allāh” (If Allah wills) when they promise to do something because they realise that they will only be able to fulfil their intentions if Allaah wills it. However, Muslims also affirm that Allah has given people a freewill to choose between right and wrong and He allows us to choose how to behave. These verses show that people have free will, but only as Allah
ultimately Wills. So people are free to worship
Allaah if they wish to do so [as they have been
commanded in the Qur’an], and they are free to
commit sins if they wish to do so [though they have been forbidden to so in the Qur’an].

There was a sect that arose in the early centuries of Islam known as the “Compulsionists” (Jabriyyah) who claimed that humans have no freewill of their own, but they are compelled by God to do evil and good. Ahlus-
Sunnah argue that this opposes the Quran and Hadeeth, and it opposes justice. Why would God punish in Hell someone who He has compelled to commit sins? So people have the free will to choose between right and wrong.
“For whoever from you wills to walk upon the
straight path, and you will not will unless it be
that God wills.” Qur’aan 81:28-29
“No disaster strikes except with God’s
permission.” Qur’aan 64:11

There was another early sect known as the
"Qadariyyah”, who denied the pre-Decree of Allah. They believed that Allah had no will or control over the actions of humans, and they do as they choose without any ordainment or decree from Allah. Ahlus-Sunnah argued that this opposed the clearly established Quranic verses that affirm God’s will over the creation and that nothing takes place in the Heavens and the Earth except by His Will.

So Ahlus-Sunnah are between the Jabriyyah who
claim humans have no freewill at all – and
between the Qadariyyah who claim that there is
no Pre-Decree at all. Ahlus-Sunnah believe that Allah has given humans freewill to choose between right and wrong (and they are judged in accordance to their deeds), and that Allah knew what they would do, He wrote it, willed it and created them and their actions.

Allah: Is the Islamic/Arabic term for Almighty
God, the only God worthy of worship.

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Educate Yourself: Islam 1.2
“Allah, the Lord of Creation, the Unique” (Redstone Academy)

1.2 Allah, The Lord Of Creation, The Unique Islam teaches that Allah is The Unique, The Single, the sole One deserving of worship. There is nothing like Him. Images of Allaah cannot be drawn, and He is not compared to His creation. For this reason, unlike some
Christian and Hindu books and homes, you do not find images or pictures of Allaah. Mosques never contain images of Allaah, as Allaah cannot be envisioned.

Some Mosques are decorated with Arabic script instead, and even Quranic verses. The Orthodox Muslim Scholars such as Ibn ‘Uthaimīn, Ibn Bāz and Al-Albānī have mentioned the forbiddance of decorating
Mosques with the Quran in this manner since it was never done by the Prophet or his disciples. The purpose of the Qur’an was never for decoration, but rather for reciting, reflecting, understanding and acting upon.


A. No vision can encompass Him, but His Grasp is over all vision.

Humans only know about Allah and what He has conveyed to them by way of the Quran and Sunnah. They can only describe Him with those Names and Attributes that He has described Himself with or with what the Messenger (peace be upon him) has described Him. Names and attributes cannot be ascribed to Him based upon the opinions or intellects of humans.

Allah said: “The devil commands you with lewd acts,
sins, and to speak about Allah without knowledge .” He also said: “Do not pursue of that which you have no knowledge.” So to speak about Allah’s Names, Attributes and Actions without reference to the Quran and Sunnah is strictly forbidden. Names cannot be invented for Allah, such “The Father”. This name is not found in the Qur’an or Sunnah, so it cannot be ascribed to Allah.

Allah is greater than anything we can possibly imagine. Muslims repeat the words “Allahu Akbar” (Allah is the Greatest) many times a day so as to remind themselves of His Greatness and Ability over everything in existence. Allah Himself, in His Essence (Dhāt ), is the Most High (Al-`Aliyy ), over His Creation and above the Seven Heavens, distinct and separate from what He has created. The early Muslims did not believe that Allah Himself resides within the creation. Salafis regard as a heresy to believe that Allah is inside of creation, inside the animals, graves, trees and humans. He is, however, with His creation in the sense that He watches over them, protects them, nurtures them, hears them and is fully acquainted with whatever they do. So He is above them Himself, but He is with them in His sight, hearing, protection and knowledge; and He is fully in control of the Universe. Once a maid servant was brought to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), so he asked her, “Where is Allah?” She responded, “Above the skies.” He asked, "Who am I?” She responded, “You are Allah’s Messenger.” So he said to her master, “Free her, for indeed she is a believer.” (Reported by Muslim).


Allah stated:
“Such is Allah, your Lord, none has the right to be worshipped but He, the Creator of all things. So worship Him alone, and He is the Guardian over all things. No vision can encompass Him, but His Grasp is over all vision. He is the Most Subtle and Courteous, Well- Acquainted with all things.” Qur’aan 6:102-103.

On the Day of Judgement the believers will see their Lord, as a reward from Him, as Allaah has stated:
“On that Day some faces will be radiant, looking at their Lord.” Qur’aan 75: 22-23.

B. The Names Of Allaah
According to the authentic Sunnah, Allah has more than ninety-nine Names. Some people have incorrectly thought that His Names are limited to 99. When one analyses the Qur’an and Sunnah, it can be easily concluded that there are more than 99 Names.

However, there is a Prophetic Hadeeth states that whoever memorises 99 Names amongst the Names
of Allaah and understands them and acts in accordance to them, then Allaah will enter him/ her into Paradise.

All of Allah’s Names are beautiful:
“To Allah belong the most beautiful Names, so call upon Him by them.” Qur’aan 7:180.


Allah is called upon to fulfil one’s needs, to worship Him, to glorify Him and to show gratitude. From the names of Allah there is: Ar-Rahmān (The MostMerciful), Al-Baseer (The All-Seeing), Al-Hakeem (The All-Wise), Ar-Razzāq (The Provider of Sustenance), Al-Qawwiyy (The
All Powerful), Ar-Raheem (The Bestower of Mercy), Al-Jawād (The Most Generous), Al-`Aleem (The All Knowing), Ash-Shāfī (The Healer) and many more.

Each Name of Allah actually means what it signifies and it carries the meaning of an attribute for Him. For example, Allah’s name, the "Most Merciful” actually means He is the Most Merciful, and He has the Attribute of Mercy and that mercy is showered upon His creation.
The Muslim uses these names to seek his needs
from Allah. So a sick person would say, “O Healer, you are the one who heals, so heal me.”
The one in need of mercy, “O Most Merciful, have mercy upon me, O Provider of sustenance, feed me and my family,” and so on.

C. Allah is the Most Merciful (Ar-Rahmān), The Most Compassionate (Ar-Raheem)

The Muslim worships Allaah five times a day in “Salah” (daily prayers) which involves standing, reciting, bowing and prostrating. This prayer involves the utterance of “Bismillāhir Rahmānir Raheem” which means: “I begin with the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Compassionate.” The praying Muslim utters these words at least 17 times a day.

These words remind the Muslims that Allah is merciful towards them and wants for them good, and bestows upon them bounties they cannot enumerate. He knows what hardships they are going through and He knows their needs, and He forgives those who have sinned who turn to him in repentance. Muslims begin all their actions by saying “bismillāh” , meaning: “I begin in the Name of Allah” . It is a reminder that there is no movement or power except by the Will of Allah, and that they are serving Him and carrying out His commands.


Summary:
You should now understand the Islamic belief with respect to the Self (Dhā t) of Allah: that Allah is high above His creation, He has Names and Attributes that have real meanings that have an effect upon the creation and upon the attitudes of the Muslims.

“They made not a just estimate of
Allah such as is due to Him. And on
the Day of Resurrection the whole of
the earth will be grasped by His Hand
and the heavens will be rolled up in
His Right Hand. Glorified is He, and
High is He above all that they
associate as partners with Him!”
Qur’an Az-Zumar: 67.

So Allah cannot be encompassed by the intellects of humans. People only know about Allah that which He has revealed in the Revelation.


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