Imam Abu Ja’far at-Tahaawi states in points no. 5-12:
5.
He (Allah) is Qadeem (ancient) with no beginning and will always exist with no ending.
The Explanation:
Al-Qadeem is not one of the Names of Allah, Most High. The reason for using this word is to convey the meaning that nothing preceded Allah and that He exists always without an ending. And this is the meaning of the words of Allah, Most High;
He is Al-Awwal - The First (nothing is before Him) and Al- Aakhir - The Last (nothing is after Him) [57:3].
So Al-Awwal (the First) means that there was nothing before him and Al-Aakhir (the Last) means that there is nothing that comes after Him. And indeed, this was explained by the Prophet. Sallallahu’alayhi wa sallam.
6.
He does not perish nor become extinct:
The Explanation:
As Allah, Most High says;
Whatsoever is on it (the earth) will perish. And the Face of your Lord full of Majesty and Honor will abide forever. [55:26,27]
and the Words of the Most High;
Everything will perish save His Face. [28:88]
For Indeed, Allah causes His creation to perish but He does not perish and He causes the extinction of His creatures but He does not become extinct. This, of course, is because He is Al-Aakhir (The Last), existing after everything, Glorified and Exalted.
7.
And nothing happens except by His will:
The Explanation:
For Allah, Most High has the power to do as He pleases. As He says;
…but Allah does what He likes. [2:253]
So if Allah desired an affair, He causes it to happen in spite of the desire of all of creation and if He does not desire an affair, all of creation together would not have the ability to cause it to happen. And this is known as the Universal Will and none can repel this will. For everything, good or evil that occurs in this universe happens only because of His will and His will is not overpowered. So whatever Allah wills, happens and what He does not will, does not happen and the evidences to support this are numerous.
8.
Neither the imagination nor the intellect can grasp Him:
The Explanation:
Indeed, nothing from Allah’s creation can comprehend His Knowledge, like what He, Most High says;
He (Allah) knows what happens to them (His creatures) in this world, and what will happen to them (in the Hereafter), and they will never compass anything of His Knowledge. [20:110]
So neither imagination, contemplation, nor visualization can reach Him and no one from His creatures knows the true nature of His Essence.
9.
Mankind does not resemble Him:
The Explanation:
The meaning of which is that He does not resemble anything or anyone from His creation, not in His Essence, nor in His Names, nor in His descriptions, nor His Actions. There is nothing at all similar to Him, Glorified and Exalted.
10.
He is Ever-Living and He does not die, He is Self-Subsisting and does not sleep
The Explanation:
And He, Glorified and Exalted, is the Ever-Living and He does not die. As He says;
And put your trust in the Ever Living One Who dies not [25:58]
and His statement;
Whatsoever is on it (the earth) will perish. And the Face of your Lord full of Majesty and Honor will abide forever. [55:26, 27]
and He says;
Everything will perish save His Face. [28:88]
For Allah, Most High is not overtaken by death and He is Self-Subsisting upon whom everything depends for sustenance. Neither slumber nor sleep overtakes Him. He is over all of the affairs of His Dominion, Glorified and Exalted. This is the refutation of those who liken Allah, Most High to His creation.
11.
He is the Creator without needs and the Sustainer without needing to be sustained: The Explanation:
Indeed Allah did not create the creation to fulfill a need nor because of a desire to be sought from them. He only created the creation for His worship as He says;
And I (Allah) created not the jinns and humans except they should worship Me (Alone). [51:56]
He, Glorified and Exalted provides sustenance to all of His creation – mankind, Jinn, birds, wild animals, etc. He (Allah) sustains the believer and the disbeliever and He gives every one of them that which they ask of Him, and this does not diminish his dominion in anything. To Him belong the keys to the Heavens and the Earth.
12.
The Giver of death without dread and the Reviver without effort:
The Explanation:
He, Glorified and Exalted takes the souls of His creatures without dread. As Allah has said;
It is Allah Who takes away the souls at the time of their death [39:42]
and His statement;
there is none to put back His Judgment and He is Swift at reckoning. [13:41] and; He cannot be questioned as to what He does, while they will be questioned. [21:23]
And He raises the dead on the Day of Rising;
The disbelievers pretend that they will never be resurrected (for the Account). Say: "Yes! By my Lord, you will certainly be resurrected, then you will be informed of (and recompensed for) what you did, and that is easy for Allah. [64:7]
and His statement;
Our Lord! Verily, it is You Who will gather mankind together on the Day about which there is no doubt. Verily, Allah never breaks His Promise". [3:9]
For Indeed, Allah will raise mankind on the Day of Judgment after their deaths and there is no difficulty upon Him in this. For He is the One who revives the earth after its death with water and brings about the fresh sprouting greenery as He is capable of giving life to that which is dead.
Similarly, We shall raise up the dead, so that you may remember or take heed. [7:57]
And He Who created His creatures the first time is capable of giving life to them again and this is easy for Him, Glorified and Exalted.
Synopsis:
Indeed, Allah, Most High is The First and The Last, The Ever-Living who never dies, Capable of doing whatever He pleases, nothing can encompass His Knowledge, He does not take slumber nor sleep, He does not ask of anyone to do as He pleases yet all must ask of Him.
Discussion:
1. Is Al-Qadeem one of the Names of Allah?
2. What is the meaning of the statement: Nothing happens except by His will?
3. Do the Mushrikeen exist by Allah’s will?
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