Wednesday, January 13, 2016

Allah: there is nothing comparable to Him‏

The Quran introduces us to the attributes of Allah, but does not describe the form of Allah, and that is where we must stop if we are believers.  As per Quran 112:4 there is nothing like Allah, thus a believer in the Quran should not try to imagine or state what Allah is.   

Quran 31:30 describes Allah as Al-Haq.

ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الْحَقُّ وَأَنَّ مَا يَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِهِ الْبَاطِلُ وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الْعَلِيُّ الْكَبِيرُ 

Al-Haq is among the many names or attributes of God. Though generally translated as The Truth, the word al-Haq encompasses a range of meanings, and as contrasted to baatil [falsehood], the primary signification the word ‘haq’ is  suitableness to the requirements of  wisdom, justice, right, or rightness, truth, reality, or fact. The state, or quality, or property, of being just, proper, right, correct, proper. Lane’s Lexicon covers around six pages: http://www.tyndalearchive.com/tabs/lane/  
Al-Haq is merely one of the aspects of Allah (God) who is much more than any word or concept that we can imagine or relate to. This link has a list of names/attributes mentioned in the Quran: http://www.whyislam.org/god/names-and-attributes-of-allah/  

Quran 17:85 informs us that: 

وَيَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ الرُّوحِ قُلِ الرُّوحُ مِنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّي وَمَا أُوتِيتُم مِّنَ الْعِلْمِ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا

We are informed by verse 17:85 that the Ar-Ruh, generally translated as Spirit,  is the Command of God, and of it we have been given very little knowledge. Thus, it would be erroneous to think that God is Spirit. With reference to what was breathed in Mary, please see: http://signsandscience.blogspot.com/2015/10/virgin-birth.html 

Quran 24:35 informs us that: 

اللَّهُ نُورُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ مَثَلُ نُورِهِ كَمِشْكَاةٍ فِيهَا مِصْبَاحٌ الْمِصْبَاحُ فِي زُجَاجَةٍ الزُّجَاجَةُ كَأَنَّهَا كَوْكَبٌ دُرِّيٌّ يُوقَدُ مِن شَجَرَةٍ مُّبَارَكَةٍ زَيْتُونَةٍ لَّا شَرْقِيَّةٍ وَلَا غَرْبِيَّةٍ يَكَادُ زَيْتُهَا يُضِيءُ وَلَوْ لَمْ تَمْسَسْهُ نَارٌ نُّورٌ عَلَىٰ نُورٍ يَهْدِي اللَّهُ لِنُورِهِ مَن يَشَاءُ وَيَضْرِبُ اللَّهُ الْأَمْثَالَ لِلنَّاسِ وَاللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ

The verse uses the term Nur to describe the presence of Allah in Samawaat (Heavens/Skies) and Earth. The verse itself says that Allah is using examples here for humans. Hence, the following are some of the terms as I understand them: 
Nur: light or something with similar properties 
Glass: Nur is enclosed in Glass, an amorphous substance which we are very familiar with on Earth, having the properties of transmitting, reflecting and refracting light 
Kawkab: the glass is likened to a Kawkab. The term ‘كَوْكَبٌ’  used in the Quran seems to refer to objects which do not produce light, but shine due to the light of another source. I think they are solid objects made from sand/soil/clay, and have rocky features. Planets, asteroids, meteoroids and comets, all fit in this description.  [http://signsandscience.blogspot.com/2014/08/kawakib-planets-comets-and-other-rocky.html]  
The verse goes on to give an example of the external source of the Nur as an olive, a blessed tree, whose oil almost glows forth even if not touched by fire, hence a radiant, continuous source of Nur in the As-Samawaat and Al-Ard. 
I understand the terms  لَّا شَرْقِيَّةٍ وَلَا غَرْبِيَّةٍ as 'not of the two origins and not of the two endings' that is the source of Nur is external to the first(this) and second(Hereafter) creation of السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ. I've discussed the reasons in some detail at: http://signsandscience.blogspot.com/2014/08/guarding-sky.html    
Allah can use examples as Allah knows everything. 
However, we should not use examples as we do not know, as Quran  16:74 warns us: 

فَلَا تَضْرِبُوا لِلَّهِ الْأَمْثَالَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ وَأَنتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ  

Multiple translations of the verses are available at: http://www.islamawakened.com/index.php/qur-an 

May Allah guide us to His Nur, increase us in guidance, be well-pleased with us when we meet Him, and perfect our nur for us.  
  

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