Refresher & Advanced · Aqeedah Refresher

Divine Attributes and Human Responsibility in Islam

Explore beliefs about Allah's attributes, divine decree, and human accountability.

5 questions · Hard · about 4 minutes

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1. What is the way of Ahl as-Sunnah regarding Allah’s attributes?

  • Affirm the attributes and their meanings, while leaving knowledge of how they are to Allah. (correct answer)
  • Deny the attributes because their nature is unknown.
  • Explain exactly how the attributes function.
  • Treat all attributes as metaphorical.

Why

Ahl as-Sunnah affirm the attributes Allah affirmed for Himself and that His Messenger ﷺ affirmed for Him. They believe in the meanings indicated by the words, but they do not discuss or claim knowledge of how those attributes are. The correct approach is not to deny the meanings and not to liken Allah to creation. Rather, the meanings are affirmed in a manner befitting Allah, while the reality and nature of the attributes are left to Him because there is nothing like unto Him.

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2. What is the belief of Ahl as-Sunnah regarding Allah’s Throne?

  • The Throne is created and is the greatest of created things. (correct answer)
  • The Throne is eternal alongside Allah.
  • The Throne is part of Allah Himself.
  • The Throne created Allah’s other creations.

Why

The Throne is part of Allah’s creation. It did not exist, then Allah created it, and it is the greatest of created things. Allah alone is eternal with no beginning, and He is the Creator of everything besides Himself. The source rejects the false claim that Ahl as-Sunnah believe the Throne is eternal with Allah, and it also affirms that Allah is above His Throne in a manner befitting His Majesty and distinct from His creation.

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3. What is the belief of Ahl as-Sunnah regarding a believer who commits major sins less than kufr or shirk?

  • His ultimate destination is Paradise, though Allah may punish him or forgive him first. (correct answer)
  • He will remain in Hell forever.
  • He automatically becomes a disbeliever for every major sin.
  • He is guaranteed forgiveness without any possibility of punishment.

Why

A believer who sincerely says Laa ilaaha ill-Allah and dies upon Tawheed may commit major sins, but sins less than kufr do not make his final destination Hell forever. His matter is with Allah: if Allah wills, He may punish him before Paradise, and if He wills, He may forgive him. The hypocrite or person whose belief nullifies Tawheed did not truly say the Shahaadah sincerely from the heart, even if he uttered it outwardly.

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4. What is the meaning of al-qadar in Islamic belief?

  • Allah decreed all things from eternity, knows when and how they happen, wrote them, willed them, and created them. (correct answer)
  • Al-qadar was invented by al-Jahm ibn Safwan.
  • Humans are forced and have no real choice.
  • Only marriage and death are decreed.

Why

Al-qadar means that Allah decreed all things from eternity, knew when and how they would happen, wrote them, willed them, and they occur according to His decree. Belief in al-qadar is based on four matters: Allah’s knowledge, His writing of all things in al-Lawh al-Mahfuz, His will, and His creation of all things. Ahl as-Sunnah also affirm that people have real will and choice, while their will remains subject to Allah’s will. Therefore a person must follow Shari‘ah, take the means, make istikharah in important matters, and not use qadar as an excuse to ignore commands.

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5. Why is Allah referred to with masculine pronouns in Arabic?

  • Because Arabic grammar uses masculine and feminine forms even for things without real biological gender. (correct answer)
  • Because Allah is male in the created sense.
  • Because Allah’s attributes are masculine.
  • Because Arabic has no feminine pronouns.

Why

Arabic, like many languages, assigns grammatical gender to nouns, including things that have no biological sex. Masculine wording is the basic form in Arabic and is used in the revelation when referring to Allah. This does not mean Allah is male or female in any created sense. Allah is the Creator of male and female, and He is exalted above having a spouse, child, rival, or peer. The use of “He” is a matter of language and revelation, not a description of Allah with created gender.

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A note on these answers

These questions are for learning and self-testing. Explanations are drawn from the sources linked on each question and are not a fatwa. For a ruling on your own circumstances, please consult a qualified scholar.

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