English Translation of Seminal Islamic Texts

  25. Proving Fingers for Allah Almighty This is a Prophetic statement. It has not originated from someone other than the Prophet as has been assumed by some ignorant and stubborn people. They held that the ḥadīth of Ibn Masᶜūd [under discussion] is not a Prophetic statement. They take it to be the statement of a Jew. They deny the fact that the Prophet smiled to affirm the statement of the Jew. 108. (1) ᶜAbd Allāh b. Muhammad al-Zuhrī and Ḥusayn b. ᶜAbd al-Raḥmān al-Jarjarāᵓī and Muhammad b. Khallād al-Bāhilī and Muhammad b. Maymūn and Muhammad Ibn Manṣūr al-Makkī → al-Walīd b. Muslim: al-Zahrī → ᶜAbd al-Raḥmān b. Yazīd b. Jābir Muhammad b. Khalād says that he heard from al-Makkī who heard from ᶜAbd al-Raḥmān b. Yazīd b. Jābir Basr b. ᶜUbayd Allāh al-Haḍramī → Abū Idrīs al-Khawlānī → al-Nuwās b. Samᶜān al-Kalābī: The Prophet said: “Allah Almighty holds every heart in two fingers. If He wants, it stays, if He wants, He removes it.” The Prophet used to pray thus:...

24. Allah Holds the Heavens and the Earth what is in between on His Fingers Allah is above [and pure of] that He should have fingers like the fingers of His creatures. He is beyond comparison with anything. His personal attributes cannot be compared to those of the crated things. Allāh has granted the Prophet a status above that he should confirm someone attributing to Allah something unworthy to Him. The Prophet cannot hear such an offence and smile at it, and this way, welcome it by smiling at something he should show anger at and disapproval of. None among the believers in His prophethood can validly hold that the Prophet could commit such a serious offence. 102. (1) a) Abū Mūsā Muhammad b. al-Muthannā → Abū Muᶜāwiyah → al-Aᶜmash → Ibrāhīm → ᶜAlqamah → ᶜAbd Allāh: b) Yūsuf b. Mūsā → Abū Muᶜāwiyah and Jarīr → al-Aᶜmash → Ibrāhīm → ᶜAlqamah → ᶜAbd Allāh: c) Salm b. Junādah → Abū Muᶜāwiyah → al-Aᶜmash → Ibrāhīm → ᶜAlqamah → ᶜAbd Allāh: A person from among the People of the Bo...

22. Twelfth Ḥad ī th Proving Hands for Allah  This narrative too proves that our Lord has hands. It tells us that Allāh will clinch the earth with His hands on the Day of Judgment after He will have turned it into a new one. The earth will then become bread for those dwelling in Paradise. Before Allāh will take it in His hands, it would be composed of earth, stones, pebbles, sand, and clay. 98. (1) Muḥammad b. Yaḥyā → Abū Ṣ ā liḥ → al-Layth → Khālid b. Yazīd → Sa ᶜ īd b. Abī Hilāl → Zayd b. Asalm → ᶜ Atā ᵓ b. Yassār → Abū Sa ᶜ īd al-Khudrī: The Prophet said: “The earth will turn into piece of bread on the Day of Judgment which Allah Almighty will keep safely in His hands as an initial entertainment for those destined to dwell in Paradise just like any among your keeps his bread in his hands while journeying.” A Jew came and said: “O Abū al-Qāsim, Allah bless you! Should I tell you what the Messenger of Allah said?” (The Prophet looked at us) and smiled so that we c...

  21. Allah Glorifies Himself Allah shall glorify Himself when He will hold the earth in one of His hands and will roll the heavens up with His other hand, both hands of Allah, our Lord, are right hands, He has no left hand as it is a characteristic of the created things [to have left hands]. This is the eleventh ḥadīth proving hands for Allah. 95. (1) Al-Ḥasan b. Muḥammad al-Za ᶜ farānī → ᶜ Affān b. Muslim → Ḥammād b. Salamah → Isḥāq b. ᶜAbd Allāh (Ibn Abī Ṭalḥah) → ᶜ Ubayd b. Miqsam → Ibn ᶜ Umar: One day the Prophet recited these verses on the pulpit: “They have not justly perceived the Might of Allāh such as is due to Him. On the Day of Judgment, the whole of the earth will be but His handful, and the heavens will be rolled up in His right hand, Glory to Him! High is He above the Partners they attribute to Him!” (Q: 39:67). The Prophet said—while he moved his fingers—that Allāh sings His greatness saying: “I am the Irresistible, the Supreme, the Sovereign, th...

19. Ninth Ḥadīth Proving Hands for Allāh This ḥadīth deals with the prophetic saying that Allāh sowed the honors bestowed upon the habitants of Paradise with His hand and then stamped it. 91. (1) Muḥammad b. Maymūn al-Makkī: Sufyān said: “it was reported to me by a person your eyes have never seen one like him.” Another time he (Sufyān) reported it again to us naming his source person as Abrār: We asked, “who is that?” He (Sufyān) said, “ ᶜ Abd al-Malik b. Sa ᶜ īd b. Abjar and Maṭraf b. Ṭarīf from al-Sha ᶜ bī who said that he heard al-Mughīrah b. Shu ᶜ bah from his podium saying that the Prophet said: Moses addressed his Lord and said to Him: “O my Lord! Tell me who among the people of Paradise is of the lowest status.” Allah said: “He is the person who shall enter after all the inhabitants of Paradise will have settled in it. He will be ordered to enter. He will reply: “How can I enter when every deserving person has dwelled it and all such have taken their places and possessed...

It has been explained and clarified that our Creator has two hands both of which are right hands. He has no left hand. Left had is characteristic of His creatures. Therefore, our Lord is beyond that He should have a left hand. This we can prove from the words of Allah Almighty Himself. He says: “(Allāh’s) hand is extended (i.e. generous).” (Q 5:64) The words yadāhu means two hands. It does not mean the two bounties as claimed by the Jahmīs Mu ᶜ Aṭṭilah. 89. (1) Muh ̣ammad b. Ba sh shār , Abū Mūsā Muhammad b. al-Mathannā, Muhammad b. Yaḥyā and Yaḥy ā b. al-Ḥak ī m → Ṣafwān b. ᶜ Ī s ā → al-Ḥārith b. ᶜ Abd al-Rahmān b. Abī Dhubāb → Sa ᶜ īd b. Abī Sa ᶜ īd al-Muqbirī → Abū Hurayrah → the Prophet: When Allāh created Adam, and breathed into him His Spirit ( rūḥ ), he (Adam) sneezed and said, “ alḥamdu lillāhi ” (all thanks are due to Allāh). So he thanked his Lord with His permission. The Lord said to him: “Allāh has shown His mercy to you, O Adam.” Then He said to Ad...