God (Allah)

Allah (الله‎, romanized: Allāh) is the Arabic word for God in Abrahamic religions. In the English language, the word generally refers to God in Islam.

124940

Body . God (Allah) . Salah (Prayers)

Is it halal to have a sort of mental image of Allah while praying, not an actual imagination of a body but rather just some sort of sense to have orientation what I am praying towards?

Amina Inloes, Amina Inloes is originally from the US and has a PhD in Islamic Studies from the University of Exeter on Shi'a hadith. She is the program leader for the MA Islamic Studies program at the... Answer updated 3 days ago

The images that go through one's imagination are not usually in the domain of halal or haram because they are not entirely under the control of the human being - sometimes the imagination makes up its own images spontaneously, sometimes we try to imagine something, and something an external source can put something in the imagination. Halal and haram are usually confined to physical actions.

It is natural to have some impression of what Allah might be, whether that be a mental image, a feeling, or an impression via the inner senses.

The Qur'an also gives us metaphors for how to understand Allah, such as in the phrases "the hand of Allah is above their hands" or "Allah is the light of the heavens and the earth", which might trigger visual imagery, although we understand that Allah does not really have a hand and is not a light bulb, and these are just ideas to help us understand better.

The important thing is to remember that the senses cannot confine Allah and Allah cannot be seen:

* "No vision can grasp Allah, but Allah's grasp is over all visions" (Qur'an 6:103)
* "He [Allah] is too exalted for sight to be able to perceive Him, for imagination to be able to fathom Him, and for the intellect to be able to grasp Him." (related from Imam Rida (A))

So any ideas or images we have about the nature of Allah are just personal impressions, which may change over time, and are not encompassing the Reality.

Beyond that, we are advised to ponder on the attributes of Allah but not to try to imagine the essence of Allah.

Some people might also perceive higher spiritual realities and take them as an image of Allah. However, insofar as narrations remind us that Allah is veiled by veils of light, and that Allah cannot be encompassed by the senses, it is also important to acknowledge that these are just created things and are not actually Allah.

I am reminded of an exercise which some young people were doing in school in the UK where they were asked to draw God and some of the Muslim students drew Allah as a giant cloud. Most people who believe in a force of divinity have some mental model of it.

125741

Parents . Death . God (Allah) . Forgiveness . Divine Guidance . Paradise . Salah (Prayers)

My parents are Muslim but they don't pray. Is it permissible for me to ask Allah (swt) to forgive my parents, and to guide and grant them Jannah? And can I keep praying for a Muslim even after his death?

Sayyed Mohammad Al-Musawi, Sayyed Mohammad al-Musawi is originally from Iraq and heads up the World Ahlul Bayt Islamic League in London. Other than being involved in various humanitarian projects, he frequently responds to... Answered 2 weeks ago

Yes it is very good to pray for the guidance and forgiveness of your parents.

It is also allowed to pray for deceased Muslim for forgiveness and mercy from Allah (SWT).

Wassalam.

124889

God (Allah)

In what sense is Allah (swt) Omnipresent?

Allah's Knowledge and Power is every where and He is with us wherever we may be. Allah says in Quran: (And He is with you wherever you may be).(Sura 57, verse 4).

Wassalam.

125011

Muslims . Earth . Universe . God (Allah)

How do we respond to non-Muslims who ask us how could Allah say that He has made this earth and universe in 6 days when the concept of days is linked to the earth itself?

Our concept of day and night with us human beings, is not necessarily the same concept of day with Allah who Created every thing including the time before creating the earth and sky. Time was created before earth and sky and that time had got its day which is different from our day.

'Wassalam.

124291

Woman . Menstruation . God (Allah)

Can you please give any examples of how a woman can get close to Allah (SWT) while on her menstruation cycle?

Her sincere heart and humble feelings towards her Creator, Allah are the same whether she is in menstruation or not. Apart from Salah and Tawaf, she can:

- Recite Quran except verses of obligatory verses,

- Recite supplications and

- Munajaat,

- Thikr (Zikr) of Allah e.g Salawaat, Istighfaar, Tasbeeh, Alhamdulillah, Subhanallah etc.

- Learning and teaching useful knowledge which is from the best worship of Allah.

-Helping others.

Wassalam.

124124

Body . God (Allah)

Can we ask Allah (swt) to change our appearance or body such as asking Him to make a person taller?

You can pray to Allah (SWT) to make you look nice in the eyes of people.

Looking nice can be from your praying on time and performing Night Prayer (Salat Al-Layl) and doing other good deeds.

Wassalam.

124336

Ramadan . Parents . God (Allah) . Sawm (Fasting)

I am 13 and I promised to Allah that I will fast for 20 days in the month of Ramadan but my parents are not allowing me as they think I am too thin. What should I do?

If you are Baaligh, you must then fast the whole month of Ramadan and not only twenty days. Your parents have no right to stop you from obligatory fast.

If you are still not Baaligh, then you should listen to your parents.

Wassalam.

123336

Sunni-Shi'a . God (Allah) . Irfan

What is the view of Shia school of thought on the idea of annihilating into Allah (swt)? Is it a true belief or an innovation?

Zoheir Ali Esmail, Shaykh Zoheir Ali Esmail has a Bsc in Accounting and Finance from the LSE in London, and an MA in Islamic Studies from Middlesex University. He studied Arabic at Damascus University and holds a PhD... Answered 1 month ago

Bismillah

Thank you for your question. Annihilating in God's Essence is impossible to conceive of as the human, who is essentially a limited being would have to become unlimited. This is a contradiction as something cannot be limited and unlimited at the same time. Rather, what is meant by the term annihilation is the annihilation of the ego such that all that a person witnesses within their being are the signs of God. Those signs, which manifest divine perfections, seem unlimited to us as their limitations are beyond our perception. At this stage, a person only sees God through the mirror of their soul. This view is compatible with Shii scriptural sources such as this part of the munajat of Shaban:

"My Lord, (please) grant me absolute devotion to You and illuminate the vision of our hearts by the light of their gaze looking towards You. Until the vision of our hearts pierces the curtains of light to reach the core of supremacy and that our souls become suspended by the majesty of Your Holiness."

May you always be successful

123660

Transgressors . God (Allah) . Obedience . Dunya . Meaning

Does Allah intentionally will certain people to be transgressors since He says some people will disobey Him as the world will come to an end? Does that mean He wants them to disobey Him?

Allah never wants any one to do wrong, on the contrary, He showed every one the right way and the wrong way and ordered and encouraged to do good and avoid bad. Allah granted human beings the intellect and the option to do whatever they decide to do and He never forced any one to do good or bad.

Wrong doers do wrong out of their own option and decision. Allah never wants wrong. He orders us to do good and He helps every one who to do good.

Wassalam.

122714

God (Allah) . Faith (Iman) . Imam Ali

Imam Ali (a) said about Allah’s existence that he did not see Him with his eyes but with the realities of faith. What is meant by that and how can we see Allah in such a manner?

1. Imam Ali (AS) has the maximum and highest level of intellect after the Prophet Muhammad (SAWA), that is why his faith in Allah is the maximum after the Prophet (SAWA). The Hadeeth stated that the Prophet Muhammad (SAWA) told Ali (AS): O Ali, no one Knew Allah (properly) but myself and you.
2. Seeing Allah by eyes is impossible because He is above all senses and He can never be confined or limited to any sense. Allah is The Creator of all senses and whatever can be sensed and whatever can not be sensed.
3. Proper Intellect leads us to the fact that lot of things in the existence are comprehended and known by intellect and reason not by materialistic senses.
4. Realities of Faith in Allah (SWT) are in each and every thing in this universe, but many people don't see it because of their indulging in darkness of sins which disable their intellectual abilities. When the heart is clean from sins, mind is transparent and more able to see the realities which are behind the outer senses. These realities lead the human being to the absolute Truth of Allah.

5. Realities of faith are for every believer according to his degree in the purity of heart and proper thinking. More purity in heart leads to more proper thinking which in turn leads to discovering more realities of faith.

6. The Faith in Allah is the faith in the greatest Truth in the universe. Proper intellect can never deviate from clear facts, what about the greatest Fact. Faith in Allah increases by proper thinking which leads to comprehending more realities of faith.

Wassalam.

God (Allah) . Faith (Iman) . Imam Ali

Imam Ali (a) said about Allah’s existence that he did not see Him with his eyes but with the realities of faith. What is meant by that and how can we see Allah in such a manner?

Bismillah

Thank you for your question. What is being referred to in this hadith is perhaps along these lines: Physical beings are senses with the physical senses and since Allah is not confined to matter and doesn't have a material form He cannot be seen with the physical eyes. But the human is endowed with senses that are capable of comprehending the metaphysical. In order to make use of them a person cannot be in doubt of their existence. The realities of faith are sensed with these senses and this is the field of religious experience. God is seen through the veil of His Perfections deep within the being of a human.

May you always be successful

123260

Ring . Cat . God (Allah)

Is it allowed for my ring with 'Allah' engraved on it to be in contact with a cat?

It is not allowed to touch the name of Allah as well as Quranic verse or part of it with out Wudhu. Names of the Infallibles are also included according to precaution.

Cat is not Najis but we must keep the due respect of the name of Allah in every possible way and in every situation.

Wassalam.