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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Al-Ilahiyyat Volume 1 Chapter 6: Descriptive Attributes Some logicians have classified the attributes of the most Praised One into entitative and descriptive. The first implies His well known descriptions: knowledge, power, life, etc. The second indicates what obvious verses and traditions have confirmed, such as loftiness, countenance, hands, etc.

The logicians’ theory has differed in explaining this part of attributes: Confirming with “How” and “Like” There are those who claim that Allah, the most Praised One, has physical things such as two eyes and hands similarly to what humans have. Al-Shahristani says, “As for the anthropomorphists (those who attribute human characteristics to nonhuman objects), who are Hashwis (those who prattle about things which they themselves do not understand, i.e.

sophistries), these have permitted the concept that their Lord is touched and is hand-shaken, that sincere Muslims embrace Him, Praise belongs to Him, in the life of this world and in the hereafter if they reach a degree of self-discipline and struggle to the extent of sincerity.”[^1] Since likening and personifying the Almighty is false according to reason and reliable texts, we do not want to waste our time discussing this theory.

Confirming without “How” and “Like” The Ashari mentor and those who follow him apply these characteristics to Allah, Glory to Him, in the meaning with which we all are familiar. But in order to run away from likening Him to humans, they say “without like”, “without how”. In his book titled Al-Ibana, al-Ashari says, “Allah, Glory to Him, has a face without a likeness as He has said, ‘But the Face of your Lord shall abide (forever) full of majesty, bounty and honor” (Qur’an, 55:27).

He has hands without a likeness as He has said, ‘… one whom I have created with My hands’ (Qur’an, 38:75).” [^2] This theory is not exclusively advocated by al-Ashari.

Abu Hanifah is quoted as having said, “References in the Holy Quran to Allah Almighty having a face, a hand, a self, are His characteristics without a likeness.” Ibn Kathir has said, “We follow the path of the righteous ancestors which is: believing in them as they have come without how or like.”[^3] This theory’s summary is that these facts belong to Him, the most Praised One that He is, but they are not similar to what exist in humans.

He has a hand and an eye but not similarly to our hands and eyes.