Allah’s (Exalted and Glorified) Attribute of Mukhalafatun lil-Hawadith

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate

   One of the fundamental principles of Islamic creed is the attribute of Mukhalafatun lil-hawadith of Allah the Exalted. This concept means that Allah the Exalted does not resemble in any way any being that has been created later. According to the belief of Ahl al-Sunnah, this attribute is among the essential (dhātī) attributes of Allah the Exalted. The essential attributes of Allah (Exalted and Glorified) are attributes that belong only to Him and are not found in created beings. Through the attribute of Mukhalafatun lil-hawadith, it is emphasized that Allah is completely free and pure from resembling created beings. This principle is extremely important for the preservation of the belief in tawḥīd.

The Concept of Mukhalafatun lil-Hawadith

   “Mukhalafah” means opposition or not resembling, while “ḥādith” means something that came into existence later, something created. Accordingly, Mukhalafatun lil-hawadith expresses that Allah is completely different from the characteristics of created beings. Whatever comes to our minds, Allah the Exalted is completely different from it. For example, He is not bound by time, He is not in need of space, and He does not undergo change.

Mukhalafatun lil-Hawadith in the Verses of the Qur’an

The principle of Mukhalafatun lil-hawadith is clearly and decisively stated in the Qur’an:

1. The Absence of Any Likeness to Allah

لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْءٌ ۖ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُ

“There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.” (Ash-Shūrā, 11)

This verse decisively states that Allah does not resemble any being in His essence or attributes.

2. Allah Neither Begets Nor Is Begotten

قُلْ هُوَ اللّٰهُ أَحَدٌاللّٰهُ الصَّمَدُلَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْوَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ

“Say: He is Allah, One. Allah is the Self-Sufficient. He neither begets nor is begotten. And there is none comparable to Him.” (Al-Ikhlāṣ, 1–4)

This surah informs that Allah is completely free from characteristics such as lineage, gender, or similarity, which belong to created beings.

3. Allah’s Transcendence Above Time

هُوَ الْأَوَّلُ وَالْآخِرُ وَالظَّاهِرُ وَالْبَاطِنُ ۖ وَهُوَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ

“He is the First and the Last, the Manifest and the Hidden.” (Al-Ḥadīd, 3)

This verse shows that Allah has no beginning and no end, and therefore is not bound by time like created beings.

REFLECTION

Some belief movements, for example the polytheists of past eras, accepted certain beings as deities and likened them to created forms, erecting idols. They depicted them in human form, and even in the form of some animals. Even today, there are movements that accept great figures of the past, and even prophets, as idols. These people are unaware that one of the requirements of being the true Deity is not resembling created beings.

Mukhalafatun lil-Hawadith in the Hadiths

Our Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) explicitly forbade likening Allah to created beings:

1. Allah’s Eternity

“Allah existed, and there was nothing with Him.” (Bukhārī, Bad’ al-Khalq, 1)

This hadith clearly expresses that Allah existed before created beings and independently of them, and thus, unlike created and perishing beings, Allah the Exalted is eternal.

2. Warning Against Incorrect Conceptions

“Do not think about the essence of Allah; think about the creations of Allah.” (Bayhaqī)

This narration shows that the understanding of tashbīh (likening Allah to created beings) is a doctrinal deviation.

REFLECTION

In past periods, history records a doctrinal movement called the Mushabbihah, which likened Allah the Exalted to created beings. According to this understanding, some attributes of Allah mentioned in the Qur’an and hadith are taken in their outward (literal) meanings, leading to attributing a body, organs, direction, and place to Allah. However, such expressions should not be understood in a definitive (muḥkam) sense, but rather in an allegorical (mutashābih) sense, as warned in some verses, and meanings should not be given that contradict other Qur’anic verses clearly stating that Allah does not resemble any being.

The Doctrinal Importance of the Attribute of Mukhalafatun lil-Hawadith

When the attribute of Mukhalafatun lil-hawadith is not accepted, dangerous doctrinal deviations emerge, such as:

• Attributing a body to Allah,

• Limiting Him by space and time,

• Defining Him with human characteristics.

For this reason, scholars of Ahl al-Sunnah accepted this attribute as one of the cornerstones of creed.

Conclusion

Mukhalafatun lil-hawadith is a fundamental principle of belief that expresses the absolute transcendence and uniqueness of Allah the Exalted. Qur’anic verses and authentic hadiths clearly demonstrate that Allah does not resemble created beings in any way. A sound belief in tawḥīd is only possible by declaring Allah free from the characteristics of created beings.

Whatever comes to your mind,

He is completely different.

Minds cannot reach Him,

He is always different from the created.