Allahu: Free Of Causality and Effect.

[Abu Hafsat]

As-Salaam alaikum,

In ayat/verse 11 of chapter 42 of the Holy Qur'an, Allahu Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala says:--

          "There is nothing like Him... Laysa Ka Mislihi Shay'un"  (Ash-Shuraa- 42:11)

 

Indeed, nothing in existence resembles Allah Ta'ala in any manner. He does not resemble anything from His creation, nor does anything resemble Him. Attributes of Allah are Eternal; Pre-Existent, while attributes of creations are never free of causality and effect.

In this regards, Al-Waasiti, said may Allah be Merciful to him, that there is no essence like His [Allah's] Essence; there is no name like His Name; no action like His action; and there is no attribute like His Attribute except from the perspective of verbal expression alone.

Note that whenever Allah, Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala, describes Himself with a 'face', 'hand' 'two hands' or a 'foot'.... that still is as He describes Himself without 'how-ness' in accordance with what He says, and with a meaning that He alone means.  For each of these attributes fall under the transcendence of His words:

"Laysa Ka Mislihi Shay'un...There is nothing like Him".  Ibn al-Athir said: "Everything which is transmitted in the Qur'an and Prophetic traditions related to hand, hands or other than these from the names of bodily limbs connected to Allah, Azzah Wa Jallah, then it is transmitted by way of metaphor and symbolism, because Allah is absolutely free of resemblance and incarnated substantiation. This is true simply because "Laysa Kamislihi Shay'un...There  is nothing like Him."