Attributes of Allah

Islamic theologians have divided Allah's attributes into three categories: necessary attributes (what must be affirmed for Allah), impossible attributes (what cannot be affirmed for Him), and possible attributes (what may or may not apply). In this chapter we focus on the 13 necessary attributes.

The 13 necessary attributes are:

1. al-Wujud (Existence): Allah exists — His existence is self-subsisting and needs no cause. 2. al-Qidam (Pre-eternity): He is eternal — existing without a beginning, never preceded by non-existence. 3. al-Baqa' (Everlastingness): He is permanent — existing without end, not subject to annihilation. 4. al-Mukhalafa lil-Hawadith (Dissimilarity to Creation): He bears no resemblance to created things in any respect. 5. al-Qiyam bil-Nafs (Self-Subsistence): Self-sufficient — He does not need a place, time, or substrate. 6. al-Wahdaniyya (Oneness): One with no partner in essence, attributes, or acts. 7. al-Qudra (Power): Omnipotent — nothing is beyond His power. 8. al-Irada (Will): Acts with absolute will — He is not compelled by anything. 9. al-'Ilm (Knowledge): Omniscient — He knows all: the unseen and witnessed, past and future. 10. al-Hayat (Life): Ever-living and never dying — His life does not resemble the life of creatures. 11. al-Sam' (Hearing): He hears all things — without organ or ear as we know it. 12. al-Basar (Sight): He sees all things — without pupil or eye as we know it. 13. al-Kalam (Speech): He speaks with eternal speech not consisting of letters or sounds as we know it — this eternal speech was conveyed to us via the Quran in letters and sounds so we could understand it.

It is essential to emphasise that these attributes bear no resemblance to what creation knows of attributes. Allah hears but not with an ear, sees but not with an eye, and speaks but not with a throat or vocal cords. Every attribute we affirm for Allah is affirmed in a manner befitting His greatness — not by likening Him to creation.

The impossible attributes are the opposites of the necessary ones: non-existence, contingency, perishing, resemblance to creation, dependence, multiplicity, incapacity, compulsion, ignorance, death, deafness, blindness, and muteness.

Knowledge of these attributes is not an intellectual luxury — it is the foundation of supplication, trust, awe, and hope. One who knows Allah hears all things will improve their supplication; one who knows He is omnipotent will strengthen their trust in Him.