By Dr. Maxwell Shimba, Shimba Theological Institute
Introduction
The doctrine of the attributes of Allah stands as one of the most complex and, at times, controversial aspects within Islamic theology, especially within Sunni orthodoxy. While Muslims affirm that Allah is unique, uncreated, and eternal, they also affirm that Allah possesses attributes—such as speech, knowledge, power, hand, face, and others—that are likewise described as uncreated and eternal. However, Sunni theologians also emphasize that these attributes are “not Allah Himself.” This paradox has generated profound debates throughout Islamic history, and yet the internal logic of this position demands rigorous philosophical and theological scrutiny.
The Sunni Doctrine Explained
Sunni Islamic theology, particularly as articulated by the Ash’ari and Maturidi schools, holds the following positions:
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Allah Exists, Is Uncreated and Eternal: Allah is the unique, necessary, uncreated, and eternal being.
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Attributes Are Uncreated and Eternal: Allah’s attributes (Sifaat) are likewise uncreated and eternal, existing “with” Allah, but are not Allah Himself.
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Attributes Are Not Identical to Allah: While Allah cannot exist without His attributes, these attributes are ontologically distinct—they are not Allah, yet neither are they separate beings.
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Attributes Must Not Be Anthropomorphized: Muslims are forbidden to liken Allah to creation, even when the attributes (such as “hand,” “face,” “speech”) are described using anthropomorphic terms in the Qur’an and Hadith.
The Critical Questions
This doctrine raises several crucial philosophical and theological questions, which will be posed as part of this debate:
A. Can Something Exist, Be Uncreated and Eternal, Yet Not Be God?
If the attributes of Allah—such as His knowledge, speech, or face—are themselves uncreated, eternal, and exist alongside Allah, are we not then positing multiple eternals? Islamic monotheism (tawhid) is uncompromising: there can be no partner, associate, or “second eternal” alongside Allah. Yet, if Allah’s attributes are not Allah but are uncreated and eternal, then we are presented with a kind of plurality within the divine essence. How does Sunni theology reconcile absolute divine unity (tawhid) with the real existence of multiple uncreated and eternal attributes that are not identical to Allah?
B. Can Allah Exist Without His Attributes?
The Quran and Hadith often speak of Allah’s hand, face, speech, knowledge, and will. If Allah’s attributes are not Allah, can Allah exist without them? If not, does it not follow that what is “not Allah” is nevertheless necessary for Allah’s very being? This undermines the classical doctrine of divine simplicity and unity. Are Muslims then claiming that the essence of Allah is dependent on what is “not Allah”?
C. If Allah’s Attributes Are Not Allah, What Remains When They Are Removed?
This is the heart of the analogy presented above. If every attribute—knowledge, will, power, hand, face, speech, etc.—is “not Allah,” then what is left that constitutes Allah? The logical conclusion is that nothing identifiable or knowable remains. Without attributes, an entity cannot be described, known, or even conceptualized. Are Muslims left worshipping a void, a “zero,” if all attributes are “not Allah”?
Philosophical and Theological Implications
1. The Problem of Divine Plurality
If all of Allah’s attributes are uncreated and eternal, but “not Allah,” Islamic theology is forced into a problematic position: either these attributes are themselves divine (leading to a kind of polytheism or “divine plurality”), or they are created (which Sunni Islam rejects). This tension mirrors, and in fact, exacerbates, the very objection that Muslims have historically raised against the Christian doctrine of the Trinity—namely, that it introduces plurality within the divine essence. Yet, classical Christianity maintains one essence with three persons, not multiple uncreated “not-Gods” alongside God.
2. The Doctrine of Divine Simplicity
Classical theism (Jewish, Christian, even many early Islamic philosophers like Ibn Sina) affirms that God is absolutely simple—there are no parts, components, or composition in God. However, the Sunni doctrine of the attributes introduces a real distinction between Allah and His attributes. This undermines the simplicity and unity that tawhid claims to preserve.
3. The Knowability of God
If Allah’s attributes are not Allah, yet these are the only means by which Allah is described, related to, or known, then Allah becomes utterly unknowable. All meaningful language about Allah, in this system, refers not to Allah Himself but only to things that are “not Allah.” This is a deep problem for any claim of divine self-revelation, worship, or relationship.
Conclusion: The Dilemma Summarized
The Sunni assertion that Allah’s attributes are “not Allah” but are uncreated and eternal leads inevitably to one of the following theological dilemmas:
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Either: There exists a multiplicity of eternals alongside Allah, undermining the very heart of Islamic monotheism.
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Or: Allah is ultimately unknowable, without any positive attributes, making worship and relationship with Allah impossible.
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Or: The doctrine is internally inconsistent and cannot sustain rational or theological scrutiny.
In summary, if every attribute by which Allah is known is “not Allah,” what, then, is left that can be called “Allah”? Is this not an admission that the Allah of such theology is, in fact, a philosophical abstraction—an empty zero—rather than the living God revealed in Scripture and encountered in worship?
Invitation to Muslim Scholars
This article is written not as a polemic but as a challenge and invitation to Muslim scholars and laypersons alike: Can you present a coherent and rational account of Allah’s attributes that preserves true monotheism, divine simplicity, and the knowability of God? Or does this doctrine collapse into logical and theological incoherence?
Dr. Maxwell Shimba
Shimba Theological Institute
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