The Anthropomorphic Dilemma: Allah’s “Shin” and the Question of Divine Uniqueness

By Dr. Maxwell Shimba, Shimba Theological Institute

Introduction

One of the most complex theological tensions in Islamic theology lies in the doctrine of tanzīh—the absolute transcendence of Allah—contrasted with anthropomorphic descriptions of Him found in the Qur’an and Hadith literature. Muslims are taught that Allah is utterly unlike His creation: “There is nothing like unto Him” (Qur’an 42:11). Yet, paradoxically, several Qur’anic verses and Hadith traditions attribute to Allah physical attributes and organs, such as hands (Qur’an 38:75), a face (Qur’an 55:27), eyes (Qur’an 11:37), and even a shin (Qur’an 68:42). This raises a profound theological question: if Allah possesses what is described as a “shin,” how can He simultaneously claim to be wholly unlike human beings, who also possess shins?

This article critically examines this contradiction, placing the Qur’anic notion of Allah’s “shin” under scrutiny while contrasting it with classical Islamic theology, Jewish and Christian theological anthropology, and logical-philosophical inquiry.

The Qur’anic Description of the “Shin”

The critical verse is found in Surah al-Qalam (68:42):

“[Remember] the Day when the shin will be uncovered, and they will be invited to prostration but they will not be able.”

Classical commentators (e.g., al-Tabari, Ibn Kathir, al-Qurtubi) debated whether the “shin” (sāq) in this passage refers literally to an organ of Allah or metaphorically to a sign of severe distress. Some schools of thought, particularly the Athari and early Hanbali traditions, insisted on affirming the attribute bi-lā kayf (“without asking how”), meaning that Allah does indeed have a shin but it is unlike the human shin. Ashʿarī and Māturīdī theologians, however, leaned toward metaphorical interpretations, claiming it was an Arabic idiom for hardship.

Yet, regardless of interpretation, the text introduces anthropomorphic imagery, which cannot easily be reconciled with the absolute claim of divine incomparability.

The Problem of Anthropomorphism

The central contradiction lies in the following tension:

Allah declares absolute dissimilarity from creation (Qur’an 42:11).
Allah is described with human organs (hands, eyes, face, shin).
Human beings also possess these very organs.

If Allah’s shin is literal, then He shares a common attribute with humanity, thereby undermining His transcendence. If it is metaphorical, then why employ anthropomorphic language at all, when such language inevitably leads to confusion, anthropomorphism, and internal contradiction?

Christian theology faced similar tensions in Old Testament anthropomorphisms (e.g., “the hand of God”), but these were ultimately resolved in the doctrine of the Incarnation: God took on human form in Jesus Christ while remaining fully divine. Islam, however, denies incarnation while still attributing physical features to Allah. This results in a theological impasse: an anthropomorphic deity who is simultaneously claimed to be beyond all human likeness.

Comparative Theological Reflection

Jewish Tradition: Rabbinic interpretation often treated anthropomorphic references in the Torah as metaphorical or symbolic, pointing to God’s actions rather than His physical form.
Christian Tradition: Anthropomorphisms find their fulfillment in Christ, who is the “image of the invisible God” (Colossians 1:15). Here, divine embodiment is not a contradiction but the core of the Incarnation.
Islamic Tradition: Islamic theology vacillates between literalism (bi-lā kayf) and metaphorical reinterpretation (ta’wīl), leaving unresolved the inherent tension between transcendence and anthropomorphism.

Philosophical Analysis

From a philosophical standpoint, the problem can be framed as follows:

Premise 1: Allah claims absolute transcendence and dissimilarity.
Premise 2: Allah is described with human-like organs such as a shin.
Premise 3: Humans possess shins, hands, and faces.
Conclusion: Either Allah is not utterly unlike humans, or the Qur’an introduces contradictory statements.

The principle of non-contradiction (Aristotle, Metaphysics, IV.3) demands consistency. If Allah’s shin is literal, He shares features with creation. If figurative, then the Qur’an’s anthropomorphic language appears misleading or incoherent, especially when taken by literalist traditions.

Conclusion

The description of Allah as possessing a “shin” epitomizes the anthropomorphic dilemma within Islamic theology. While theologians have attempted to resolve the issue either through metaphorical interpretation or the doctrine of bi-lā kayf, the contradiction remains: if Allah is unlike humans, why attribute to Him organs that are distinctly human? Christianity resolves this tension through the Incarnation of Jesus Christ, while Islam remains trapped in a paradox between transcendence and anthropomorphism. This inconsistency undermines the Islamic claim of a perfectly coherent doctrine of God.

References and Bibliography

Primary Sources

Qur’an 42:11, 55:27, 68:42, 11:37, 38:75
Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim – collections affirming Allah’s physical attributes.

Classical Tafsir

Al-Tabari, Jāmiʿ al-Bayān ʿan Taʾwīl Āy al-Qurʾān.
Ibn Kathir, Tafsīr al-Qur’ān al-ʿAẓīm.
Al-Qurtubi, Al-Jāmiʿ li-Aḥkām al-Qur’ān.

Secondary Literature

Wolfson, H. A. The Philosophy of the Kalam. Harvard University Press, 1976.
Watt, W. Montgomery. Islamic Philosophy and Theology. Edinburgh University Press, 1985.
Hoover, Jon. Ibn Taymiyya’s Theodicy of Perpetual Optimism. Brill, 2007.
Reynolds, Gabriel Said. The Qur’an and Its Biblical Subtext. Routledge, 2010.
Thomas, David. Christian Doctrines in Islamic Theology. Brill, 2008.

Friday, September 12, 2025