The Basic Tenets of Islam: Allah encompasses everything
Contents
- Preface
- There is no god but allah
- Allah encompasses everything
- Allah is near to man
- Allah created everything according to a fixed decree
- Allah has power over everything
- Allah sees and knows everything
- All beings are subjected to allah
- False beliefs about allah
- Faith in allah free of idolatry
- Assessing allah with a just assessment
- Allah's infinite greatness and power
- Love of allah and fear of allah
- The qur'an is a guide
- Belief in the books revealed by allah and belief in his messengers
- Faith in the angels
- The temporary nature of the life of this world
- It's a magnificent blessing to love allah with passion
- Man is being tested
- Death is not the end
- Belief in the hereafter
- Faith in the day of judgment
- The resurrection
- The day of judgment
- Paradise and hell
- Everything is positive in paradise, and everything is negative in hell
- The aim is to attain the good pleasure of allah
- Sin and repentance
- Scrupulousness regarding religious observances
- The morality of religion is in conformity with the natural inclination of mankind
- Believers must be together and cooperate
- The last word
Some people think that Allah is found in a certain place. The belief that Allah is up in the sky, in a remote corner of the universe, is held by many people. (Allah is beyond that) The fact is, however, that Allah is anywhere, encompassing everything. He is the actual and the only absolute being, to Whom all beings are subjected:
Allah, there is no god but Him, the Living, the Self-Sustaining. He is not subject to drowsiness or sleep. Everything in the heavens and the earth belongs to Him. Who can intercede with Him except by His permission? He knows what is before them and what is behind them but they cannot grasp any of His knowledge save what He wills. His Footstool encompasses the heavens and the earth and their preservation does not tire Him. He is the Most High, the Magnificent.
Allah has everything within His grasp at any given moment. There is no creature He does not hold by the forelock. He has power over all things and is exalted high above any weakness or inability.
As the sole absolute being, Allah enfolds the whole universe, all people and places, the heavens and everywhere. And Allah is manifested in the whole universe. According to the hadith, our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said that someone who said that Allah was in the sky was telling the truth. But this account in no way conflicts with the fact that Allah is everywhere. Because if someone at your location on earth raises his hands and prays to Allah and thinks that Allah is in the sky, while someone at the South Pole turns to Allah in the same way, while someone else at the North Pole raises his hands and yet another individual in Japan, or America or Ecuador raises his hands to the sky in the same way and turns to Allah, then it is impossible to speak of any fixed direction. In the same way, if djinn, angels and demons at various points in space and the universe also pray toward the skies, it will again be impossible to speak of any fixed direction, and the situation will be one that covers the entire universe.
We must not also forget that Allah is unfettered by time and space. Allah's self is something different. But the manifestations of Allah are everywhere. If someone enters a room and says Allah is not there, he is denying Allah. The manifestations of Allah are in that room and everywhere. Wherever you may turn, manifestations of Allah are there. It is stated in several verses of the Qur'an that Allah pervades all places, that He is closer to us than our own jugular veins, and that we will see His face wherever we look. For example, in verse 255 of Surat al-Baqara Allah says "... His Footstool encompasses the heavens and the earth...." In verse 92 of Surah Hud it is revealed, "...But my Lord encompasses everything that you do" meaning that Allah also pervades what people do.