Allah; There is nothing like unto Him!

 The reason for this post is because of the falsly attributed belief to Ibn Taymiyah (May Allah have mercy upon him) that he said that Allah is like the moon, however It is clear to the trustworthy reader who is not seeking discord that Ibn Taymiyah didn't say nor intend to say that Allah is similar to any creation, so here are his words, as well as the understood meaning of them.

Allah says:

It is He who created the heavens and earth in six days and then established Himself above the Throne. He knows what penetrates into the earth and what emerges from it and what descends from the heaven and what ascends therein; and He is with you wherever you are. And Allah , of what you do, is Seeing.(57:4)

So, Sheikh Al Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah Said in his book Al-Waasatiyah the following:

وَلَيْسَ مَعْنَى قَوْلِهِ: { وَهُوَ مَعَكُمْ } أَنَّهُ مُخْتَلِطٌ بِالْخَلْقِ؛ فَإِنَّ هَذَا لاَ تُوجِبُهُ، اللُّغَةُ، بَلِ الْقَمَرُ آيَةٌ مِنْ آيَاتِ اللهِ مِنْ أَصْغَرِ مَخْلُوقَاتِهِ، وَهُوَ مَوْضُوعٌ فِي السَّمَاءِ، وَهُوَ مَعَ الْمُسَافِرِ وَغَيْرُ الْمُسَافِرِ أَيْنَمَا كَانَ. وَهُوَ سُبْحَانَهُ فَوْقَ عَرْشِهِ، رَقِيبٌ عَلَى خَلْقِهِ، مُهَيْمِنٌ عَلَيْهِمْ، مُطَّلِعٌ عَلَيْهِم إِلَى غَيْرِ ذَلِكَ مِن مَّعَانِي رُبُوبِيَّتِهِ. وَكُلُّ هَذَا الْكَلامِ الَّذِي ذَكَرَهُ اللهُ ـ مِنْ أَنَّهُ فَوْقَ الْعَرْشِ وَأَنَّهُ مَعَنَا ـ حَقٌّ عَلَى حَقِيقَتِهِ، لاَ يَحْتَاجُ إَلَى تَحْرِيفٍ،

   The meaning of: "He is with you" in the above verse does not mean that Allah is mixed within the creation, and this is because the Arabic Language does not require this meaning.  Rather the moon, a sign from among the signs created by Allah, which is from the smallest of creations is in it's place in the sky and it is with the traveler and other than the traveler, wherever they may be. And,  He Allah is above His Throne, Watching over his creation, Protecting and Guarding them, well aware of their affairs, and other than that from among the meanings connected to his lordship. So all of this that Allah mentioned concerning himself in that he is both Above his Throne and with His creation it is real within it's own reality, without the need for completely changing the meaning.

   So whom so ever tries to defend this doubt that Allah can not be Above and With His creation at the same time, then Sheikh Al Islaam Ibn Taymiyah (Allah have Mercy on him) has presented us with an example, in which he stated that the moon, which is one of the smallest of the creations of Allah, can be both above and with us. So this moon, this creation of Allah is above us, as well it is there to help the traveler and be with him. No one with any logical mind would think that this moon is mixed inside the creation, while its existence with them is still a reality. So Allah Glorified be He The Most High, is The Best and Highest of All things, above His creation and separate from them. What the author meant by his comparison is comparison in possibility, in that if a creation can be described as both with and above, then how much more easier would it be for the one who created the creation to be both with and above His creation? He, however didn't mean that Allahs being above or Withness is like that of the moon, rather it was an example set out to explain the possibility, so that we as humans can understand it, that it is possible that something can be above and also at the same time with. Allah is above the throne, separate from the creation and doesn't mix with it, however at the same time he is with us, and this Withness as described by the Scholars and Salaf, is that of his knowledge. [1]

Allah Says:

[He is] Creator of the heavens and the earth. He has made for you from yourselves, mates, and among the cattle, mates; He multiplies you thereby. There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the Hearing, the Seeing.(42:11)

This is why you see Ibn Taymiyyah in the next portion of the same book say;

   و ما ذكر في الكتاب و السنة من قربة و معيته, لا ينافي ما ذكر من علوه و فوقيته, فإنه سبحانه ليس كمثله شيء في جميع نعوته

   And that which is mentioned in the Book of Allah and Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (Alayi Salaatu wa Salaam) from Allah's closeness and withness, does not negate that which was also mentioned concerning Allah's Highness and Aboveness, He is the Most High and Glorified, and there is nothing compared to or like Him concerning any of His Attributes

   So we ask these people who have transgressed the bounds in false accusations, If Allah has mercy and love for his slave, which is similar in word usage but greater than how a mother has love and mercy to her baby, does it mean that you are saying that Allah is like the creation? No, and May Allah protect us all from such deviations, Ameen.

As is reported in the two books of Saheeh Al-Bukhaari and Muslim:

Umar Ibn al-Khattab (Radhi Allahu Anhu) relates that some prisoners were brought before Allah’s Messenger ('Alayihi Salaam) and amongst them was a woman who was frantically searching for someone in the crowd. When she found a baby amongst the prisoners, she took it in her arms, cradled it next to her chest and suckled it. So Allah’s Messenger (  'Alayihi  Salaam ) said: “Do you think that this woman would ever throw her child into the fire?” We said: ‘By Allah, Never!’ So he said: “Allah is more merciful to His believing servants than that mother could ever be to her child.”

And Allah the most high knows best, and Peace and Blessings be upon our Beloved Prophet Muhammad, His Wives, His Family, and All of his companions, Ameen.

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[1] Sheikh Khaalid Al-Muslih