بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
Allah says:
فإنَّ الله كان عفوًّا قديرًا
“..Surely Allah is Oft Pardoning, Ever Capable.” [An-Nisaa: 149]
إنِّ الله عليمٌ قديرٌ
“Indeed! Allah is All Knowing, Ever Capable.” [An-Nahl: 70]
و هو العليم القدير
“And He is the All Knowing, the Ever Capable.” [Ar-Rum: 54]
والله قديرٌ والله غفورٌ رحيم
“And Allah is Ever Capable, and Allah is Oft Forgiving, Most Merciful.” [Al-Mumtahanah: 7]
Sheikh Muhammad Ibn Saalih Al Uthaymin said, “Allah’s names all are beautiful, meaning; they have reached the paramount of beauty, as Allah says:
و لِلّهِ الأَسْماء الحسنى
“And to Allah belongs the most beautiful names…” [Al A’raf: 180]
This is because the names consist of perfect attributes that do not have therein a defect from any perspective, it is not possible nor probable (for them to contain defects).” [القوائد المثلى في أسماء الله و صفاته الحسنى]
Thus we understand that Allah’s names are not meaningless, on the contrary they contain meanings describing the One to whom we worship. The name Al Qadeer is no different, as it points to a complete and perfect attribute that Allah has always and will always be described with.
Imaam Ibn Mundah said: The meaning of Al Qadeer is He being Ever Capable of doing anything from (creating) good and evil, also obedience and disobedience, as He says:
و خلق كلَّ شيءٍ فقدَّره تقديرًا
“He created everything, and has measured it exactly according to its due measurement.” [Al Furqan: 2]
What He has measured of it (the creation), the Ever Capable, the All Able to do anything; created it and nothing was impossible for Him.” [كتاب التوحيد]
Sheikh Abdur Razzaq Ibn Abdil Muhsin said, “All of them (the name Al Qadeer, Al Qaadir, and Al Muqtadir) allude to the sureness of capability as an attribute for Allah. Surely, He the Glorified has perfect ability.” [فقه الأسماء الحسنى]
Allah teaches us this in numerous verses throughout the Quran with repetition, as He the Exalted says:
إنَّ الله على كلِّ شيءٍ قديرٌ
“Indeed Allah is Able to do all things.” [Al Baqarah :20] [Al Baqarah: 109] [Al Baqarah: 148] [An-Nahl: 77] [An-Nur: 45] [Al-Ankabut: 20] [Al Faatir: 1]
Sheikh Abdur Rahman Ibn Naasir As-Sai’di said, “Thus nothing was impossible for Him, and from His ability is that if He wants something He does it without any hindrance or opposition.” [تيسير الكريم الرحمن في تفسير كلام المنان]
Therefore the belief of the adherents to the Sunnah is that Allah is Ever Capable of doing whatsoever He wills, a belief deeply rooted in the text of the Quran and Sunnah and firmly believed by those that hope for success in the next life. This, unfortunately, contradicts the understanding of the Islamic caller named Zakir Naik. As he does not believe that Allah is capable of doing anything. He states:
“If I agree with you for the sake of argument that almighty God can do anything and everything, in the same argument almighty God can even tell a lie. It is ungodly to tell lies. The moment God tells lies He ceases to be God. If I agree with you, God can do everything, God Almighty can even be unjust. But the moment God does injustice He ceases to be God. Allah says in the Quran, Surah An Nisa, chapter number four verse 40 that Almighty God is never unjust in the least degree. If Almighty God wants He can forget, but to forget is ungodly. Allah says in Surah TaHa Chapter 21 verse 52 that Allah subhanahu wa ta’alaa never forgets. The moment Almighty God forgets He ceases to be God. If Almighty God wants He can make a mistake, but to make a mistake is ungodly. Allah says Surah TaHa chapter 20 verse 52 that Almighty God never makes a mistake, The moment God makes a mistake He ceases to be God. No where in the Quran does it mention that God can do everything. What Allah says in the Quran in surah Faatir chapter 35 verse number 1 innallaha alaa kulli shayin qadeer, that Allah has power over all things…“(1)
He also said, “There are a thousand things I can list that God Almighty can’t do..“(2) He substantiates this claim with rhetoric based on naive logic and philosophy, as he states Allah can’t create a tall and short man, Allah can’t kick him out of His dominion (because the creation in its entirety belong to Him) etc.
This is an utterly foolish and blameworthy approach unheard of by those who have preceded us from the imaams of guidance and knowledge. This is nothing more than speaking about Allah that which you know not. Allah says:
قلْ إنَّما حرَّم ربِّيَ الفواحش ما ظهر منْها و ما بطن و الإثْمَ و البغىَ بِغَير الحقِّ و أَنْ تشرِكوا بالله ما لَمْ ينزِّل به سلطانًا و أنْ تقولوأ على الله ما لا تعلمون
“Say (O Muhammad): My Lord has only prohibited immorality, what is apparent and hidden from it, sinfulness, transgression without due right, that you associate a partner with Allah that which He has not sent down for it any authority, and that you say about Allah that which you know not.” [Al-A’raf: 33]
Sheikh Rabee ibn Haadi states, “Polytheism is the greatest of sins, but speaking about Allah that which you know not is greater ‘…and that you say about Allah that which you know not‘. Ibn-ul-Qayyim said that this is the greatest of all sins, as polytheism is included in it, denying the attributes is included in it, every form of falsehood is included in it. ‘…and that you say about Allah that which you know not‘. Polytheism is a statement about Allah without knowledge, instituting polytheism and misguidance are statements about Allah without knowledge, instituting innovations enters into that as well.
Ibn-ul-Qayyim incorporated it into speaking about Allah without knowledge, as it is incompatible with Allah’s Book, the Sunnah of Allah’s Messenger -sallahu alayhi wa salaam-, and Allah’s true methodology. It is the reserving of evil thoughts for Allah, His Book, and His Messenger -sallahu alayhi wa ssalaam-, and this is because Allah the Exalted says:
اليومَ أكملْتُ لكم دينكم و أتممْتُ عليكم نعمتي و رضيْتُ لكم الإسلامَ دينًا
“This day I have perfected, for you, your religion, and have completed My Favor upon you, and I am pleased with Islam as a religion for you.” [Al-Maa’idah:2]
This is the meaning of Ibn-ul-Qayyim Al Jawziyyah’s speech. He spoke concerning the explanation of the verse. He spoke about immorality, sinfulness, transgression, polytheism, and subsequent to that he said: “And as for speaking about Allah without knowledge, it is the severest from these forbidden matters, and the greatest of sin…” [الاستقامة و أثرها على المسلمين]
Hence the statement of our brother Zakir Naik is rejected due to it being contradictory to what Allah informs us of concerning Himself. As Allah is All Able to do whatever He wills. We ask Allah to bless us with safety and security, and to protect us from ever falling into misguidance after being guided.
Compiled by Najeeb Ibn Yusuf Al Anjelesi
1: Taken from the video lecture found on youtube entitled: Similarities Between Hinduism and Islam
2: Taken from the video found on youtube entitled: Can God do Anything & Everything? Why Can’t God Become A Man? Zakir Naik