Sharh Al-Aqeedat-il-Wasitiyah (Islamic book) -A muslims foundation of beliefs

15. Affirmation of Hearing, Seeing and Intention for Allah

Allah says, "There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the Ail-Hearer, the All-Seer." (Surah Ash-Shura, 42:11) and says,

"Verily, how excellent is the teaching which He (Allah) gives you! Truly, Allah is Ever All-Hearer, All-Seer." (Surah An-Nisa', 4:58) and says,

"It was better for you to say when you entered your garden: 'That which Allah wills (will come to pass)! There is no power but with Allah'." (Surah Al-Kahf, 18:39),

"If Allah had willed, they would not have fought against one another, but Allah does what He likes." (Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:253)

The Statement of Allah "There is nothing like unto Him and He is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer" negates the resemblance of all other things to Allah and then mentions two of His Attributes-Hearing and Seeing. But the negation of likeness does not mean negation of the Attributes as is claimed by  the Mu 'attilah and argued falsely by them. It rather means proving the Attributes of Allah by negating their likeness with those of the creatures. Allamah Ibn Al-Qaiyim says:

"In the Quranic verse 'There is nothing like unto Him', Allah wants to negate that anything is His partner, or a god, or deserving of worship and reverence as is done by the polytheists. Nor does He mean the negation of His Perfect Attributes, nor negating to His creatures the heights of the  perfection of Scriptures, communications with His Messengers and seeing Him clearly by the faithful with the inward eye. Just as you see the sun and moon while in the waking state."

As-Samee' means the One Who hears all the sounds however hidden they are. He hears the secrets and the whispers also. Allah's Attribute of Hearing is not similar to the hearing of the creatures. Al-Baseer as an attribute of Allah meaning that He sees all persons, colours and all tangible things however fine and remote they are. No curtain or impediment can obstruct His Vision. This word proves the attribute of sight for Allah in the most befitting manner for Him. Abu Daud contains a Hadith narrated by Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him):

"When the Prophet (peace be upon him) recited the Quranic verse: "Truly, Allah is Ever All-Hearer, All-Seer" he put his thumb on his ears and the fingers close to the thumb on his eyes."

The Hadith means that Allah hears through His Ears and sees through His Eyes. This Hadith is an argument against those Ashari who explain the Hearing of Allah in terms of the knowledge of what is heard, and purport to mean by seeing the knowledge of what is to be seen. This is a wrong explanation. A blind man is certain of the existence of the sky but he does not see it; the deaf knows about the existence of sound but does not hear it.

Allah says, "It was better for you to say when you entered your garden: 'That which Allah wills (will come to pass)! There is no power but with Allah'." These verses prove two Attributes of Allah--Intention and Will. There are a large number of texts about them. Ash 'ari prove an eternal intention which is related to all the events that were to take place in the beginning of the eternity. In this way it implies that will comes after intention. But Muth-zilah while keeping within the confines of their creed deny the attribute of intention also, and say that Allah makes a fresh intention which does not imply an occasion. This implies that the attribute exists by itself. But this is the falsest notion.

The Ahlul Haqq say that intention is of two types:

1. Intention related to do and create. This is synonymous to will. Both these are related to whatever Allah wants to do or create. Whenever He intended for any thing and wanted it to happen, it came  into being after His Intention; as Allah says,

"Verily, His Command, when He intends a thing, is only that He says to it, 'Be!' and it is!" (Surah As- Saffat, 36:82).

It has been stated in an authentic Hadith:  "Whatever Allah wills, that takes place; and whatever He does not will, that does not take place."

2. Intention related to Shari'ah: This is about those commands of Allah which He gives to His slaves according to His Will and Pleasure, as He Says:

"Allah intends for you ease, and He does not want to make things difficult for you." (Surah Baqarah, 2:185).

Both types of intentions are not dependent on each other. Rather, each of them sometimes relates to such issues with which the other has nothing to do. Among both these, there exists a casual relationship regarding their being general or specific. One intention, related to do and create, is general in respect of the fact that it relates to such matters that He does not like or it is not agreeable to Him such as Kufr and sin, and is specific in respect of the fact that it does not relate to the Faith of the Kafir and the obedience of the corrupt.

The intention related to Shari'ah is general because it is lined to all the precepts laid down whether they are followed or not followed. They are particular from the standpoint that the happening of any would-be intention is sometimes not commanded.

In sum, both the intentions are sometimes together such as the Faith of the Mumin and the obedience of the obedient, but the would-be intention gets separated such as the Kufr of the Kafir and the sinfulness of the sinful. And the Shari'ah intention gets separated such as the Faith of the Kafir and the obedience of the sinful.

Allah says:

"It was better for you to say, when you entered your garden: 'That which Allah wills (will come to pass)! There is no power but with Allah' (Surah Al-Kahf; 18:39).

This Statement of Allah related to the conversation of a Mu'min man with his Kafir companion who had two orchards. The Ma 'min companion exhorts him that he should thank Allah for His favours  and leave them to the Will of Allah, and feel afraid of the Power and Might of Allah, for the power lies in the Hands of Allah.

Allah says, "And if Allah had willed..." This relates to the dissensions between the followers of the Messengers of Allah that took place out of jealousies and hostilities. This was according to the Will of the Mighty and the Magnificent Allah. If He had not willed so, such things would not have happened. But He willed and such things happened.