Where is ALLAH?

Answer: Unless you have decided not to "see" Him, you cannot "miss" Him!

"No vision can grasp Allah but Allah grasps all visions" (The Qur'an 6:103). A slave's answer, "above the heavens," was accepted by the Prophet (peace be upon him) who then ordered her master to "free her. She is a believer." (Muslim). When supplicating to Allah, "Muslims raise their hands knowing that Allah is above them." (Ibn al-Qayyim). How do we reply to those who ask, "Where is Allah exactly?''

We cannot 'locate' Allah the way we locate human beings, places and objects. We can ask the whereabouts of a person or an object that exist in time and space. For example, we live in time (today), and we have a body that fills some space. Allah is the Creator of time and space. The Creator cannot be of the same nature as the things He created. If Allah is like His creations, then His existence, like His creations, would also be restricted by time and space. Allah The Creator (Al Khaliq) is not limited by the dimensions of time and space. 

Allah's knowledge and command covers every place and time in His creation. "He knows all that is in the land and sea. No leaf falls without His knowledge." (6:59). Allah is not a part of His creation. It is wrong to say that e is within us. Allah is not within but close to His creation. "When my servants question you (Muhammad) about Me, tell them that I am very close to them." (50:16).

The Noble Qur'an. What does The Noble Qur'an say about the 'whereabouts' of Allah The All-Merciful? "He is firmly established in the Throne of authority." (20:5). "Whichever direction you turn, there is the presence of Allah." (2:115). "He is with you wherever you are - Allah is aware of all your actions." (57:4). "The Hand of Allah was above their hands [when they pledged allegiance to you, O Prophet]." (48:10). The purpose of these verses is not to give us a description of Allah's whereabouts. The hidden meanings of these verses are known only to Allah The Almighty. (3:7). In their contexts, these verses convey the grandeur and magnificence of The Almighty. The Qur'an states that Allah is unique and that nothing resembles Him. (42:11, 112:4). Those with "knowledge" will know Allah by reflecting on the things created by Him. (30:20-25). All things in the Universe are ayat (signs) that point to the existence of a Perfect, All-Knowing, Almighty and Merciful Creator. 

Our body and the solar system. The solar system created by Allah provides us with 'night' to rest. We wake up in the morning refreshed to begin the search for our sustenance. Neither does the solar system has an understanding of our needs nor do we have the power to make the solar system serve our needs. This can happen only by the Will of The Supreme Creator. 

Water and our survival. Human beings, animals and trees need fresh water for survival. If salt water invades our rivers, lakes and wells, and rains down from the sky, then all life on earth will perish in a very short time. Neither fresh water nor salt water 'know' of their respective roles in ensuring our sustenance or preventing our ruin. This network of collaboration in Creation can only be the work of A Supreme Organizer Who has prefect knowledge and control pf everything. He is Allah The Almighty. 

Name and Attributes of Allah. Allah has no form. He is above all form. We distinguish a thing by comparing it. We know "fat" by comparing it to "thin". Allah cannot be compared to anything as Allah does not resemble anything. Worshipping physical representations of God is considered shrink or the act of associating partners with God. It is the only unpardonable sin in Islam. Others worship statues and pictures of God. Islam rejects these man-made works as false gods that cannot create even "a single fly" and describes those who worship them as "feebleminded." (22:73)

Muslims don't try to imagine God because God is beyond the grasp of human imagination. Nothing is like Him. They focus instead on the attributes of Allah. What is Allah like? What is His nature? What does He do? The descriptions are in Allah's Name and Attributes. Ar- Rahman and Ar-Rahim are two of the well-known Beautiful Names of Allah. Every act of mercy towards things created by Allah brings you closer to Allah The All-Merciful.

Seek nearness to your Creator by walking The Straight Path of Islam. The Truth has been made clear. The choice is yours to make. There is no compulsion in Islam.  

Allah knows best.

By: Dr Y Mansoor Marican, Ph. D