The Perfect Attribute of Allaah – (Writing & Scripting)

Allaah (Ta’ala) says in Surat Aal-‘Imran (3:181):

      سَنَكْتُبُ مَا قَالُوا وَقَتْلَهُمُ الْأَنْبِيَاءَ بِغَيْرِ حَقّ
               “We shall record (Naktub) what they have said, and their killing of the Prophets unjustly.

Allaah (Ta’ala) also says in Surat Al-A’raaf (7:145):

وَكَتَبْنَا لَهُ فِي الْأَلْوَاحِ مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ مَوْعِظَةً وَتَفْصِيلًا لِكُلِّ شَيْء
“We wrote (Katabna) for him [Musa (‘Alayhis-Salaam)] on the Tablets the lesson to be drawn from all things and the explanation of all things.” 

and Allaah (Ta’ala) says in Surat Al-Anbiyaa’ (21:105)

وَلَقَدْ كَتَبْنَا فِي الزَّبُورِ مِنْ بَعْدِ الذِّكْرِ أَنَّ الْأَرْضَ يَرِثُهَا عِبَادِيَ الصَّالِحُون
“Indeed, We have written (Katabna) in Zabur (Psalms) [i.e. all the revealed Holy Books- the Taurat (Torah), the Injeel (Gospel), the Qur’an] after (We have already written in) Al-Lauh Al-Mahfudh (the Book that is in the heaven with Allaah) that My righteous slaves shall inherit the land (i.e. the land of Paradise).” 

The Evidence from the Prophetic Sunnah:

The Messenger of Allaah (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “When Allaah had finished His creation, He Kataba (Wrote) in His Book, which is above His Throne, ‘My Mercy precedes My Anger.'”[Al-Bukhaari no. 3194, Muslim no. 2751

Also, in the Hadeeth of the argument between Adam and Musa (‘Alayhimus-Salaam) in which Adam says to Musa, “Are you that Moses whom Allaah selected for His Messengership and for His conversation with him, and conferred upon you the tablets in which everything was clearly explained, and brought you close to have a confidential talk with you? How long before I was created did Allaah Kataba (Write) the Torah?” Moses said: “Forty years before.” Adam said: “Did you not see these words: ‘Thus did Adam disobey his Lord, so he went astray.’ [Surat Ta-Ha (20:121)]. He (Moses) said: “Yes.” Whereupon, he (Adam) said: “Do you then blame me for an act that Allaah had Kataba (Written- Ordained) for me forty years before He created me?”
Allaah’s Messenger (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “This is how Adam confuted Moses.” [Muslim no. 2652]

In another narration, “and (Allaah) Khatta [He Wrote (the Torah)] for you with His Own Hand.” And in another narration, “and He Kataba [Wrote (the Torah)] for you with His Own Hand.”[Al-Bukhaari no. 6614]
 
Linguistic Meaning

Al-Katb is to join skin or leather with another skin (or leather) by stitching.
It is said: “Katabtu as-Siqaa’ (i.e., I stitched the water-skin).”

Origin of (the noun) al-Kitabah (Writing):

‘Kitabah’ means the act of expressing or composition through scripting.
In speech, ‘Kitabah’ refers to the act of expressing or composing with words.
In definition, it means joining letters together with writing.[Al-Mufradaat (299), Umdatul-Huffadh (3/370-371)]

Al-Khatt: It is writing with lines (Khutoot); it is expressing Kitaba through scripting. Allaah (Ta’ala) says: “nor did you write (Khatta) with your right hand.” – i.e., you did not write. Al-Khatt is also Al-Madd (i.e. to elongate). Al-Khatt is everything that has length. [Umdatul-Huffadh 1/512-513]

Shar’ee Meaning: Our Lord, Exalted be He, is described with Kitaabah (Writing) and with al-Khatt (Scripting) in real – in a way that suits His Majesty and Greatness. So Allaah Writes and Scripts whatever He Wills and for whomsoever He Wills, and whenever He Wills and however He Wills, in accordance with His Wisdom – and We do not know the Kayfiyyah (i.e., how or the description) of these Actions.

Verily, we believe in them as they have been mentioned (in the Qur’an and Sunnah), because it is the Truth from our Rabb, the Majestic.

The proofs have been mentioned that establish that Allaah Himself Writes and Scripts, because the Act of Writing is attributed to Hands – “He Wrote with His Own Hand” – and thus, it is not permissible to change its original meaning, and it has been mentioned in the Attribute of ‘Hand’ that Allaah created things with His Hand like the ‘Arsh, the Pen, Adam (Alahis-Salaam), Paradise… then He said to the rest of the creation, ‘Be! and it was’. And His Writing for them indicates that it was for the purpose of honoring them over others, like in the saying of the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam): “He Kataba (Wrote) for you” and “He Khatta (Scripted)”, etc.

Source:

At-Ta’aleeq Al-Ulaa fee Sharh Asmaa’ Allaahu Al-Husnaa wa Sifaatihi Al-Ulaa, by Maahir Muqaddim

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