The Attributes of Allaah: Hatred and Anger (Part 2)

Impact of Belief in the Attribute Anger of Allaah

All these are distortions of words because the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) did not say: “Allaah retaliated”; rather he said: “Allaah’s Anger became deep.” The Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) knows how to express himself; he knows the difference between Allaah’s Anger and retaliation – he is the most sincere and knowledgeable of the creatures about his Lord. Thus, it is not possible that he give an expression while intending the contrary. If he had done that, he would have been confusing – Allaah forbid!

So, anger is neither retaliation nor a wish for retaliation. Anger is a real and established Attribute of Allaah befitting His Mightiness, dissimilar to the anger of the creatures in essence and impact.

There are differences between the creatures’ anger and the Anger of the Creator:

The creature’s anger is essentially an ebullition (overflowing of emotion), outburst, and a burning coal that the Shaytaan hurls in the heart of the son of Adam causing him to flame up. As for the Creator’s Anger, it is an attribute that is not similar to this. He the Exalted says:

لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْءٌ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُ

“There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer.” [Surat Ash-Shoora (42:11)]

The anger of humans brings about negative consequences. When a person is angry he might do obnoxious things; kill an individual against whom he vents his anger, and perhaps divorce his wife or break dishes and things like that. But Allaah’s Anger is only ever accompanied by laudable effects since He is The Wise. Thus, it is not possible that His Anger is followed by other than perfect Actions, suitable for its circumstance. So, Allaah’s Anger is not like the anger of the creatures either in essence or effect.

When we say this, we are not attributing to Allaah, something similar to the attributes of the creatures. Rather, we have ascribed to Him attributes that show power and perfect authority. This is because anger points to the ability of the angry to retaliate with absolute dominion. Therefore, with regards to the Creator, it is an Attribute of perfection, but with respect to the creatures, it is an attribute of deficiency.

Allaah’s saying clearly shows the baselessness of interpreting anger to mean retaliation:

فَلَمَّا آسَفُونَا انتَقَمْنَا مِنْهُمْ فَأَغْرَقْنَاهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ

“So when they angered Us, We punished them, and drowned them all.” [Surat Az-Zukhruf (43:55)]

This is due to the fact that the word ‘aasafoona’ (Angered Us) is ‘aghdaboona’ (they arouse our anger). So, He made the ‘Intiqaam’, (retaliation), different from anger; in fact, He made it an effect consequent upon it (i.e. Anger).

2 – Belief in Allaah’s Attributes of Anger and Wrath should make one avoid the means of attaining Allaah’s Anger, such as killing a believer deliberately, or pursuing what Angers Allaah of apostasy, disbelief, disobedience, rebellion, and abandonment of legal obligations.

From among the causes of Allaah’s Anger are:

a) Taking the graves of the Prophets as mosques.

Maalik recorded in Al-Muwatta’ that Allaah’s Messenger (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “O Allaah! Do not make my grave an idol that is worshipped. May the Anger of Allaah be severe upon a people who take the graves of their Prophets as Masaajid.” [Authenticated by Al-Albaani in Mishkat Al-Masabeeh no. 715 and graded Saheeh]

One of the greatest causes of Allaah’s Anger is committing Shirk and directing worship to other than Allaah Who deserves to be worshipped without associates. Allaah (Ta’ala) says about the people of Aad in Surat Al-A’raaf (7:70):

قَالُوا أَجِئْتَنَا لِنَعْبُدَ اللَّهَ وَحْدَهُ وَنَذَرَ مَا كَانَ يَعْبُدُ آبَاؤُنَا ۖ فَأْتِنَا بِمَا تَعِدُنَا إِن كُنتَ مِنَ الصَّادِقِينَ

“They said: ‘You have come to us that we should worship Allaah Alone and forsake that which our fathers used to worship. So bring us that wherewith you have threatened us if you are of the truthful.’”

Then Allaah (Ta’ala) commands His Prophet Hud (‘Alayhis-salaam) to tell them:

قَالَ قَدْ وَقَعَ عَلَيْكُم مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ رِجْسٌ وَغَضَبٌ

“(Hud) said: ‘Torment and wrath have already fallen on you from your Lord.’” [7:71]

This is because you had equalized these idols and names that you gave to false objects of worship, which you have called ‘gods’ (and likened them) to Allaah (Ta’ala).

b) Killing Prophets and Kufr (disbelief in Allaah)

Allaah (Ta’ala) says in Surat Al-Baqarah (2:61) about Bani Israeel:

وَضُرِبَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ الذِّلَّةُ وَالْمَسْكَنَةُ وَبَاءُوا بِغَضَبٍ مِّنَ اللَّهِ ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا يَكْفُرُونَ بِآيَاتِ اللَّهِ وَيَقْتُلُونَ النَّبِيِّينَ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ ۗ ذَٰلِكَ بِمَا عَصَوا وَّكَانُوا يَعْتَدُونَ

“And they were covered with humiliation and misery, and they drew on themselves the Wrath of Allaah. That was because they used to disbelieve the Ayaat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) of Allaah and killed the Prophets wrongfully. That was because they disobeyed and used to transgress the bounds (in their disobedience to Allaah, i.e. commit crimes and sins).”

c) Recognizing the truth but not accepting it, such as the Jews. Allaah (Ta’ala) says in Surat Al-Fatihah [1:7]:

صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ

“The Way of those on whom You have bestowed Your Grace, and not (the way) of those who earned Your Anger (such as the Jews), nor of those who went astray (such as the Christians).”

d) Using the name “The King of the Kings”

Abu Hurairah and Ibn Abbaas (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhum) narrated that Allaah’s Messenger (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “Allaah’s Anger becomes severe upon a man who named himself ‘king of kings’. There is no king except Allaah.” [Saheeh Al-Jami’e no. 988 and Al-Albaani graded it Saheeh]

e) The prevalence of Zina (adultery) and Ribaa (dealing with usury) in a community.

Ibn ‘Abbaas (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhuma) narrated that Allaah’s Messenger (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “If Zina and Ribaa spread in a town, it causes Allaah’s Anger to befall on it.” [At-Tabaraani and Al-Haakim and authenticated by Al-Albaani in Fiqh As-Seerah no. 342 and graded Saheeh]

f) Not asking Allaah (Ta’ala)

Abu Hurairah (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhu) narrated that Allaah’s Messenger (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “Indeed, he who does not ask Allaah, Allaah gets angry with him.” [Authenticated by Al-Albaani in Saheeh Al-Adab Al-Mufrad no. 512 and graded Hasan]

This is because such a person is either despairing of Allaah’s Mercy or is arrogant.

3 – Some means of protection from Allaah’s Wrath

It is incumbent on us to avoid all the means which are mentioned previously that incur Allaah’s wrath upon a person, such as:

a) Avoid getting angry

‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Amr (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhuma) narrated that he asked Allaah’s Messenger (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) of a matter that keeps him from the Anger of Allaah. He replied: “Do not be angry.” [Saheeh At-Targheeb no. 2747]

b) Give charity secretly

Mu’awiyah ibn Hidah (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhu) narrated that Allaah’s Messenger (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “Indeed, the secret Sadaqah (charity) extinguishes the Anger of the Lord, the Blessed, the Most High.” [Saheeh At-Targheeb no. 888 and graded Hasan Lighairihi by Al-Albaani, and graded Saheeh in Saheeh Al-Jami’e no. 3759]

c) Making Du’aa

‘Aishah (Radia-Allaahu ‘anha) narrated: “One night I missed Allaah’s Messenger (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) from his bed. I searched for him. When I found him, he was in a bowing or prostrating posture and he was reciting:

سبحانك وبحمدك لا إله إلا أنت

Subhanaka wa bi hamdika. La ilaaha illa Anta.

‘O Allaah! Glory be to You and all praise is due to You. There is none worthy of worship except You.’” [Muslim no. 485]

In another narration ‘Aishah (Radia-Allaahu ‘anha) said: “My hand fell over his feet while he was in prostration with his feet erect. He was supplicating:

اللَّهُمَّ إني أَعُوذُ بِرِضَاكَ مِنْ سَخَطِكَ وَبِمُعَافَاتِكَ مِنْ عُقُوبَتِكَ وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْكَ لَا أُحْصِي ثَنَاءً عَلَيْكَ أَنْتَ كَمَا أَثْنَيْتَ عَلَى نَفْسِكَ

Allaahumma inni a’udhu biridaaka min sakhatika, wa bi-mu’aafaatika min uqubatika, wa a’udhu bika minka, laa uhsi thana’an ‘alaika, anta kama athnaita ‘ala nafsika

‘O Allaah! I seek protection against Your Wrath in Your Pleasure. I seek protection in Your Pardon against Your chastisement. I am not capable of enumerating praise of You. You are as You have lauded Yourself.’” [Muslim no. 486]

Sources:

Sharh Al-‘Aqeeda Al-Wasitiyyah by Shaikh Ibn ‘Uthaimeen

Sharh Al-‘Aqeeda Al-Wasitiyyah by Khalil Al-Harras

Al-Qawl Al-Mufeed ‘Ala Kitab At-Tawheed by Shaikh Ibn ‘Uthaimeen

Tayseer Al-Kareem

Belief in Allaah by ‘Umar Al-Ashqar

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