Question: I tell non-Muslims that Allaah created everything in this universe. They say to me, who created Allaah? How can Allaah have been there since the beginning? How can i answer them?
Answerer: Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid, Islam QA
Praise be to Allaah (سبحانه وتعالى).
1. This question which the Kuffar have asked you is inherently false and self-contradictory. If we were to say – for the sake of argument – that someone created Allaah (سبحانه وتعالى), then they would ask you, Who created the creator of the creator? Then, who created the creator of the creator of the creator?! And so on, ad infinitum. This is irrational and impossible.
All of creation goes back to the Creator Who created all things. No one created Him; He created everything other than Himself. This is what makes sense and is logical. This creator is Allaah (سبحانه وتعالى), may He be glorified and exalted.
2. With regard to what our religion tells us, the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم) told us about this question, where it comes from, and how to respond to it.
Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: the Messenger of Allaah (صلي الله عليه وسلم) said: “People will keep on asking question until someone will say, ‘Allaah created the universe, but who created Allaah?’ Whoever encounters anything like that, let him say, ‘Amantu Billaah (I believe in Allaah).’”
The Messenger of Allaah (صلي الله عليه وسلم) said: “The Shaytaan will come to one of you and say, ‘Who created the heaven? Who created the earth?’ He will say, ‘Allaah’” – then he mentioned something similar (to the previous report), and added, “And His Messengers.” [i.e., amantu Billaah wa Rusulihi = I believe in Allaah and His Messengers]
The Messenger of Allaah (سبحانه وتعالى) (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The Shaytaan will come to one of you and say, ‘Who created such and such?’ until he says to him, ‘Who created your Lord?’ When it reaches that stage, let him seek refuge with Allaah [say A’oodhu Billaahi min ash-shaytaan ir-rajeem = I seek refuge with Allaah (سبحانه وتعالى) from the accursed Shaytaan] and stop thinking about it.”
The Messenger of Allaah (صلي الله عليه وسلم) said: “The Shaytaan will come to a person and say, ‘Who created such and such…’” and he narrated the whole report. (Imaam Muslim, 134).
In these ahaadeeth we see:Where this question comes from – from the Shaytaan;How to deal with it, which is:
- to stop pursuing these thoughts and these tricks of the Shaytaan and to say, “I believe in Allaah and His Messengers”
- to seek refuge with Allaah (سبحانه وتعالى) from the Shaytaan.
- With regard to the prior existence of Allaah, our Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم) has told us about this, for example:
- He (صلي الله عليه وسلم) said: “O Allaah, You are the First and there is nothing before You; O Allaah, You are the Last and there is nothing after You.” (Narrated by Muslim, 2713)
- He (صلي الله عليه وسلم) said: “Allaah existed when there was nothing apart from Him.” According to another report: “There was nothing before Him.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari; the first report 3020; the second report 6982).
It was also reported that one should spit drily three times to one’s left, and recite Qul Huwa Allaahu ahad. (See “Problems and Solutions” in the Shaykh’s Books section of the IslamQA site).
This is in addition to what is stated in the ayaat of the Qur’aan.
The believer believes without a doubt, the kaafir denies and the munaafiq doubts.
We ask Allaah (سبحانه وتعالى) to grant us sincere and certain faith with no doubts. And Allaah is the Source of strength.
- Who is Allah? – By Abu Iman Abd ar-Rahman Robert Squires. © Muslim Answers
- Where Is Allaah? – ahya.org – Mahmud Murad – e-book
- Very Nice Questions about Allah – islamtomorrow.com – Yusuf Estes
- Difference Between the Creator and the Creation and the Concept of Fana – by Shaykh ul-Islam ibn Taymiyyah
- Knowing Allaah by His Words – Quranic Ayahs – Dr Saleh As-Saleh (PDF)
- Knowing Allaah – Purpose of Our Existence Our End – Allaah Makes All That Known By His Words – A call to Ponder & Contemplate
My typical response to this questions along the lines of… applying the property of ‘creation’ i.e. a start/end unto Allah is called anthropomorphism.
This is how it is: created things only exist within the realm of the creation, and Allah exists outside of this, because the realm of creation is also a creation of Allah.
Let’s examine this further: the realm of creation (the universe) is bound by time. time is a creation of Allah. Further we know that everything in time has a start an and end. Allah tells us he has no start and no end, also that he is the first and the last. (quote ayahs)
the logical deduction from these premises is that Allah exists outside of time and thus the universe.
to attempt to understand the nature of Allah beyond what He has told us about himself, is biologically impossible. As he tells us, “wa lam ya kullahu kufawan ahad.” and there is nothing unto like him. i.e. there is nothing in the universe like him.
this body of dirt and water is a holding place for us, for the true beleiver he knows his true place is in jannah and this is where he seeks to return! so for now, within this body, we physically are not able to understand certain things; perhaps Allah will give us a higher capacity or a new body or something with a brain 2.0 living in time 2.0 when this temporary life is over.
what concerns me about this question is why one would ask this in the first place; it seems they are seeking an excuse to not acknowledge their dependence upon their creator. any feeble reasoning would suffice.
and I wont say this is right or wrong, but I will say this: the fact remains that we are here, and we can either prepare for the reckoning, or deny it. the choice is yours, but I will tell you: denying it will not make it go away.
thanks for listening, I had to let that out =]