A Multiplicity of Eternal Beings

Another problem that they said they faced is that if these attributes are considered to be separate, and not parts of His essence, then they would also have to be eternal. The question arises: are these attributes eternal, or are they created? To say they are created does not work, and Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jamāʿah do not agree with that. If there is an attribute which is created, and it is linked to an essence which is eternal, it becomes created. That does not work. Allah cannot have anything associated with Him that is created. So all agree it is not created. So then it has to be eternal. We believe it is eternal; Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jamāʿah believe it is eternal.

The Muʿtazilah said that if it is believed to be eternal, then it means there is another entity that is also eternal. There is going to be a multiplicity of eternal beings. There are going to be many eternal beings, and that is a problem: there can only be one eternal being. To follow the argument through: they said that the attributes cannot be separate, because if they are separate, they would have to be either created — and if created and linked to Allah, that does not work, because it is the created linked to the eternal — or eternal; and they cannot be eternal, because then there would be a multiplicity of eternal beings, too many eternal beings, and there can only be one eternal being.

Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jamāʿah say: this is a dilemma. This was surely not something that was asked in the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him). But then, when this issue came up, something had to be said, and the belief of Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jamāʿah had to be provided, while keeping in check all of the other verses, so that we do not blaspheme Allah (swt).

Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jamāʿah said: Look, we cannot deny the attributes. There are attributes, because Allah (swt) says He is Rāziq, He is powerful, He is all-hearing. One cannot be that without the attributes. So we have to agree that He has attributes. The attributes are not Him Himself, as the Muʿtazilah finally said: that the attributes are just parts of Him; that they are not attributes, just His hearing, and so on, through His essence. We say no, they are separate attributes. They are not Allah Himself. Neither are they something completely separate, because to say they are completely separate, and eternal, linked to Allah, means there is a multiplicity of eternal beings.

So then how is this to be dealt with? That is the dilemma. Some groups are saying they are separate: a multiplicity of eternal beings. Some groups are saying: no, there are not any; it is just the essence itself that is all-hearing, and so on. Ahl al-Sunnah say: no, attributes have to be established, but they cannot be completely separate either. So what Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jamāʿah say is that they are neither the essence itself, nor are they anything external or completely separate to the essence. It is this middle path that we have to go with, because we do not know the reality.

But this saves us from problematic belief. It saves us from saying that they are completely independent, where there would be a multiplicity of eternal beings. And it saves us from saying that they are Allah's essence itself; it saves us from denying attributes which Allah has mentioned in the Qur'an. So they are not His essence itself, and neither are they completely separate to His essence. They have a special relationship with Allah (swt) that has been there from eternity. These attributes have been there from eternity, and will remain for eternity.

As mentioned, in the example of the person with knowledge being called a knowledgeable person, knowledge is linked to the essence of that person. How is that to be defined? What exactly is that connection? It is very difficult to define. In a human being, though, this knowledge came about later on, and can diminish, or be forgotten; whereas with Allah (swt), those attributes are eternal by merit of Allah (swt) being eternal Himself. So they do not have an independent existence.