The Eternal Qur'an, Abū Ḥanīfah and Suicide

The seven active attributes, to list them again, are creating, sustaining, bringing into being, originating, making, and others. For example: giving life, causing death, causing growth, developing, shaping, creating.

A question that naturally arises is whether the Qur'an is pre-eternal, as Allah is pre-eternal. Yes, it is. The Qur'an is pre-eternal. This is described in detail in a later chapter; but yes, it is eternal.

Why, then, is the Qur'an not created? Because it is the speech of Allah, and He has always existed; it is an attribute that is eternal. It is with Allah; it cannot be created. Though the copy of the Qur'an we have in front of us is created. That seems to be where the confusion lies. The copy of the Qur'an we have in our hands — that is a created copy. When we speak it, it is a created speech. But the eternal speech of Allah, which this speech reflects — that is eternal; that is not created; that has always been there.

It is also asked whether it is true that Imam Abū Ḥanīfah said, "If you don't know where Allah is, you are a…"

… in al-Fiqh al-Akbar are very different to that.

Point 21 says: He determined the spans of their lives. Does this include people who commit suicide? Why is suicide ḥarām, if it was predetermined? It is very simple. One is the action of Allah and His decree, and the other is the action of the human being. This question does not have to relate to suicide; it could relate to the sins that we commit. Allah has decreed; Allah has given us the ability; and He knows what we are going to do, and has decreed everything that we are going to do. So why should we be accountable for the sins, according to that same logic? The reason is that there is an action of the human being, by merit of the small power and ability that Allah has given us, but for which we are accountable. So a person who is committing suicide is doing something to himself voluntarily — though Allah has written for him to die at that time as well, so that happens at the same time.

There is the account of the person who came to ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with him) having drunk some intoxicants, and who said that this was done by the qadar of Allah. So ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with him) said that was fine — and he beat him, and said: this is also by the qadar of Allah. This is the kind of argument that is being made.