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Fatwa CenterThe Hadeeth that Allaah created Aadam in His image
Question
What is the meaning of the Hadeeth in which the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam (may Allaah exalt his mention), mentioned that Allaah The Almighty has created Aadam (Adam), may Allaah exalt his mention, in His image?
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad 
is His slave and Messenger.
The texts from the Quran, the Sunnah and the consensus of the righteous predecessors support the fact that we describe Allaah The Almighty with the attributes that He described Himself with and what His Messenger , described Him with, without distorting their wordings or meanings, nor denying them, nor asking how they are, nor drawing any resemblance between Allaah and any of His creation. There is no text in the Quran or Sunnah that proves otherwise.
Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the Hearing, the Seeing.} [Quran 42:11] Had there been any texts implying any [resemblance between Allaah The Almighty any of His creation], they would not lead to guidance and call to the right path.
The Hadeeth in question was narrated by Al-Bukhari and Muslim 
in which the Prophet ordered anyone who quarrels with his brother to avoid hitting the face, for Allaah The Almighty created Aadam in His image. [Muslim]
Some scholars from the righteous predecessors as well as the later ones interpreted the Hadeeth according to its apparent meaning, holding that this does not necessitate drawing any resemblance between Allaah The Almighty and His creation. For example, Shaykh ‘Abdul-‘Azeez Ibn Baaz 
stated that scholars interpreted the Hadeeth to mean that Allaah The Almighty created Aadam 
hearing, seeing and speaking – as He wills, and this is the description of Allaah The Almighty who is Hearing, Seeing and Speaking – as He wills, and He has a face. By saying so, we in no way draw any resemblance between Allaah The Almighty and His creation; rather, His image it totally different from that of created beings.
In other words, Allaah The Almighty has His own perfect attributes that suit His Might and Majesty and the created being has his imperfect and perishable attributes that suit him. Allaah The Almighty Says (what means):
• {There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the Hearing, the Seeing.} [Quran 42:11]
• {Nor is there to Him any equivalent.} [Quran 112:4]
The expression "in His image" does not necessarily mean that the image of man is similar to that of the Creator, or vice versa. There is evidence of this in the words of the Prophet who mentioned that the first group to enter Paradise will be in the image of the full moon. [Al-Bukhari & Muslim] and it is known that this group does not resemble the moon in the literal sense of the word.
Allaah Knows best.
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