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Wrath: one of the attributes of Allaah, in a manner that befits

Question

I need to know more about the wrath of Allaah The Exalted.

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, sallallaahu 'alyhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.

Imaam At-Tahaawi  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  him mentioned that Allaah The Almighty is described with the attribute of anger and satisfaction, yet these attributes are not similar to those of His creatures.

Ibn Abi Al-‘Izz  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  him who was a Hanafi scholar, commented on this by citing the Quranic verses in which Allaah The Almighty Says (what means):

  • {Those whom Allaah has cursed and with whom He became angry.} [Quran 5:60]
  • {And Allaah has become angry with him and has cursed him.} [Quran 4:93]
  • {And returned with anger from Allaah [upon them].} [Quran 2:61]

He also added that there are many other similar Quranic verses.

The adopted view of the righteous predecessors as well as that of the prominent Imaams is to confirm the attributes of anger, satisfaction, enmity, alliance, love, hate and other attributes that are mentioned in the Quran and Sunnah, but, importantly, the meaning of these attributes should not be diverted from their proper explanation, in line with Allaah’s perfection. This also applies to Allaah’s attributes of Hearing, Sight, Speech and all other attributes of Allaah The Exalted.

Allaah The Almighty mentioned in His Book that He inflicts His wrath on those who are disobedient from the disbelievers, hypocrites and their like. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, also said that whoever does not ask Allaah for his needs will have His wrath inflicted on him. [At-Tirmithi (Al-Albaani: Hasan (Sound))].

Imam Al-Mubaarakfoori  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  him commented on this Hadeeth saying that Allaah The Exalted inflicts His wrath on the servant who does not ask Him for his needs because this implies that the servant is arrogant and has no need for Allaah, while it is impermissible for a slave to be as such. Additionally, Allaah The Exalted inflicted His wrath on the Jews who did not act in accordance with their knowledge. Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {The path of those upon whom You have bestowed favor, not of those who have evoked [Your] anger or of those who are astray.} [Quran 1:7]

Ash-Shareed ibn Suwayd  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  him narrated that, when the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, saw him sitting with his left hand behind his back and leaning on his right one, he forbade him from taking this position because this is how the people whom Allaah has inflicted with His wrath sit. [Abu Daawood (Al-Albaani: Saheeh (Authentic))] At-Teebi  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  him mentioned that the people upon whom Allaah’s wrath has been inflicted are the Jews. Also, Allaah The Almighty mentioned in the Quran that His wrath may be invoked upon a woman whose husband accuses her of adultery and sues for it, (what means): {And the fifth (testimony) that the anger of Allaah shall be upon her in case he is of the sincere.} [Quran 24:9] This is due to her concealing the truth, while knowing that what she is accused of is true. There are many other examples of the wrath of Allaah mentioned in the Quranic verses and Hadeeths.

Finally, it should be known that if a person does what deserves Allaah’s wrath then repents, He will accept his repentance. Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {And it is He who accepts repentance from his servants and pardons misdeeds, and He knows what you do.} [Quran 42:25]

Allaah Knows best.

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