❖ Question: What is the Meaning and Explanation of the Verse:
﴿يَدُ اللَّهِ فَوْقَ أَيْدِيهِمْ﴾ – “The Hand of Allah is above their hands” (Al-Fatḥ: 10)?
Source: Fatāwā Amaanpuri by Shaykh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Amaanpuri
This verse is to be understood according to its apparent, real (ḥaqīqī) meaning, in a manner befitting the majesty of Allah ﷻ.
“The Hand of Allah” refers to the attribute of Allah, not a limb or body part like that of the creation.
❝لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْءٌۖ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُ❞
“There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the All-Hearing, All-Seeing.”
(Surah ash-Shūrā: 11)
This is the method of the Salaf (righteous predecessors) — affirming the meaning while entrusting the exact nature to Allah.
✔ The verse ﴿يَدُ اللَّهِ فَوْقَ أَيْدِيهِمْ﴾ affirms a real attribute of Allah, which must be believed in without distortion or denial.
Speculating on how Allah’s hand is, or reducing it to metaphor, is a deviation from the creed of Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jamāʿah.
وَاللهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالصَّوَابِ
﴿يَدُ اللَّهِ فَوْقَ أَيْدِيهِمْ﴾ – “The Hand of Allah is above their hands” (Al-Fatḥ: 10)?
Source: Fatāwā Amaanpuri by Shaykh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Amaanpuri❖ The Answer:
This verse is to be understood according to its apparent, real (ḥaqīqī) meaning, in a manner befitting the majesty of Allah ﷻ.
“The Hand of Allah” refers to the attribute of Allah, not a limb or body part like that of the creation.
❖ Key Points of Explanation:
✔ 1. Affirmation of the Attribute:
- “Yad” (Hand) is an affirmed Ṣifah (attribute) of Allah ﷻ.
- We believe in it as Allah has described Himself, without tahrīf (distortion), taʿṭīl (negation), takyīf (speculating how), or tamthīl (likening to creation).
✔ 2. Not Like Human Hands:
- Our hands are limbs and parts of the body.
- Allah’s Hand is a unique divine attribute, not resembling anything from creation.
❝لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْءٌۖ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُ❞
“There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the All-Hearing, All-Seeing.”
(Surah ash-Shūrā: 11)
✔ 3. Belief Without Asking ‘How’:
- We affirm that Allah has a hand, as befits His majesty.
- But we do not delve into its modality (kayfiyyah).
This is the method of the Salaf (righteous predecessors) — affirming the meaning while entrusting the exact nature to Allah.❖ Summary:
| Aspect | Explanation |
|---|---|
| “Yad” (Hand) | An affirmed attribute of Allah, not metaphorical |
| Meaning | Allah’s hand is above their hands in status, power, and authority |
| Interpretation | Real, but without likening to creation |
| How? | Unknown — and we do not question it |
Conclusion:
✔ The verse ﴿يَدُ اللَّهِ فَوْقَ أَيْدِيهِمْ﴾ affirms a real attribute of Allah, which must be believed in without distortion or denial.
Speculating on how Allah’s hand is, or reducing it to metaphor, is a deviation from the creed of Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jamāʿah.وَاللهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالصَّوَابِ
