Is Denial of Allah’s Names or Attributes Kufr? — A Detailed Explanation
Source: Fatāwā Arkān al-Islām
❖ Question
If a person denies any of the Names (Asmā’) or Attributes (Ṣifāt) of Allah, what is the ruling on him in Sharīʿah?
❖ Answer
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu was-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, ammā baʿd!
The denial of Allah’s Names or Attributes (Asmā’ wa Ṣifāt) is of two kinds:
➊ Explicit Denial (Inkaar Takzībī)
- This type of denial is undoubtedly kufr.
- If someone denies a Name or Attribute established by Qur’an and Sunnah — for example, saying:
“Allah does not have a Hand” — then there is consensus (ijmāʿ) among Muslims that such a person is a disbeliever. - This is because denying the report given by Allah and His Messenger ﷺ takes a person out of Islām.
➋ Denial by Interpretation (Inkaar Ta’weelī)
In this case, a person does not explicitly reject, but interprets a Name or Attribute in another sense. This has two situations:
◼ (a) Interpretation with linguistic allowance in Arabic
- If the interpretation is supported by the Arabic language, it is not kufr.
- Because such usage can exist in Arabic, it is not counted as outright rejection.
◼ (b) Interpretation without any linguistic basis
- If the interpretation has no basis in Arabic language, then it falls under kufr.
- Example: If someone says,
“Allah neither has a Hand in reality, nor does it mean blessing (niʿmah) or power (quwwah)”
— this is kufr, because it is a complete negation, i.e., outright denial.
Qur’anic Example
Allah says:
﴿بَل يَداهُ مَبسوطَتانِ﴾
(Sūrah al-Mā’idah: 64)
“Rather, His two Hands are outstretched.”
- If someone interprets “two Hands” to mean “the heavens and the earth”, then such a person is a kāfir, because:
✔ Linguistically, this meaning is false.
✔ Sharīʿah evidences reject such an interpretation.
✔ Hence, it is considered denial and rejection.
An Interpretation That is Not Kufr
- If someone interprets “Hand” (Yad) as “blessing” or “power”, then this is not kufr, because in Arabic usage, “Yad” can indeed mean blessing or power.
Poetic Example:
وَكَمْ لِظَلَامِ اللَّيْلِ عِندَكَ مِنْ يَدٍ
تُحَدِّثُ أَنَّ الْمَانَوِيَّةَ تَكْذِبُ
“How many blessings (yad) the darkness of night brings to you, proving that the Manawiyyah are liars.”
- Here “yad” means blessing, proving that such metaphorical usage exists in Arabic.
❖ Conclusion
- Explicit denial of Allah’s Names or Attributes = Kufr.
- Interpretation (ta’weel):
- If linguistically valid in Arabic = not kufr.
- If linguistically invalid = kufr, as it becomes outright rejection.
ھذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب
