10. Qadr: the meaning of Taqdeer is to make an appraisal. It means that Allah has the knowledge of the quantity and temporality of everything from the beginning of creation. He created them by His Will and Power and according to His Knowledge. He recorded them in the Safe Tablet before creating them (Surah Hadeed 57:22).

Part 4: The Way of Believing in the Attributes of Allah

And it is part of Eeman in Allaah that we believe in what He has mentioned about himself and in what the Messenger (sallallahu-alaihi-wasallam) has described Him with, without committing Tahreef, Ta'teel, Takeef and Tamtheel. Rather it should be as Allah has mentioned in the verse {Nothing is as His likeness and He is the Hearer, the Seer.}

1. Tahreef: Introducing a change in a statement in such a way so as to leave outmeaning understood by it and accepting such a meaning which the words may ambiguously indicate.

2. Ta'teel: Leaving and vacating. Negation of His Attributes and denial of His S elf and Being. Denial of the real meaning proved by the Qur'aan and Sunnah. Tahreef incl udes Tateel but Ta'teel does not include Tahreef.

3. Takeef: To have faith that the Attributes of Allah are such and such or to pu t questions as to the state of His Attributes. The term "beghair Takeef' means tha t the Ahlus-Sunnah deny having knowledge of Allah's condition as Allah alone knows the state of His Self and His Attributes.

4. Tamtheel: To have faith that the Attributes of Allah are like the Attributes of His creatures.

5. Tafweez: When one denies the Attributes proved from the Qur'aan and the Sunna h and maintains that it is not the manifest sense which is meant, but he himself d oes not determine a sense.

6. It is not true that Tafweez was the creed of the Salaf. The 'Asharis of later times ascribed this to the Salaf.

7. The Salaf understood the meanings of the passages of the Qur'aan and the Sunn ah, and proved these meanings in the favour of Allah. However, they would submit the ir knowledge of the reality and state of these meanings to Allah. Imaam Maalik was asked about the state of istawa (establishing) of Allah on the Throne, he said ustawa is known but its condition is unknown.

8. The code of conduct of the Ahlus-Sunnah is as the clear Qur'aanic verse {Noth ing is as His likeness}.

9. The correct Creed therefore, is not that the Attributes are completely denied as is the way of the Muta'zila, nor is it to try to prove them completely as is the way of the Mummathila. Rather, the true Creed is to make an affirmation of the Attributes w ithout similitudes.

Part 5: The Way of Believing in the Attributes of Allah (continued)

The attributes with which He has qualified Himself are not denied by them (Ahlus - Sunnah wal-Jamaa'ah), nor do they conmmit Tahreef on the basis of reasoning by statements, nor do they indulge in wrong Ta'weel (interpretation) of the Names o f Allah and His verses, nor do they regard His attributes as like the attributes o f His creatures and neither do they describe their states. This is because there is no thing as His Essence, there is nothing comparable to Him and He has no partners. Nor can a measure or analogy be determined from amongst His creatures to demonstrate a likeness and comparability with Him.

1. The denial of the negation of Allah's Attributes is based on the Faith stated above. When Allah is believed in in this sense, His Attributes will not be negated, Tah reef will not be committed, their states will not be described and likeness will not be demonstrated.

2. Mawadi': is the plural of mauda'. Implies those meanings only upon which it i s necessary to base statements. This is for the reason that at the time of using i t, the statement carries the same meaning as the meaning of the words of Allah or His P rophet (sallallahu-alaihi-wasallam). Therefore, the statement remains attached to the m eaning.