Attributes of Allah – JSS1 Islamic Studies Lesson Note (Third Term)

The attributes of Allah are the qualities that describe who Allah is, and they are perfect and belong to Him alone.

Behavioural objectives

1. Explain what the attributes of Allah are.
2. State ten attributes of Allah with their Arabic names.
3. Describe what each attribute tells us about Allah.
4. Give reasons why Allah’s attributes are important.
5. Mention ways of learning about Allah’s attributes.

What are the attributes of Allah?

The attributes of Allah are the special qualities that show how great, kind and powerful Allah is.

• Perfect: Allah’s qualities have no fault and no weakness.
• Unique: no human being or creature has these qualities in a perfect way.
• Names: Muslims call Allah by beautiful names that describe these qualities, such as Al-Alim (The All-Knowing).
• Source: we learn them from the Qur’an and the teachings of Prophet Muhammad (SAW).

What are the ten important attributes of Allah?

Ten important attributes of Allah are Al-Wahid, Al-Alim, Al-Qadir, As-Sami, Al-Basir, Ar-Rahman, Al-Adl, Al-Hayy, As-Samad and Al-Hakim.

1. What does Al-Wahid (The One) mean?

Al-Wahid means Allah is one and has no partner.

• No other god: there is no god except Allah.
• No partners: Allah has no partner, helper or equal.
• Unique: Allah is different from everything He created.

2. What does Al-Alim (The All-Knowing) mean?

Al-Alim means Allah knows everything.

• Past: He knows what has happened.
• Present: He knows what is happening now.
• Future: He knows what will happen.
• Hidden things: nothing is hidden from Him, not even what is in our hearts and minds.

3. What does Al-Qadir (The All-Powerful) mean?

Al-Qadir means Allah has power over all things.

• Creation: He can create and bring to an end.
• No limit: nothing is too hard for Allah.
• Control: He controls everything in the universe.
• Will: things happen as He wills.

4. What does As-Sami (The All-Hearing) mean?

As-Sami means Allah hears every sound.

• All sounds: He hears big and small sounds.
• All languages: He hears and understands every prayer in any language.
• Prayer: He listens to every dua.
• No limit: nothing is too quiet or too loud for Him.

5. What does Al-Basir (The All-Seeing) mean?

Al-Basir means Allah sees everything.

• Seen and unseen: He sees what is visible and what is hidden.
• Watching: He watches over all His creation.
• Small details: no detail is too small for Him.
• Dark and light: He sees in the dark as well as in the light.

6. What does Ar-Rahman (The Most Gracious) mean?

Ar-Rahman means Allah is full of kindness and mercy to all creation.

• Forgiveness: He forgives the mistakes of those who repent.
• Blessings: He gives many blessings, such as food, air and health.
• Help: He is always ready to help.
• Greatness: His mercy is greater than we can imagine.

7. What does Al-Adl (The Most Just) mean?

Al-Adl means Allah is always fair and never does wrong to anyone.

• Equal treatment: He is fair to everyone.
• No injustice: no one is treated unfairly.
• Right and wrong: He knows exactly what is right and wrong.
• Judgement: He will judge people fairly on the Day of Judgement.

8. What does Al-Hayy (The Ever-Living) mean?

Al-Hayy means Allah is alive forever and never dies.

• No beginning: Allah was never created.
• No end: Allah will never die.
• No rest: He does not sleep or get tired.
• Quran: Ayatul Kursi (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:255) describes Allah as Al-Hayy who does not sleep.

9. What does As-Samad (The Self-Sufficient) mean?

As-Samad means Allah needs nothing, and everything needs Him.

• Need: all creatures depend on Allah.
• Independence: Allah depends on no one.
• Provision: He provides for all creation.
• Perfection: He is complete and perfect.
• Quran: Surah Al-Ikhlas (112) mentions this name.

10. What does Al-Hakim (The Most Wise) mean?

Al-Hakim means Allah does everything with perfect wisdom.

• Reason: everything He does has a reason.
• Perfect actions: His actions are never wrong.
• Best way: He knows the best way to do all things.
• Purpose: nothing He does is without purpose.

How are Allah’s attributes different from human qualities?

Human beings can have small amounts of some qualities, such as knowledge or kindness, but only Allah has them in a perfect way.

Why are Allah’s attributes important?

Allah’s attributes are important because they help us know Allah and guide how we live.

1. They help us understand Allah better.
2. They teach us to respect and love Allah.
3. They show us how great Allah is.
4. They give us hope and comfort.
5. They help us live a good life, because we know Allah sees and hears us.

How can we learn about Allah’s attributes?

We can learn about Allah’s attributes through the Qur’an, good teachers, thought, prayer and gratitude.

• Read the Qur’an: it names and describes Allah’s qualities.
• Listen to Islamic teachers: they explain the meaning of each name.
• Think about the world: the sky, rain, plants and animals show Allah’s power and wisdom.
• Pray: ask Allah for understanding.
• Be grateful: thank Allah for His blessings.

What should students remember?

• Unique: these attributes belong to Allah alone.
• Perfect: no human or creature can have them in a perfect way.

Evaluation

1. What are the attributes of Allah?
2. What does Al-Alim tell us about Allah?
3. Which attribute means that Allah does not need anyone?
4. State three things we learn about Allah from the attribute Al-Adl.
5. Mention three ways of learning about Allah’s attributes.

Assignment

Write down any five attributes of Allah with their Arabic names. Write one sentence under each to explain what it means.