Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah.
The methodology of Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah concerning Allah’s names and attributes is to affirm what has been established in the Qur’an and Sunnah, without distortion or denial, and without asking how or likening them to creation.
The attributes of Allah are tawqifiyyah: He is described only by what He has described Himself with, or what His Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, described Him with. His attributes are real in a manner befitting His majesty and greatness; we affirm their meaning while not knowing their modality.
Authentic hadiths establish the attribute of ghayrah for Allah. Among them is the statement of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him:
“Indeed, Allah has ghayrah, and Allah’s ghayrah is that a believer does what Allah has forbidden.”
He also said:
“Are you amazed at Sa'd’s ghayrah? By Allah, I have more ghayrah than him, and Allah has more ghayrah than me. Because of Allah’s ghayrah, He has forbidden immoralities, both apparent and hidden.”
Another narration states:
“No one has greater ghayrah than Allah.”
It is also authentically reported from Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
“O community of Muhammad, by Allah, no one has greater ghayrah than Allah concerning His servant committing adultery or His female servant committing adultery.”
These texts clearly establish the attribute of ghayrah for Allah.
The ghayrah attributed to Allah is not like the ghayrah of created beings. Rather, it is an attribute befitting His majesty and perfection. Its exact reality and modality, in the manner specific to Allah, are known only to Him.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on him, explained that Allah’s ghayrah occurs when a servant commits what Allah has forbidden. It includes a specific ghayrah concerning the believer falling into what Allah has prohibited and a general ghayrah concerning immoralities, both apparent and hidden.
Ibn al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy on him, explained that ghayrah includes hatred and dislike of what Allah has forbidden. It is an attribute of perfection befitting Allah, and Allah does not resemble His creation in any of His attributes.
Shaykh Abd al-Aziz ibn Baz, may Allah have mercy on him, stated that ghayrah resembling the ghayrah of created beings is impossible regarding Allah. However, the ghayrah befitting His majesty is established by the Sunnah. Like His other attributes, it is affirmed without comparison or asking how.
Shaykh Abdullah al-Ghunayman explained that the meaning of the hadith is that Allah has ghayrah when His prohibitions are violated. Allah’s ghayrah is not like that of created beings; rather, it is an attribute befitting His greatness.
Since ghayrah is established as an attribute of Allah and is connected with violation of His prohibitions and dislike of what He has forbidden, using this expression in the context mentioned by the questioner has a valid meaning.
Attacking the honor of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and slandering his wife, the Mother of the Believers Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, are among the gravest prohibitions. Allah declared her innocence and revealed verses concerning the matter that are recited until the Day of Resurrection.
For this reason, Ibn Kathir, may Allah have mercy on him, said while discussing the Incident of the Slander:
“When the people of the slander spoke against her with falsehood and fabrication, Allah showed ghayrah on her behalf and revealed her innocence in ten verses of the Qur’an that are recited throughout the ages.”
Accordingly, there is no objection to the poet’s statement:
“My Lord showed ghayrah for the wife of Ahmad.”
That is, He showed ghayrah for her, defended her, and manifested her innocence, provided that the intended meaning is to affirm ghayrah for Allah in a manner befitting His majesty, without likening it to the ghayrah of created beings.
Likewise, in terms of meaning, it is permissible to say:
“Allah is protective of His prophets, messengers, and close servants, and protective of His sacred limits and prohibitions,”
provided that what is intended is the ghayrah befitting Allah, not a form resembling the attributes of created beings.
The texts also indicate Allah’s strong protection of His limits and prohibitions and His support of His close servants. Allah says in the sacred hadith:
“Whoever shows hostility toward one of My close servants, I have declared war against him.”
The obligation in all of this is to affirm what has been established for Allah while declaring Him free of any resemblance to creation, in accordance with His saying:
“There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.”
As for the expression found in some nasheeds:
“Your apparition plays with my imagination,”
there does not appear to be anything inherently objectionable in the wording that necessarily makes it forbidden. However, other expressions may be clearer and further removed from ambiguity.
It is preferable to avoid such expressions because, in their usage, they resemble the language of lovers and romantic poetry. This could cause the meanings of praise for the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, to become mixed with expressions that are not appropriate for the status of prophethood.
The basic principle in praising the Prophet is that the praise should be appropriate to his noble status, without exaggeration and without ambiguous expressions resembling the language of lovers.
And Allah knows best.