Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah.
The Names of Allah are names that indicate the Essence of Allah, Glorified and Exalted be He, while at the same time implying the attributes of perfection that are established in Him. As for the Attributes of Allah, they indicate a particular meaning of perfection that is established for Him, Glorified and Exalted be He.
Examples of the Names of Allah include: Al-Qadir (the All-Powerful), Al-‘Alim (the All-Knowing), Al-Hakim (the All-Wise), As-Sami‘ (the All-Hearing), and Al-Basir (the All-Seeing).
Each of these Names indicates two things:
It indicates the Essence of Allah, Exalted be He.
It indicates the attribute of perfection contained in the Name.
Thus, the Name Al-‘Alim (the All-Knowing) indicates Allah, Glorified and Exalted be He, and entails affirming the Attribute of knowledge for Him. Likewise, the Name As-Sami‘ (the All-Hearing) indicates Allah, Exalted be He, and entails affirming the Attribute of hearing for Him, and so on.
As for an Attribute, it indicates one meaning, such as knowledge, wisdom, hearing, sight, and power.
Therefore, it is said:
“The Name entails the Attribute, and the Attribute necessitates the Name.”
The Names and Attributes of Allah indicate His perfection, Glorified and Exalted be He. Therefore, whatever of them is established in the Qur’an and Sunnah must be affirmed in a manner befitting the majesty of Allah, Exalted be He.
If it is established that Allah is All-Knowing, then it is obligatory to believe that He possesses the Attribute of knowledge. And if it is established that He is All-Hearing, All-Seeing, then it is obligatory to believe in His hearing and sight in a manner befitting Him.
A Muslim must not deal with the Names and Attributes of Allah in a manner that leads to likening Allah, Exalted be He, to His creation.
Along with believing in the Names and Attributes of Allah, we must believe that Allah, Glorified and Exalted be He, is unlike anything else. His Attributes do not resemble the attributes of created beings, just as His Essence does not resemble their essences.
Allah, Exalted be He, says:
“Say: He is Allah, the One. Allah, the Self-Sufficient. He neither begets nor is born, nor is there to Him any equivalent.”
[Al-Ikhlas 112:1–4]
And He says:
“There is nothing whatsoever like unto Him, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.”
[Ash-Shura 42:11]
This verse combines negating any likeness to Allah with affirming the Attributes of hearing and sight for Him. This demonstrates that affirming the Attributes does not mean likening the Creator to His creation.
A Muslim must believe in everything that has been established concerning the Names and Attributes of Allah in the Book of Allah or authentically reported from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, in a manner befitting the majesty of Allah, while denying any resemblance between Him and His creation.
A Muslim should neither deny what Allah has affirmed for Himself, nor attribute to Allah anything that has not been established by revelation, nor make the Attributes of the Creator like the attributes of created beings.
The Divine Name indicates the Essence of Allah and the attribute of perfection contained within it, whereas an Attribute indicates one of the meanings of perfection established for Allah. Therefore, it is said: “The Name entails the Attribute, and the Attribute necessitates the Name.”
It is obligatory to believe in what has been established concerning the Names and Attributes of Allah in the Qur’an and Sunnah, in a manner befitting Allah, while believing that He, Glorified and Exalted be He, does not resemble His creation in any of His Attributes, just as He does not resemble them in His Essence.
And Allah knows best.