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Question No. 3320 30 October 2023 Official answer by Master Ali Saei (Abdullah Meshkat) verified Content level: Intermediate

Is Comparing God to His Creation Disbelief?

Primary reference: See the answer text 36 views 23 explanatory notes and annotations
Verified answer Documented and evidence-based
Dear questioner, Master Ali Saei
Tracking code: #Q-3320

Peace be upon you, dear teacher. Could you please explain these hadiths? Thank you.

First hadith:

لإمام الرضا علیه السلام : من شبه الله تعالى بخلقه فهو مشرک ، و من نسب إلیه ما نهى عنه فهو کافر

Second hadith:

حدثنا أحمد بن هارون الفامی رضی الله عنه قال حدثنا محمد بن عبد الله بن جعفر بن جامع الحمیری عن أبیه عن أحمد بن محمد بن عیسى عن أبیه عن محمد بن أبی عمیر عن غیر واحد عن أبی عبد الله ع قال من شبه الله بخلقه فهو مشرک و من أنکر قدرته فهو کافر

The essence and first answer at a glance (60-word summary)

To compare God with His creatures—in His existence, attributes, the way a name applies to Him, or His nature—is to associate partners with Him. Likewise, denying God’s power or attributing to Him things He has forbidden is considered disbelief. These hadiths emphasise the necessity of affirming God’s oneness and avoiding both anthropomorphism and denial of His power.

Answer by Master Ali Saei (Abdullah Meshkat)

Teacher and researcher in the intellectual tradition of wisdom and the Ahl al-Bayt | Soroush Bamdadān Cultural Center

The meaning is clear:

First hadith:

Whoever likens God Almighty to His creatures is a polytheist; and whoever attributes to God something He has forbidden is an unbeliever.

Second hadith:

Whoever likens God to His creatures is a polytheist; and whoever denies God’s power is an unbeliever.

Thus, among the things that constitute polytheism are:

1) Likening God to His creation, whether by sensory, rational or qualitative comparison, in any respect—whether concerning existence, attributes, the attachment of a name, and so on.

2) Commanding, encouraging or recommending something about which God has issued a warning.

3) Denying divine power, whether explicitly or by appealing to various proofs, and whether deliberately or inadvertently—by relying on proofs that are not among those of the Two Weighty Things.

علی بن موسى الرضا ع یقول من شبه الله تعالى بخلقه فهو مشرک و من نسب إلیه ما نهى عنه فهو کافر.

عيون أخبار الرضا علیه السلام، ج‏1، ص: 114

علی بن موسى الرضا ع یقول من شبه الله بخلقه فهو مشرک و من وصفه بالمکان فهو کافر و من نسب إلیه ما نهى عنه فهو کاذب ثم تلا هذه الآیه- إنما یفتری الکذب الذین لا یؤمنون بآیات الله و أولئک هم الکاذبون‏

التوحید (للصدوق)، ص: 69

عن أبی عبد الله ع قال: من شبه الله بخلقه فهو مشرک و من أنکر قدرته فهو کافر.

التوحید (للصدوق)، ص: 76

عن أبی عبد الله ع قال: من شبه الله بخلقه فهو مشرک إن الله تبارک و تعالى لا یشبه شیئا و لا یشبهه شی‏ء و کل ما وقع فی الوهم فهو بخلافه‏

التوحید (للصدوق)، ص: 80

, [26.01.23 19:14]

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