488. Is God devoid of a form or shape?

Many verses of the Quran talk of the attributes of the Almighty, and the fundamentals required to be called as God.

Non-Muslims believe the ideology of Islam is basically God does not have a form or shape, and many Muslims also carry the same belief. There is no harm in nurturing such a belief as long as it is done on the basis of the opinion that since nobody has seen God. But if it is believed on the basis of a surmise that God does not have a form or shape at all, then it is a wrong notion.

In the Quran there is not a single verse that says God is formless or shapeless, and neither did Prophet Muhammad declare so in any of his sayings. 

On the contrary there are many verses in the Quran and, there are many hadiths that talk of the Almighty having a form or shape for sure. 

The wrong belief that has spread among Muslims saying God does not have a form or shape has encouraged them to be less God fearing.

The belief God has no shape or form has given roots to the Muslims a thought of no God fearing with the assumption there is no necessity to fear nihility.

The Muslims are required to believe the Almighty has a form and shape of Himself that cannot be comprehended by any in this world, and He is visible only in the hereafter world. 

There is evidence provided for this belief in the Quran.

Verses 2:46, 2:223, 2:249, 3:77, 6:31, 6:154, 10:7, 10:11, 10:15, 10:45, 11:29, 13:2, 18:105, 18:110, 29:5, 29:23, 30:8, 32:10, 33:44, 41:54, 75:23, of the Quran say the Almighty is visible to human beings only in the hereafter world. Prophet Muhammad has also said the Almighty is visible to humans only in the hereafter world. Book: Bukhari 554, 573, 806, 4581, 4851, 6574,7434, 7435, 7436, 7438, 7440). 

The fact that the Almighty is visible in itself is evidence that God has form and a shape, because unless and until there is shape nothing becomes visible.

Verses (7:54, 10:3, 13:2, 20:5, 25:59, 32:4, 57:4) of the Quran say the Almighty is seated on ‘Arsh’ a throne. Verses 

(9:129, 11:7, 17:42, 21:22, 22:86, 22:116, 27:26, 40:15, 43:82, 81:20, 85:15) of the Quran say the Almighty is the owner of the throne (Arsh). 

Mention of the Almighty being seated on a throne is proof He has a form or a shape, if there is no form or shape the question of being seated does not arise.

Some are of the opinion that the word throne should not be used in the literal sense because they say it refers to the power the Almighty holds. 

But the verses (39:75, 40:7, 69:17) of the Quran talk of angels that bear the throne, and the angels that surround the ‘Arsh’ singing praises of the Almighty. We need to understand as said in the Quran that angels are bearers of the throne on which the Almighty is seated, and the word does not refer to the power as claimed by these people. 

Verse 89:22 says the Almighty will arrive on the day of judgement to question humans surrounded by angels. 

And verse 68:42 of the Quran and hadith Bukhari 4919 says people will prostrate at the feet of the Almighty.

And hadith Bukhari: 4848, 4849, can be found recorded, as Prophet Muhammad saying when the hell dwellers are flung into hellfire, it would ask if there were more people to be thrown into it, at that time Allah would set his feet on it, prompting it to say it had enough of people thrown into it. 

From this we can understand Allah has legs. 

In the hereafter when judgements are delivered, to follow the footsteps of whomever they followed, other than Allah in this world, into hell, they would abide by the command to be thrown into hell, while the others who worshipped Allah alone in this world will remain expecting the arrival of the great God. (Book: Bukhari 806, and 7440)

In the hereafter world Allah would talk to some people exclusively, questioning them if they have committed certain punishable acts after presenting them with the required evidence. (Book :Bukhari 4685) When they own up to their misdeeds, He will tell them just as He hid their activities from the rest of the people while on earth, He will do the same to them in the Hereafter and forgive them.

This is another evidence to prove Allah has definite shape and form. 

Verse 39:67 of the Quran says the earth and the skies will be within the grip of Allah when He decimates them all together. Prophet Muhammad demonstrated the same by clinching his fist. (Book: Muslim 5371, 5372.) 

We find in the hadith book Bukhari: 6614, that Allah scripted the Torah with his Own hands. 

And also, we see in the hadith book Bukhari 6520, the earth on the day of judgement will fit into the hands of the great God like a piece of bread. 

The recording in the hadith book Bukhari 3731 says the absolute believers of Allah will be on the right-hand side of Him on the day of Judgement. 

Verse 38:75 of the Quran says Allah created the first human being with both His hands.

Prophet Muhammad said Allah created the first human being Adam in His Own persona.

Narrator :Abu Huraira (RA) 

Book: Bukhari 6227 

It cannot be said that Allah created the first human in His persona, without Him devoid of any shape. 

There are numerous proofs that evidence the presence of a pair of hands for Allah. 

Dajjal will call himself God, but he is single eyed, do not believe him. Your Lord is not handicapped, is being quoted by Prophet Muhammad. Book: (Bukhari 3057, 3337, 3440, 4403, 6173, 7127, 7131, 7407).

From this it can be understood the presence of eyes in Allah.

Prophet Muhammad said one can find Allah smiling in the hereafter world. (Book:Bukhari 7437, 3798, 6573). 

Verses 2:253, 4;164, 7;143, 7:144 of the Quran talks about Prophet Musa’s conversation with Allah. 

These verses are evidence to prove Allah possesses a mouth. 

There are numerous verses of the Quran that talk of Almighty as the All Seer and Listener.

All these prove the presence of ears and eyes for the Almighty. 

Despite the presence of numerous evidence, some present unsuitable explanations for the same. 

They contend the words ‘right hand’ and ‘left hand’ and eyes of God refer to symbolic representations of the importance given to persons status with respect to God and do not refer in the literal sense.

By this kind of interpretation, of the Quranic verses these people exhibit their ignorance. Generally any word in the original texts needs to be given its direct meaning except at circumstances when it is improbable. 

Thousands of words like, he ate with his hands, his hands were broken, he took an eye treatment, he woke up with his eyes open are understood in the direct sense.

In the same way wherever a direct meaning cannot be attributed to a particular word with reference to God, can different connotations be made.

We have made clear such places of the Quran in our explanation point 61 of this compilation. 

We need to consider only direct meanings of words quoted in the Quran except in places where it is found to be implausible.

The only evidence given by people who argue saying, God has no form or shape are verses that that convey in the Quran God has no equal of any kind. And attributing a shape to Him would be contrary to the Quran.

This argument by these people needs to be totally rejected by the learned.

There are creations by Allah which have shape and those that are shapeless. Air, light, electricity, heat, and cold are shapeless.

If the argument comparing Allah with the creations that have shape is wrong as per the verses of the Quran, then calling God shapeless is also wrong because there are many creations by God that are shapeless as already quoted.

We can understand the futility in the arguments by these people citing examples already mentioned.

Hence saying Allah has shape and form but not like Him is the apt description.

We have the same opinion. 

There is nothing like Him. 

The Quran 42:11 

The Quran112:1-4 says: 

In the name of God, the Gracious, the Merciful. 

1. Say, “He is God, the One. 

2. God, the Absolute. 

3. He begets not, nor was He begotten. 

4. And there is none comparable to Him.” 

Having belief in the above verses of the Quran steadfastly is the only guidance that can be got from the Quran and the sayings of Prophet Muhammad, and we are required to staunchly believe the same.