In the name of Allah, the most gracious, and the most merciful, all praise is due to him, and he is the creator of the heavens and the earth, and he is far above being like that of his creation.

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِذَا قَاتَلَ أَحَدُكُمْ أَخَاهُ فَلْيَجْتَنِبْ الْوَجْهَ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ خَلَقَ آدَمَ عَلَى صُورَتِهِ

Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “If one of you fights his brother, let him avoid the face. Verily, Allah created Adam in His image.”

Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 2612

The foundational principle in discussing the relationship between the Creator and creation is the absolute distinction between the two, and this distinction is critical to properly understand attributes of Allah without falling into tashbih or denying their apparent meaning. This hadith is one of the most frequently misunderstood texts, often cited by idiotic individuals who claim that this leads to a form of anthropomorphism. However, such criticism is rooted in a fundamental misunderstanding of how our scholars, in particular the early Salaf, approached the concept of the Sifat, or the divine attributes, and how we affirm them within the Athari creed.

When we say that Allah created Adam “in His image,” it is crucial to grasp that the term “image” (surah) here does not imply a physical likeness or shared essence between Allah and creation. This understanding stems from the broader principle within Athari theology, rooted in the teachings of scholars like Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Ibn Taymiyyah, and Ibn Qudamah, that we affirm the attributes of Allah as revealed in the Quran and Sunnah without likening them to creation, while simultaneously refraining from philosophical speculation about the kayfiyyah. Imam Ahmad stated, “We pass the hadith on as it came, without tashbih or ta’til,” meaning that we affirm the apparent meaning of these texts, but we don’t delve into their how, nor do we reject them.

Ibnu Taymiyyah says: “Every being must possess attributes, and it is impossible for a being to exist without attributes. However, the attributes of Allah are unlike the attributes of creation. So, just as Allah exists in a manner unlike His creation, His attributes also exist in a manner unlike His creation.” Refuting the notion that sharing a term, such as “image,” implies sharing the reality of that term. This concept is known as qadr mushtarak (Analogical predication), where a single term may be used to describe both Creator and creation, but the reality of that term is entirely different in each case. When we say that Allah “hears,” and that human beings “hear,” the term is shared, but the reality behind these terms is distinct. Allah’s hearing is perfect, eternal, and unlimited, whereas our hearing is limited and created.

The same applies to the concept of “image.” The term is shared between Allah and Adam, but the reality of what that means for Allah is entirely different from what it means for Adam. Ibn Taymiyyah emphasizes that Allah’s attributes are beyond our comprehension. When the Prophet (peace be upon him) says Adam was created “in His image,” it does not mean that Adam’s form is like that of Allah’s, as this would violate the very principle of tanzih that we uphold. Rather, as Ibn Taymiyyah and others have pointed out, it means that Adam was given certain attributes that reflect the nobility that Allah bestowed upon him, attributes like the ability to speak, the faculty of reason, and the capacity for moral judgment, but none of these attributes in Adam are comparable in their essence to those of Allah.

The Salaf also addressed this issue in a very straightforward manner. Imam Malik, when asked about the meaning of the verse “The Most Merciful rose over the Throne” (Surah Ta-Ha, 20:5), replied: “Istiwa’ is known, the ‘how’ is unknown, to believe in it is obligatory, and to question it is an innovation.” This statement encapsulates our approach: affirm the attributes of Allah, but do not delve into kayfiyyah or seek to interpret them in a way that limits or likens them to creation. If this principle applies to more general attributes like istiwa’ (rising above the Throne), how much more so would it apply to something like the hadith about Adam’s creation in Allah’s image?

When it comes to the specific objection about anthropomorphism, I want to highlight a point that our scholars, like Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah and contemporaries like that of Shaykh Ibn al-Uthaymeen, have made: anthropomorphism only arises when one assumes that Allah’s attributes must resemble creation’s attributes. This assumption, however, is based on faulty reasoning. Allah’s essence is completely beyond our comprehension, as is emphasized in Surah Ash-Shura (42:11): “There is nothing like Him, and He is the All-Hearing, All-Seeing.” This would be a clear rejection of any form of anthropomorphism. The fact that Adam was created “in His image” does not imply that Allah has a physical body or form that resembles that of Adam’s. Rather, the use of the word “image” here indicates that Adam was created with a form of honor and dignity, in line with Allah’s wisdom and knowledge.

Missionaries often fail to understand the difference between shared terminology and shared reality. When we speak of Allah having an “image,” it is entirely unlike the image of creation, because Allah is unlike anything in creation. Shaykh Ibn Baz, commenting on this hadith, explained that the reference to Adam being created in Allah’s image is a reference to Adam’s being endowed with attributes like reason, speech, and understanding, attributes that Allah has also, but in a manner befitting His divine majesty. The fact that Adam was created in a noble and honorable form does not imply any likeness to Allah’s essence or form.

To delve deeper into the philosophical perspective, we must also address the concept of analogy that is used to attack this hadith. As Scholars like Ibn Taymiyyah and even those from the Ashari tradition have argued, not all analogy leads to anthropomorphism. Ibn Taymiyyah critiques the philosophers of his time by stating that their rejection of all analogy between the Creator and creation leads to an irrational extreme where no language about Allah can be meaningful. On the other hand, he maintains that analogy can be understood in a proper manner when it is limited to shared terms, without implying shared realities. This is what we call qadr mushtarak.

For example, when we say Allah is “Alive,” and humans are also described as “alive,” we do not assume that divine life is like human life. The term “life” in this case is used in a shared linguistic sense but differs entirely in its essence. Allah’s life is eternal and uncaused, while human life is created, contingent, and temporary. The same holds for the hadith about Adam’s creation. The term “image” is used, but its application to Allah is completely unlike its application to creation. We affirm the apparent meaning of the text, but we do not seek to compare or ask about the how.

Shaykh al-Albani also discussed this issue extensively. In his view, the hadith about Adam’s creation in Allah’s image is to be taken literally, but with the understanding that Allah’s image is unique and incomparable. He emphasized that trying to interpret such texts through philosophical speculation leads one into dangerous areas, where the clear texts of revelation are subordinated to human reason. Instead, we must rely on the methodology of the Salaf, who affirmed what was revealed without seeking to delve into the nature of Allah’s attributes in a manner that compromises His transcendence.

The criticism that Allah’s attributes, as described in this hadith, lead to Tashbih is based on a misunderstanding of both the text and the methodology of our scholars. Allah’s attributes, including those mentioned in the hadith, must be understood in a manner that befits His majesty, without likening them to creation. Allah’s image is unique, and though we affirm its existence as revealed in the hadith, we do not speculate about its nature or attempt to compare it to any created thing. This is in line with the principles laid down by the Salaf and upheld by scholars like Ibn Taymiyyah, Ibn Qudamah, and contemporaries such as Shaykh Ibnu Baz, and Shaykh al Albani.

To wrap this up, the correct approach to this hadith is clear: affirm the text, avoid likening the creator to the creation, and refrain from speculative philosophy that distorts the apparent meaning of the text. The attributes of Allah are nothing like that of humans, and any attempt to compare them to creation is not only philosophically flawed but contradicts the very foundations of Islamic theology. As Allah states in the Quran, “There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the All-Hearing, All-Seeing”.