Does Allah have hands

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Does Allah have hands?

Qur’anic verses emphasizing that Allah is not like His creation and does not have a body. Also he is not a thing because all things are his creation and Allah is not created:

قُلۡ أَيُّ شَيۡءٍ أَكۡبَرُ شَهَٰدَةٗۖ قُلِ ٱللَّهُۖ شَهِيدُۢ بَيۡنِي وَبَيۡنَكُمۡۚ وَأُوحِيَ إِلَيَّ هَٰذَا ٱلۡقُرۡءَانُ لِأُنذِرَكُم بِهِۦ وَمَنۢ بَلَغَۚ أَئِنَّكُمۡ لَتَشۡهَدُونَ أَنَّ مَعَ ٱللَّهِ ءَالِهَةً أُخۡرَىٰۚ قُل لَّآ أَشۡهَدُۚ قُلۡ إِنَّمَا هُوَ إِلَٰهٞ وَٰحِدٞ وَإِنَّنِي بَرِيٓءٞ مِّمَّا تُشۡرِكُونَ 6:19

In Surah Al-An’am (6:19), the word shay’ (“thing”) refers to Allah as the greatest witness. While shay’ can mean “thing,” here it emphasizes Allah’s existence and role as the ultimate, incomparable witness, not a physical being. It’s a way to convey profound truths in human language while affirming His transcendence.

  1. Surah Al-Ikhlas (112:1-4)
    “Say: He is Allah, UNDEFINEABLE; Allah, the Eternal Refuge. He neither begets nor is born, nor is there to Him any equivalent.”

    قُلۡ هُوَ ٱللَّهُ أَحَدٌ 112:1

  2. Surah Ash-Shura (42:11)
    “There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.”

فَاطِرُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِۚ جَعَلَ لَكُم مِّنۡ أَنفُسِكُمۡ أَزۡوَٰجٗا وَمِنَ ٱلۡأَنۡعَٰمِ أَزۡوَٰجٗا يَذۡرَؤُكُمۡ فِيهِۚ لَيۡسَ كَمِثۡلِهِۦ شَيۡءٞۖ وَهُوَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلۡبَصِيرُ 42:11

  1. Surah An-Nahl (16:74)
    “So do not attribute to Allah equals while you know [that there is nothing comparable to Him].”

    فَلَا تَضۡرِبُواْ لِلَّهِ ٱلۡأَمۡثَالَۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَعۡلَمُ وَأَنتُمۡ لَا تَعۡلَمُونَ 16:74

  2. Surah Maryam (19:65)
    "[He is] the Lord of the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them, so worship Him and have patience for His worship. Do you know of any similarity to Him?"

    رَّبُّ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَمَا بَيۡنَهُمَا فَٱعۡبُدۡهُ وَٱصۡطَبِرۡ لِعِبَٰدَتِهِۦۚ هَلۡ تَعۡلَمُ لَهُۥ سَمِيّٗا 19:65

  3. Surah Al-Isra (17:110)
    “Say, ‘Call upon Allah or call upon the Most Merciful. Whichever [name] you call - to Him belong the best names.’ And do not recite [too] loudly in your prayer or [too] quietly but seek between that an [intermediate] way.”

    قُلِ ٱدۡعُواْ ٱللَّهَ أَوِ ٱدۡعُواْ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنَۖ أَيّٗا مَّا تَدۡعُواْ فَلَهُ ٱلۡأَسۡمَآءُ ٱلۡحُسۡنَىٰۚ وَلَا تَجۡهَرۡ بِصَلَاتِكَ وَلَا تُخَافِتۡ بِهَا وَٱبۡتَغِ بَيۡنَ ذَٰلِكَ سَبِيلٗا 17:110

  4. Surah Al-An’am (6:103)
    “Vision perceives Him not, but He perceives [all] vision; and He is the Subtle, the Acquainted.”

    لَّا تُدۡرِكُهُ ٱلۡأَبۡصَٰرُ وَهُوَ يُدۡرِكُ ٱلۡأَبۡصَٰرَۖ وَهُوَ ٱللَّطِيفُ ٱلۡخَبِيرُ 6:103

These verses collectively affirm that Allah is beyond human attributes, transcendent, incomparable, and not confined to physical or bodily forms.

Metaphorical Verses

Here is a list of verses from the Quran that may seem to imply Allah has body parts but are understood by many scholars metaphorically. Classical Islamic theology often emphasizes that these descriptions are not literal but are expressions of Allah’s attributes in a way humans can comprehend.

  1. Surah Al-Qalam (68:42)
    “The Day the shin will be uncovered, and they are invited to prostration but the disbelievers will not be able to.”
    Metaphorical meaning: “Shin” is interpreted by scholars as a metaphor for a moment of intense severity or trial, not a physical attribute.

    يَوۡمَ يُكۡشَفُ عَن سَاقٖ وَيُدۡعَوۡنَ إِلَى ٱلسُّجُودِ فَلَا يَسۡتَطِيعُونَ 68:42

  1. Surah Al-Fath (48:10)
    “The Hand of Allah is over their hands.”
    Metaphorical meaning: “Hand” symbolizes Allah’s power, authority, and support, not a literal hand.

    إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يُبَايِعُونَكَ إِنَّمَا يُبَايِعُونَ ٱللَّهَ يَدُ ٱللَّهِ فَوۡقَ أَيۡدِيهِمۡۚ فَمَن نَّكَثَ فَإِنَّمَا يَنكُثُ عَلَىٰ نَفۡسِهِۦۖ وَمَنۡ أَوۡفَىٰ بِمَا عَٰهَدَ عَلَيۡهُ ٱللَّهَ فَسَيُؤۡتِيهِ أَجۡرًا عَظِيمٗا 48:10

  1. Surah Ta-Ha (20:5)
    “The Most Merciful [Allah] is established above the Throne.”
    Metaphorical meaning: “Established” does not mean a physical sitting; it signifies Allah’s authority, dominion, and control over the universe.

    ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنُ عَلَى ٱلۡعَرۡشِ ٱسۡتَوَىٰ 20:5

  1. Surah Al-Ma’idah (5:64)
    “The Jews say, ‘Allah’s hand is chained.’ Chained are their hands, and cursed are they for what they say. Rather, both His hands are extended; He spends as He wills.”
    Metaphorical meaning: “Hands” signify Allah’s generosity and unrestricted giving, not literal hands.

    يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ إِذَا قُمۡتُمۡ إِلَى ٱلصَّلَوٰةِ فَٱغۡسِلُواْ وُجُوهَكُمۡ وَأَيۡدِيَكُمۡ إِلَى ٱلۡمَرَافِقِ وَٱمۡسَحُواْ بِرُءُوسِكُمۡ وَأَرۡجُلَكُمۡ إِلَى ٱلۡكَعۡبَيۡنِۚ وَإِن كُنتُمۡ جُنُبٗا فَٱطَّهَّرُواْۚ وَإِن كُنتُم مَّرۡضَىٰٓ أَوۡ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍ أَوۡ جَآءَ أَحَدٞ مِّنكُم مِّنَ ٱلۡغَآئِطِ أَوۡ لَٰمَسۡتُمُ ٱلنِّسَآءَ فَلَمۡ تَجِدُواْ مَآءٗ فَتَيَمَّمُواْ صَعِيدٗا طَيِّبٗا فَٱمۡسَحُواْ بِوُجُوهِكُمۡ وَأَيۡدِيكُم مِّنۡهُۚ مَا يُرِيدُ ٱللَّهُ لِيَجۡعَلَ عَلَيۡكُم مِّنۡ حَرَجٖ وَلَٰكِن يُرِيدُ لِيُطَهِّرَكُمۡ وَلِيُتِمَّ نِعۡمَتَهُۥ عَلَيۡكُمۡ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَشۡكُرُونَ 5:6

  1. Surah Sad (38:75)
    "[Allah] said, ‘O Iblis, what prevented you from prostrating to that which I created with My Hands?’"
    Metaphorical meaning: “My Hands” refers to Allah’s special creation and care, symbolizing His direct act of creation, not physical hands.

    قَالَ يَـٰٓإِبۡلِيسُ مَا مَنَعَكَ أَن تَسۡجُدَ لِمَا خَلَقۡتُ بِيَدَيَّۖ أَسۡتَكۡبَرۡتَ أَمۡ كُنتَ مِنَ ٱلۡعَالِينَ 38:75

  1. Surah Al-Qasas (28:88)
    “Everything will perish except His Face.”
    Metaphorical meaning: “Face” represents Allah’s eternal existence and essence, not a physical face.

    وَلَا تَدۡعُ مَعَ ٱللَّهِ إِلَٰهًا ءَاخَرَۘ لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَۚ كُلُّ شَيۡءٍ هَالِكٌ إِلَّا وَجۡهَهُۥۚ لَهُ ٱلۡحُكۡمُ وَإِلَيۡهِ تُرۡجَعُونَ 28:88

  1. Surah Az-Zumar (39:67)
    “And the earth will be entirely within His grip on the Day of Resurrection, and the heavens will be folded in His right hand.”
    Metaphorical meaning: “Grip” and “right hand” signify Allah’s supreme control and power over all creation, not physical attributes.

    وَمَا قَدَرُواْ ٱللَّهَ حَقَّ قَدۡرِهِۦ وَٱلۡأَرۡضُ جَمِيعٗا قَبۡضَتُهُۥ يَوۡمَ ٱلۡقِيَٰمَةِ وَٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتُ مَطۡوِيَّـٰتُۢ بِيَمِينِهِۦۚ سُبۡحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ عَمَّا يُشۡرِكُونَ 39:67

  1. Surah Al-Hadid (57:4)
    “And He is with you wherever you are.”
    Metaphorical meaning: Allah’s “withness” signifies His knowledge, awareness, and support, not a physical presence.

    هُوَ ٱلَّذِي خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٖ ثُمَّ ٱسۡتَوَىٰ عَلَى ٱلۡعَرۡشِۖ يَعۡلَمُ مَا يَلِجُ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَمَا يَخۡرُجُ مِنۡهَا وَمَا يَنزِلُ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَمَا يَعۡرُجُ فِيهَاۖ وَهُوَ مَعَكُمۡ أَيۡنَ مَا كُنتُمۡۚ وَٱللَّهُ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ بَصِيرٞ 57:4

Summary of the Metaphorical Understanding

Classical Islamic scholars like Imam al-Ash’ari and Imam al-Maturidi emphasized interpreting such verses in a way that upholds Allah’s transcendence (tanzih). These descriptions convey attributes of power, authority, and action without implying physicality, as Allah is beyond human comprehension and not bound by the limits of creation.

ٱدۡعُ إِلَىٰ سَبِيلِ رَبِّكَ بِٱلۡحِكۡمَةِ وَٱلۡمَوۡعِظَةِ ٱلۡحَسَنَةِۖ وَجَٰدِلۡهُم بِٱلَّتِي هِيَ أَحۡسَنُۚ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ أَعۡلَمُ بِمَن ضَلَّ عَن سَبِيلِهِۦ وَهُوَ أَعۡلَمُ بِٱلۡمُهۡتَدِينَ 16:125

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