The Attributes of Allaah: Hatred and Anger

وَمَا تَشَاءُونَ إِلَّا أَن يَشَاءَ اللَّهُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمًا

“But you cannot will, unless Allaah wills. Verily, Allaah is Ever All-Knowing, All-Wise.” [Surat Al-Insaan (76:30)]

Allaah’s Hatred and Anger are real in a manner that befits His Majesty. We affirm Allaah’s Attributes without giving them resemblance to the creation, or Takyeef (i.e. giving them a description), or denying them or misinterpreting them.

The Attributes Hatred and Anger are mentioned in the Qur’an and in the Sunnah with the following wordings, such as:

كره – يكره, kariha – yakrahu, which means to hate.

مقت– يمقت, maqata – yamqutu, which means intensive hatred.

غضب– يغضب, ghadiba – yaghdabu, which means to be angry.

سخط- يسخط, sakhita – yaskhatu, which means wrath. Its meaning is close to anger.

أسف, asaf – which has two linguistic meanings. One means grief such as Allaah’s Statement in Surat Yusuf (12:84). However, this meaning does not befit Allaah’s Majesty; therefore, it is negated. The second meaning is anger and this meaning is affirmed to Allaah (Ta’ala).

Evidences from the Qur’an for these Attributes:

1 – Allaah (Ta’ala) says in Surat An-Nisaa’ (4:93):

وَمَن يَقْتُلْ مُؤْمِنًا مُّتَعَمِّدًا فَجَزَاؤُهُ جَهَنَّمُ خَالِدًا فِيهَا وَغَضِبَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَلَعَنَهُ وَأَعَدَّ لَهُ عَذَابًا عَظِيمًا

“And whoever kills a believer intentionally, his recompense is Hell to abide therein, and the Wrath and the Curse of Allaah are upon him, and a great punishment is prepared for him.”

2 – Allaah (Ta’ala) says in Surat At-Tawbah (9:46):

وَلَوْ أَرَادُوا الْخُرُوجَ لَأَعَدُّوا لَهُ عُدَّةً وَلَٰكِن كَرِهَ اللَّهُ انبِعَاثَهُمْ فَثَبَّطَهُمْ وَقِيلَ اقْعُدُوا مَعَ الْقَاعِدِينَ

“And if they had intended to march out, certainly, they would have made some preparation for it, but Allaah was averse to their being sent forth, so He made them lag behind, and it was said (to them): ‘Sit you among those who sit (at home).’”

3 – Allaah (Ta’ala) says in Surat Muhammad (47:28):

ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمُ اتَّبَعُوا مَا أَسْخَطَ اللَّهَ وَكَرِهُوا رِضْوَانَهُ فَأَحْبَطَ أَعْمَالَهُمْ

“That is because they followed that which angered Allaah, and hated that which pleased Him. So He made their deeds fruitless.”

4 – Allaah (Ta’ala) says in Surat As-Saff (61:3):

كَبُرَ مَقْتًا عِندَ اللَّهِ أَن تَقُولُوا مَا لَا تَفْعَلُونَ

“Most hateful it is with Allaah that you say that which you do not do.”

And in Surat Ghaafir (40:10):

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا يُنَادَوْنَ لَمَقْتُ اللَّهِ أَكْبَرُ مِن مَّقْتِكُمْ أَنفُسَكُمْ إِذْ تُدْعَوْنَ إِلَى الْإِيمَانِ فَتَكْفُرُونَ

“Those who disbelieve will be addressed (at the time of entering into the Fire): ‘Allaah’s aversion was greater towards you (in the worldly life when you used to reject the Faith) than your aversion towards one another (now in the Fire of Hell, as you are now enemies to one another), when you were called to the Faith but you used to refuse.’”

5 – Allaah (Ta’ala) says in Surat Az-Zukhruf (43:55):

فَلَمَّا آسَفُونَا انتَقَمْنَا مِنْهُمْ فَأَغْرَقْنَاهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ

“So when they angered Us, We punished them, and drowned them all.”

Evidences from the Sunnah for these Attributes:

1 – ‘Aishah (Radia-Allaahu ‘anha) narrated that Allaah’s Messenger (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “Whoever loves to meet Allaah, Allaah loves to meet him, and whoever hates to meet Allaah, Allaah hates to meet him.” [Muslim no. 2684]

2 – ‘Aishah (Radia-Allaahu ‘anha) narrated that the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “The most despicable amongst people in the eye of Allaah is one who tries to fall into dispute with others (for nothing but only to display his knowledge and power of argumentation).” [Muslim no. 2668]

3 – Al-Baraa’ ibn ‘Aazib (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhu) narrated that he heard the Messenger of Allaah (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) say concerning the Ansaar: “Whoever loves them, Allaah will love him, and whoever hates them, Allaah will hate him.” [Al-Bukhaari no. 3783]

Impact of Belief in these Attributes

1 – There are actions which Allaah does not love; in fact, He hates them, hates their doers, and is angry with them. Allaah’s hatred could be for the action and it could be for the doer.

a) An example of Allaah’s hatred for an action is as mentioned in Surat At-Tawbah (9:46):

وَلَوْ أَرَادُوا الْخُرُوجَ لَأَعَدُّوا لَهُ عُدَّةً وَلَٰكِن كَرِهَ اللَّهُ انبِعَاثَهُمْ فَثَبَّطَهُمْ وَقِيلَ اقْعُدُوا مَعَ الْقَاعِدِينَ

“And if they had intended to march out, certainly, they would have made some preparation for it, but Allaah was averse to their being sent forth, so He made them lag behind, and it was said (to them): ‘Sit you among those who sit (at home).’”

The context is about the hypocrites who remained behind from Jihaad. Allaah disliked their being sent forth; i.e. Allaah hated that they should march with the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) and the believers because their actions were not sincere to Allaah, and Allaah is richer than the partners they associate with Him. Also, if they marched out with them, they would do what Allaah mentioned in verse 47:

لَوْ خَرَجُوا فِيكُم مَّا زَادُوكُمْ إِلَّا خَبَالًا وَلَأَوْضَعُوا خِلَالَكُمْ يَبْغُونَكُمُ الْفِتْنَةَ وَفِيكُمْ سَمَّاعُونَ لَهُمْ وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ بِالظَّالِمِينَ

“Had they marched out with you, they would have added to you nothing except disorder, and they would have hurried about in your midst (spreading corruption) and sowing sedition among you, and there are some among you who would have listened to them. And Allaah is the All-Knower of the Dhalimun (polytheists and wrong-doers, etc.).”

i.e. they would have rushed to spread false stories and cause hate and dissent amongst you. Since Allaah hates Shirk and mischief, He (Ta’ala) was averse to their going out, so He made them lag behind and stay away from Jihaad. Allaah disheartened them from going out for Jihaad.

b) Another example of Allaah’s hatred for actions is as mentioned in Surat Al-Israa’ (17:38):

كُلُّ ذَٰلِكَ كَانَ سَيِّئُهُ عِندَ رَبِّكَ مَكْرُوهًا

“All the bad aspects of these (the above mentioned things in the Surah) are hateful to your Lord.”

c) The Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “Allaah has hated for you three things: Qeel and Qaal (sinful and useless talk like backbiting, etc. or that you talk too much or talk about others), wasting of wealth (by extravagance with lack of wisdom and thinking, etc.), and asking too many questions (in disputed religious matters, or asking others for something, etc.).” [Al-Bukhaari no. 1477]

Allaah’s hatred could be for the doer, as mentioned in the Hadeeth narrated by Abu Hurairah (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhu), that Allaah’s Messenger (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “If Allaah hates someone, He calls to Jibreel and says: ‘I hate so-and-so, so hate him’, then he (Jibreel) calls out to the people of the heaven: ‘Allaah hates so-and-so, so hate him.’ So they hate him and he is hated on earth.” [Muslim no. 2637]

This means that from the impact of Allaah’s hatred for a person, he is made to be detested by people and have a bad reputation in this worldly life; that is because of his evil and corrupt deeds.

The following Hadeeth indicates how Allaah makes one to be dispraised and hated by all people:

Anas ibn Maalik (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhu) narrated that a funeral procession passed by and the people praised the deceased. The Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “It has been affirmed to him.” Then another funeral procession passed by and the people spoke badly of the deceased. The Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “It has been affirmed to him”. `Umar ibn al-Khattaab (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhu) asked: “What has been affirmed?” He (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) replied: “You praised this (so and so), so Paradise has been affirmed to him; and you spoke badly of this (so and so), so Hell has been affirmed to him. You people are Allaah’s witnesses on earth.” [Al-Bukhaari no. 1367]

Accordingly, one should beware of being among those whom Allaah hates, and from committing the actions that Allaah hates.

2 – From among the most hateful actions to Allaah is to say what is righteous and encourage others to its path while not doing it oneself. One prohibits evil and even exalts himself from committing it, yet he is tainted by it since he practices it. It is not appropriate that believers have such an undesirable state. Allaah (Ta’ala) says in Surat As-Saff (61:3):

كَبُرَ مَقْتًا عِندَ اللَّهِ أَن تَقُولُوا مَا لَا تَفْعَلُونَ

“Most hateful it is with Allaah that you say that which you do not do.”

Shaikh As-Sa’dee (Rahimahullaah) said: “Those who enjoin righteousness should be the first among people to practice it and those who forbid evil should be the farthest among people from falling into it. Allaah (Ta’ala) says in Surat Al-Baqarah (2:44):

أَتَأْمُرُونَ النَّاسَ بِالْبِرِّ وَتَنسَوْنَ أَنفُسَكُمْ وَأَنتُمْ تَتْلُونَ الْكِتَابَ أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ

“Enjoin you Al-Birr (piety and righteousness and each and every act of obedience to Allaah) on the people and you forget (to practice it) yourselves, while you recite the Scripture [the Taurat (Torah)]! Have you then no sense?”

Also, the Prophet Shu’aib (‘Alayhis-salaam) said to his people in Surat Hud (11:88):

وَمَا أُرِيدُ أَنْ أُخَالِفَكُمْ إِلَىٰ مَا أَنْهَاكُمْ عَنْهُ

‘I wish not, in contradiction to you, to do that which I forbid you.’ [Tayseer Al-Kareem]

Accordingly, one should beware of saying and enjoining that which he does not do. This is because the person is either a liar in what he says and he just frightens people by telling them the matter and it is not real. Or he is an arrogant person and he commands the people and does not do it or he forbids the people and does it.

3 – Some of the signs of Allaah’s hatred for a person:

a) He will be hated by all the people and have a bad reputation in this world.

b) To love what Allaah hates and dislike what Allaah loves.

This is because Allaah says about the believers in Surat Al-Hujuraat (49:7):

وَلَٰكِنَّ اللَّهَ حَبَّبَ إِلَيْكُمُ الْإِيمَانَ وَزَيَّنَهُ فِي قُلُوبِكُمْ وَكَرَّهَ إِلَيْكُمُ الْكُفْرَ وَالْفُسُوقَ وَالْعِصْيَانَ أُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الرَّاشِدُونَ

“…But Allaah has endeared the Faith to you and has beautified it in your hearts, and has made disbelief, wickedness and disobedience (to Allaah and His Messenger) hateful to you. These! They are the rightly guided ones.”

c) To be extreme in one’s disobedience and transgression and not guided to repentance.

d) Accompanying the disobedient and avoiding the believers. The Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “Man is on the religion of his friend, let everyone look to whom he befriends (makes his friend).” [Abu Dawoud no. 4833 and Al-Albaani graded it Hasan]

e) Not maintaining the obligatory acts or pillars of the religion.

e.g. neglecting the Salaat, being lazy in offering it, not fulfilling the rights of Allaah and the rights of His servants, not giving heed to the evil consequences in this world and the Hereafter.

f) Hating advices or being advised. The sin of pride overtakes one if he is enjoined with good or forbidden from evil. In Surat Al-Baqarah [2:206] Allaah (Ta’ala) says:

وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُ اتَّقِ اللَّهَ أَخَذَتْهُ الْعِزَّةُ بِالْإِثْمِ فَحَسْبُهُ جَهَنَّمُ وَلَبِئْسَ الْمِهَادُ

“And when it is said to him, ‘Fear Allaah’, he is led by arrogance to (more) crime. So enough for him is Hell, and worst indeed is that place to rest!”

g) Having enmity towards the believers and allying with the disobedient people. His love and hatred is for other than Allaah and regards matters which do not please Allaah.

h) Being attributed with qualities that Allaah hates such as lying, deception, treachery, backbiting, gossiping, etc.

I) Being of those who show off and talk about their good deeds (i.e. liking his good deeds to be heard).

j) Committing major and destructive sins which cause Allaah’s Wrath, such as fornication, dealing with interest, etc.

k) Speaking obscenely and slandering others. People avoid him because of his obscenity and his bad companions.

l) Imitation of the disbelievers and the rebellious.

Sources:

Sharh Al-‘Aqeeda Al-Wasitiyyah by Shaikh Ibn ‘Uthaimeen

Sharh Al-‘Aqeeda Al-Wasitiyyah by Khalil Al-Harras

Al-Qawl Al-Mufeed ‘Ala Kitab At-Tawheed by Shaikh Ibn ‘Uthaimeen

Tayseer Al-Kareem

Belief in Allaah by ‘Umar Al-Ashqar

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