Who Is the Deity You Worship? How Should a Muslim Answer?
لو قيل لك: من الإله الذي تعبده؟
I worship Allah, the Ever-Living, All-Sustaining, Whose Life is infinite; it has neither beginning nor end, for He is the One Who begets not, nor was He begotten, and there is none co-equal or comparable unto Him. He is the one Who has created the entire universe and subjected it for mankind, because He loves us, takes care of us, and brings us good always.
He is the Manager of the affairs and interests of all His creation, and without His Management, their affairs and interests will be over, and that is why we love Him and glorify Him, and without Him, we will perish.
أعبد الله الحي القيوم، الذي له الحياة الكاملة، لم يسبقها عدم ولا يلحقها فناء، فهو الذي لم يلد ولم يولد ولم يكن له كفوا أحد، وهو الذي خلق الكون كله وسخره للإنسان لأنه يحبنا ويرعانا ويجلب لنا الخير دائماً.
مقيم لجميع خلقه على مصالحهم التي لا حياة لهم بدون إقامة الله لها، ولذلك نحن نحبه ونعظمه ونجله، فلولاه لهلكنا.
1. The Ever-Living, the All-Sustaining | الحي القيوم
The scholar’s answer begins with the words of Ayat al-Kursi: Allah! There is no god worthy of worship except Him, the Ever-Living, All-Sustaining. Neither drowsiness nor sleep overtakes Him (2:255). Ibn Kathir explains: the Ever-Living in Himself, who never dies, the One who sustains all else; all that exists needs Him while He needs none of it, and nothing stands without His command. Neither drowsiness nor sleep means no deficiency, heedlessness or distraction from His creation ever touches Him. Ubayy ibn Ka’b reported that the Prophet asked him which verse of the Book of Allah is greatest, and when he answered with this verse, the Prophet said: May knowledge be pleasant for you (Sahih Muslim 810); see what Ayat al-Kursi is. This Name is explained in Al-Hayy, the Ever-Living.
اللَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ (سورة البقرة: 255)
قال تعالى: (الله لا إله إلا هو الحي القيوم لا تأخذه سنة ولا نوم) (البقرة 2: 255)، قال ابن كثير: (الحي القيوم) أي: الحي في نفسه الذي لا يموت أبدا، القيم لغيره، فجميع الموجودات مفتقرة إليه وهو غني عنها، ولا قوام لها بدون أمره، كقوله: (ومن آياته أن تقوم السماء والأرض بأمره) (الروم 30: 25)، وقوله: (لا تأخذه سنة ولا نوم) أي: لا يعتريه نقص ولا غفلة ولا ذهول عن خلقه، وسأل النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم أبي بن كعب رضي الله عنه: "أتدري أي آية من كتاب الله معك أعظم؟" فقال: (الله لا إله إلا هو الحي القيوم)، فقال: "ليهنك العلم أبا المنذر" (صحيح مسلم 810).
2. He Begets Not, Nor Was He Begotten | لم يلد ولم يولد
Ibn Kathir reports from Ubayy ibn Ka’b that the idolaters said to the Prophet: Muhammad, tell us the lineage of your Lord, and Allah revealed: Say, He is Allah, One and Indivisible; Allah, the Sustainer needed by all. He has never had offspring, nor was He born. And there is none comparable to Him (112:1-4). Ibn Abbas said as-Samad is the One to whom all creatures turn in their needs and requests. Ibn Kathir explains the third verse: He has no child, no parent and no consort. This is the purest statement of the types of monotheism; whether a surah’s name occurs in its own text is discussed in which three surahs do not mention their own names.
قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ (سورة الإخلاص: 1)
قال أبي بن كعب رضي الله عنه: إن المشركين قالوا للنبي صلى الله عليه وسلم: يا محمد، انسب لنا ربك، فأنزل الله: (قل هو الله أحد الله الصمد لم يلد ولم يولد ولم يكن له كفوا أحد) (الإخلاص 112: 1-4)، وقال عكرمة عن ابن عباس: (الصمد) يعني الذي يصمد الخلائق إليه في حوائجهم ومسائلهم، وقال ابن كثير في قوله: (لم يلد ولم يولد ولم يكن له كفوا أحد): أي: ليس له ولد ولا والد ولا صاحبة.
3. The Creator Who Manages Everything | خالق كل شيء وهو على كل شيء وكيل
The scholar says Allah is the Manager of His creation’s affairs. Allah says: That is Allah, your Lord! There is no god worthy of worship except Him, the Creator of all things, so worship Him alone. And He is the Maintainer of everything (6:102). Ibn Kathir explains: worship Him alone, with no partner, and affirm His oneness; and He is the Guardian and Watcher over everything, managing all besides Him, providing for them and protecting them by night and by day.
ذَٰلِكُمُ اللَّهُ رَبُّكُمْ ۖ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ۖ خَالِقُ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ فَاعْبُدُوهُ ۚ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَكِيلٌ (سورة الأنعام: 102)
قال تعالى: (ذلكم الله ربكم لا إله إلا هو خالق كل شيء فاعبدوه وهو على كل شيء وكيل) (الأنعام 6: 102)، قال ابن كثير: فاعبدوه وحده لا شريك له، وأقروا له بالوحدانية، (وهو على كل شيء وكيل) أي: حفيظ ورقيب يدبر كل ما سواه، ويرزقهم ويكلؤهم بالليل والنهار.
4. Near to Those Who Call Him | فإني قريب
The Lord who cares for us is near: When My servants ask you about Me: I am truly near. I respond to one’s prayer when they call upon Me (2:186). Ibn Kathir cites Abu Musa al-Ash’ari, who said that the Companions raised their voices with takbir on a journey, and the Prophet said: O people, be gentle with yourselves, for you are not calling upon one who is deaf or absent; He is with you, He is All-Hearing, Near (Sahih al-Bukhari 2992, Sahih Muslim 2704). Which requests may be made of others and which only of Allah is explained in which requests for help are permitted.
وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِي عَنِّي فَإِنِّي قَرِيبٌ (سورة البقرة: 186)
قال تعالى: (وإذا سألك عبادي عني فإني قريب أجيب دعوة الداع إذا دعان) (البقرة 2: 186)، وأورد ابن كثير حديث أبي موسى الأشعري رضي الله عنه قال: كنا مع رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فكنا إذا أشرفنا على واد هللنا وكبرنا ارتفعت أصواتنا، فقال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم: "يا أيها الناس اربعوا على أنفسكم، فإنكم لا تدعون أصم ولا غائبا، إنه معكم، إنه سميع قريب" (صحيح البخاري 2992، صحيح مسلم 2704).
Frequently Asked Questions | الأسئلة الشائعة
Who is the deity that Muslims worship?
Allah, the Ever-Living, All-Sustaining, whose life has neither beginning nor end; He begets not, nor was He begotten, and there is none comparable to Him.
What does the Ever-Living, All-Sustaining mean?
Ibn Kathir explains: the Ever-Living in Himself who never dies, and the One who sustains all else, on whom everything that exists depends (2:255).
Does Allah have a child or a parent?
No. He has never had offspring, nor was He born (112:3); Ibn Kathir adds that He has no consort either.
Is Allah near to those who call upon Him?
Yes. I am truly near; I respond to one’s prayer when they call upon Me (2:186), and the Prophet said: He is with you, He is All-Hearing, Near (Sahih al-Bukhari 2992).