Would Allah Command Actions Like Theft?
Answered by Shaykh Muhammad Carr
Question
The ‘Ashari view holds that Allah could command anything due to His unlimited qudra, unlike the Mu‘tazila, who believe Allah must benefit His creatures.
Do the ‘Ashariyya address what Allah would command? Would Allah command actions like theft or shirk, which seem unbefitting of His compassion and mercy, even if logically possible?
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate.
I pray you are in good faith and health. Thank you for your question.
Allah could command anything, as you have mentioned. This is because He does as He pleases and commands what He wills. Allah says,
“Never is He asked what He does, while rather it is they who shall be asked.” [Quran, 21:23]
The divine laws of Allah are designed for the benefit of all creation. He commands only what brings benefit and prohibits only what causes harm, whether individual or collective,
“Verily Allah commands being wholly fair and just; doing even better for everyone than one must, and gracious generosity to kin; and He forbids wickedness, wrong, and transgression.” [Quran, 16:90]
Allah says,
“And the Word of Your Lord is consummate in truth and justice.” [Quran, 6:115]
In short, Allah only commands what He would have commanded.
It is Not Possible for There to be Anything More Perfect than What has Already Occurred.
The above principle applies to your hypothesis. While it is within Allah’s power to legislate any law as He wills, what He has actually legislated is the best, founded on His infinite wisdom, and is unchangeable.
Imam Suyuti says:
“What is unanimously agreed upon by Ahl al-Sunna wa al-Jama‘a is that divine power pertains only to what is possible, not to what is impossible. The negation in the statement ‘It is not possible for there to be anything more perfect than what has already occurred’ does not apply to the possibility of something existing other than what already exists. Rather, it pertains to the idea of it being more perfect than what currently exists. Thus, Imam Ghazali negates the possibility of something that could exist being more perfect than what has been brought into existence while affirming the suitability of divine power to bring it into existence.” [Suyuti, Tashyid al-Kalam fi Laysa fi al-Imkan Abda‘ min ma Kan]
I pray this is of benefit and Allah guides us all.
[Shaykh] Muhammad Carr
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Muhammad Abu Bakr Badhib
Shaykh Muhammad Carr has dedicated his life to studying and transmitting our beautiful deen. His studies have taken him around the globe, where he has benefitted from many luminaries. Under the guidance of his teachers – Shaykh Taha Karan, Shaykh Yaseen Abbas, Shaykh Muadh Ali, and many others – Shaykh Muhammad has grown to appreciate the beauty and benefits of diverse scholarship. He completed his memorization of the Qur’an at Dar al-Ulum Zakariyyah in September 1997 and received an Alimiyya Degree in 2006 from DUAI (Darul Ulum al-Arabiyyah al-Islamiyyah). He is also affiliated with Masjid Auwal in Bo Kaap, Cape Town (the oldest mosque in South Africa), where he serves as a co-imam, and Dar Al-Safa, where he has taught since 2018. As a teacher, he imparts the wisdom of our heritage and tradition by opening the door to students. As an imam, he has the unique opportunity to serve his community in daily life.
In addition to his roles as a teacher and imam, Shaykh Muhammad Carr has contributed significantly to the administrative and advisory aspects of Islamic institutions. Since 2023, he has served as the Administrative Director at The Imam Kurani Institute, contributing to the institution’s growth and development. He continues to pursue traditional Islamic Sciences, possessing a keen interest in Islamic Contract Law and Finance. Shaykh Muhammad has been a Shari‘a Board Member for Islamic Asset Management & Insurance Companies since 2001, aligning financial practices with Islamic principles.
