Allah

Many people – including Muslims ask: “Where is God or Allah? What Image does God

or Allah have?”

These questions cannot be easily answered, but let’s see

how Imam Abu Hanifah responded when he was asked

such questions by nonbelievers.

To those who ask :“Where is God or

Allah?”

The atheists asked Abu Hanifah:“When was your Lord born”?

Abu Hanifah replied: “Allah existed first - before history and before time.

He added: “What comes before three?”

They replied: “Two”. 

He asked: “What comes before two?”

They replied: “One”.

Abu Hanifah said: “What comes before one?”They replied:

“Nothing”.

He said: “If the number ‘one’ is not preceded by

anything, then how can the True One and Only God

(Allah) be preceded by anything. Allah is Ancient

and Eternal. Nothing precedes Him.”

They asked: “In which direction does your Lord

move”?

He asked: “If you bring a ntern into a dark place, in which direction will its light move?”They replied: “In every direction.”

Abu Hanifah said: “If this is how the lantern’s light radiates, then how about Allah’s Light - the Light of the Heavens and the Earth?”

They said: “Define your Lord’s entity. Is your Lord solid like iron; liquid like water; or gaseous like smoke

or vapor”?

He asked: “Have you ever sat beside a dying patient?”They said: “Yes, we have.

He added: "Did he speak to you after he was pronounced dead?"

They said: "No".

Abu Hanifah asked: “Before he died, did he not talk and move?”

They said: “Yes”.

He said: “What changed him?”They said: “His soul

departed ”.

He said: “Then isn’t it true that his soul left his body?

They said: “Yes.”

Abu Hanifah asked: “Could you describe his soul? Is it solid like iron; liquid like water; or gaseous like smoke or vapor?”

They replied: “We know nothing about

it.”

He said: “If you cannot define the entity of this

created soul, then how can you expect me to describe

the Divine Entity.”

Let’s repeat this prayer

together: “Oh, Allah”.

Allah, help me to uphold

the truth against tyrants;

and prevent me from advocating

injustice to gain the applause of the

weak.

Oh Allah, if you make me

rich, do not deprive me of

happiness.

If You Grant me

strength, do not take away my mental faculties.

If you make me

successful, do not

deprive me of modesty.

If you make me modest,

do not deprive me of my pride and

dignity.

Oh Allah, teach me to love others as much as I love myself.

Teach me to judge myself

before I judge others.

Teach me that tolerance is the

greatest strength.

And that vengeance is the first sign of weakness.

Oh Allah, if you grant me success, do not

blind me by vanity.

Do not make me despair if I fail.

Please let me always

remember that failure

precedes success.

Oh Allah, if you

deprive me of my wealth, do

not let me despair.

If you take away my

success, give me the

strength to overcome

failure.

If you deprive me of good

health, do not deprive me of

faith.

Oh Allah, if I hurt others,

give me the strength to apologize.

If people hurt me,

give me the strength to

forgive.

If I am oblivious to

Thee, do not deprive

me of Your Forgiveness and Patience.

Oh Allah, You are the All-

Powerful, All-Merciful

and All-Capable

Ameen.