Al-Siffah

Al-Siffah (الصِّفَة)

Definition

Al-Siffah (Arabic: الصِّفَة) refers to a characteristic, attribute, or capacity. It is extensively used in Islamic theology (Ilm al-Kalam) to describe the divine attributes of God. These attributes are metaphorically rather than literally understood because Islamic theology firmly rejects anthropomorphism—the assignment of human characteristics to God.

Etymology

The term al-Siffah stems from the Arabic root ص ف ف (Ṣ-F-F), which revolves around the concept of “quality” or “attribute.” The Turkish term for divine attributes is Sıfatlar.

Divine Attributes

In classical Islamic theology, the divine attributes of God (known as صفات الله, Sifāt Allāh) are typically enumerated as seven key attributes. These are:

1. Knowledge (العلم, Al-‘Ilm): God is all-knowing.
2. Power (القدرة, Al-Qudra): God is all-powerful.
3. Life (الحياة, Al-Hayāh): God is ever-living.
4. Will (الإرادة, Al-Irāda): God has free will, and His will overrides everything.
5. Speech (الكلام, Al-Kalām): God can communicate and convey messages.
6. Hearing (السمع, As-Sam‘): God hears all things.
7. Sight (البصر, Al-Baṣar): God sees all things.

Significance in Theology

In the domain of Islamic Theology (Ilm al-Kalam), the divine attributes are crucial for understanding how God interacts with the world and His creation while maintaining a careful distinction from human attributes. The discourse focuses on how these attributes relate to God’s essence without implicating any equivalent created attributes.

Classical Islamic Thinkers:

The understanding and elaboration of divine attributes were deeply discussed by classical Islamic scholars such as:

• Al-Ash’ari (874–936 CE): Founder of the Ash’ari school, a dominant theological framework within Sunni Islam.
• Al-Maturidi (853–944 CE): Founder of the Maturidiyya school, which closely aligns with the doctrines of Hanafi jurists.
• Al-Ghazali (1058–1111 CE): A prominent theologian who extensively discussed God’s attributes in his works.

Books for Further Study

1. “Al-Iqtisad fi al-Itiqad” by Al-Ghazali
2. “Kitab al-Luma” by Al-Ash’ari
3. “The Creed of Imam al-Tahawi” translated by Hamza Yusuf

Takeaways

• Al-Siffah signifies the divine attributes in Islamic theology.
• Attributes of God include knowledge, power, life, will, speech, hearing, and sight.
• These attributes help elucidate God’s interaction with the universe while maintaining His transcendence.

Conclusion

Al-Siffah forms the bedrock concepts in understanding the nature of God within Islamic theological discourse, highlighting the balance between faith in God’s immanence and transcendence. Through careful theological exploration, scholars continue to articulate these attributes to provide an in-depth comprehension of divine ontology free from anthropomorphism.

You can interject this entry into your study of Islamic theology for scholars and enthusiasts looking to grasp the fundamental aspects and nuances of the divine attributes in Islam.