O Humanity Who Profess Islam and Faith

THE QURAN IS NOT MERELY TO BE MEMORISED — IT MUST BE UNDERSTOOD

Errors in aqidah sometimes begin with a misunderstanding that appears insignificant.

At first, a single verse is translated briefly.

Then that translation is memorised.

Then memorisation is regarded as sufficient.

Eventually, without realising it, a small misunderstanding can develop into a conception that is very far removed from the intended meaning of revelation.

That is why the Quran cannot be treated like an ordinary text.

It is a miracle.

It must be read, contemplated, reflected upon deeply and studied under the guidance of those who are knowledgeable.

Among the verses that clearly demonstrate this are those that reject comparisons, imagined forms, the limits of human knowledge and the existence of anything comparable to Allah.

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1. لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْءٌ — THE FUNDAMENTAL POINT OF UNDERSTANDING

Allah says:

فَاطِرُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ ۚ جَعَلَ لَكُم مِّنْ أَنفُسِكُمْ أَزْوَاجًا وَمِنَ الْأَنْعَامِ أَزْوَاجًا ۖ يَذْرَؤُكُمْ فِيهِ ۚ لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْءٌ ۖ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُ

“The Originator of the heavens and the earth. He has made for you spouses from among yourselves, and pairs of livestock as well. Through this, He multiplies you. There is nothing like Him, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.”

— Surah Ash-Shūrā 42:11

This is one of the clearest examples of the difference between memorisation and guided understanding.

Memorisation

A person is taught:

“Allah does not resemble anything.”

That statement is correct as a brief expression.

But without guidance, another understanding may develop behind it:

“Allah is something, except that this something does not resemble His creation.”

This is where a seemingly minor error can become very significant.

The mind still treats Allah as a “thing”.

Then that “thing” is considered unseen.

Not a physical body like created beings.

Not possessing a form like created beings.

Not the same as created beings.

Yet at the foundation of this thinking, Allah is still placed within the category of an entity that the mind attempts to imagine.

Guidance

A knowledgeable teacher will take the student beyond the brief translation.

The teacher will ask:

What is the meaning of شَيْءٌ — syai’un?

Are you imagining Allah as “something”?

Are you placing Allah within a category and then saying that He is different from the other members of that category?

The verse itself states:

لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْءٌ

There is no thing that can serve as a likeness of Him.

Then Allah describes:

وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُ

He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.

Therefore, human beings are not instructed to construct an appearance or form for Allah.

What is given to humanity is knowledge concerning:

Essence, Attributes and Actions.

This is where memorisation becomes understanding.

Key point:

A subtle misunderstanding: “Allah is something that does not resemble anything.”

Guidance re-examines the assumption: Why is Allah still being treated as a “thing” in the mind?

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2. DO NOT MAKE COMPARISONS FOR ALLAH

Allah says:

فَلَا تَضْرِبُوا لِلَّهِ الْأَمْثَالَ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ وَأَنتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ

“So do not make comparisons for Allah. Indeed, Allah knows, while you do not know.”

— Surah An-Naḥl 16:74

Human beings understand many things through comparison.

When encountering something new, the mind usually connects it with something it already knows.

But when it comes to Allah, human beings cannot use that method however they please.

Allah Himself forbids:

فَلَا تَضْرِبُوا لِلَّهِ الْأَمْثَالَ

Do not make comparisons for Allah.

The problem begins when human beings attempt to imagine Allah using the language of objects:

“Allah is extremely large.”

“Allah is situated in such a way.”

“Allah is something unseen.”

“Allah is an entity, but He is not the same as His creation.”

If these expressions are understood as depictions of Allah’s reality, the mind is still constructing a comparison.

Even if that comparison is described as unseen.

Even if it is said not to resemble created beings.

If the image of “something” remains in the mind, comparison can begin.

Key point:

Once Allah is imagined as “something”, comparison can begin even while the mouth says, “Allah is not the same as His creation.”

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3. VISION CANNOT ENCOMPASS HIM

Allah says:

لَّا تُدْرِكُهُ الْأَبْصَارُ وَهُوَ يُدْرِكُ الْأَبْصَارَ ۖ وَهُوَ اللَّطِيفُ الْخَبِيرُ

“Vision cannot encompass Him, while He encompasses all vision; and He is the Most Subtle, the All-Aware.”

— Surah Al-An‘ām 6:103

The eyes see objects.

Objects have forms.

They have boundaries.

They have directions.

They have positions.

They have dimensions.

But Allah says:

لَّا تُدْرِكُهُ الْأَبْصَارُ

Vision cannot encompass Him.

Therefore, do not allow the imagination to take over the role of the eyes and create its own depiction of Allah.

Being unable to see Him does not mean that human beings are free to invent an unseen form.

Allah is known through what has been revealed about Him:

Essence, Attributes and Actions.

Not through form.

Not through a physical body.

Not through imagined depictions.

Not through an appearance invented by the mind.

Key point:

The eyes cannot encompass Him. Do not let the imagination attempt to draw Him.

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4. HUMAN KNOWLEDGE CANNOT ENCOMPASS HIM

Allah says:

يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِهِ عِلْمًا

“He knows what is before them and what is behind them, while they cannot encompass Him in knowledge.”

— Surah Ṭāhā 20:110

Human beings like to formulate definitions.

Once they have obtained a definition, they can easily feel that they have understood something completely.

But Allah says:

وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِهِ عِلْمًا

They cannot encompass Him in knowledge.

Human knowledge has limits.

Reason has limits.

Terminology has limits.

Language has limits.

Human beings know only what Allah permits them to know.

This is where the danger arises when religion becomes nothing more than the memorisation of terminology.

A person may memorise:

Zat.

Sifat.

Af‘al.

Wujud.

Qidam.

Baqa’.

Mukhalafatuhu lil-hawadith.

But if all these remain mere vocabulary without understanding, a person may still retain an image of Allah as an “unseen object”.

Knowing many terms does not necessarily mean possessing a deeper recognition of Allah.

Key point:

True knowledge is not merely knowing a great deal. True knowledge also recognises the limits of reason.

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5. THERE IS NONE COMPARABLE TO HIM

Allah says:

وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ

“And there is none comparable to Him.”

— Surah Al-Ikhlāṣ 112:4

This verse closes the door to anything being regarded as His equal.

No comparison.

No counterpart.

No equal.

Yet this is where a very subtle misunderstanding can occur.

Someone says:

“Allah is something, but He is the greatest of all things.”

It appears to be an expression of reverence for Allah.

But the mind is still creating a category:

There are various “things”.

Then Allah is placed at the highest level within that category.

Tawhid is not merely making Allah “number one” on a list of things.

Tawhid is not merely saying that Allah is the most powerful within a class of entities.

This verse denies the existence of any kufu, counterpart or equal to Him.

Key point:

Allah is not merely “the greatest” within a category of things. There is no kufu, comparison or counterpart to Him.

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FIVE VERSES — ONE CONTINUOUS FRAMEWORK OF GUIDANCE

Notice how these five verses reinforce one another:

لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْءٌ

There is nothing that can serve as a likeness of Him.

فَلَا تَضْرِبُوا لِلَّهِ الْأَمْثَالَ

Do not make comparisons for Allah.

لَّا تُدْرِكُهُ الْأَبْصَارُ

Vision cannot encompass Him.

وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِهِ عِلْمًا

Human knowledge cannot encompass Him.

وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ

There is none comparable to Him.

One door after another is closed:

Do not liken Him to anything.

Do not compare Him.

Do not imagine His form.

Do not attempt to encompass Him through reason.

Do not establish anything as His equal.

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A SMALL ERROR CAN LEAD VERY FAR

Imagine a student learning:

لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْءٌ

Then the student is taught only:

“Allah does not resemble anything.”

If the lesson stops there, the student may understand:

“Allah is something, except that He is not the same as His creation.”

It appears insignificant.

Yet from that single premise, the entire conception of aqidah may change.

Allah begins to be regarded as an unseen entity.

Then an attempt is made to assign Him a direction.

Then an attempt is made to imagine His position.

Then an attempt is made to assign Him dimensions.

Then His attributes are understood as attributes belonging to an “unseen object”.

This is how a small error can lead understanding very far astray.

That is why guidance is important.

A knowledgeable teacher does not merely ask students to memorise answers.

The teacher asks:

“What do you understand?”

“What are you imagining?”

“Why are you still treating Allah as a thing?”

“What is the verse negating?”

“And what is it affirming?”

That is where memorisation begins to become understanding.

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THE QURAN IS A MIRACLE, NOT A SET OF NOTES TO BE MEMORISED

Allah says:

أَفَلَا يَتَدَبَّرُونَ الْقُرْآنَ أَمْ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبٍ أَقْفَالُهَا

“Do they not reflect deeply upon the Quran, or are there locks upon their hearts?”

— Surah Muḥammad 47:24

A person may possess a copy of the Quran.

They may read it every day.

They may memorise many verses.

They may quote textual evidence fluently.

But the question is:

Has their understanding truly been opened?

That is why the Quran must be reflected upon deeply.

Memorisation is not discarded.

Translation is not discarded.

But the journey cannot stop there.

Reason must be exercised.

Understanding must be examined.

Misconceptions must be corrected.

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WHY IS GUIDANCE FROM A KNOWLEDGEABLE TEACHER NECESSARY?

Allah says:

فَاسْأَلُوا أَهْلَ الذِّكْرِ إِن كُنتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ

“So ask those who possess knowledge if you do not know.”

— Surah An-Naḥl 16:43

When you do not know, ask.

When you are confused, seek guidance.

Especially in matters of aqidah.

Because a small error at the foundation of thought can produce a conclusion that is very far removed from the truth.

A knowledgeable teacher does not replace the Quran.

The teacher brings the student back to the Quran with more precise questions and deeper understanding.

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CONCLUSION

The sequence now becomes more complete:

لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْءٌ

Do not make anything a likeness of Him.

فَلَا تَضْرِبُوا لِلَّهِ الْأَمْثَالَ

Do not compare Him.

لَّا تُدْرِكُهُ الْأَبْصَارُ

Do not construct an imagined form.

وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِهِ عِلْمًا

Do not attempt to encompass His reality through reason.

وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ

There is none comparable to Him.

Together, these establish one fundamental discipline:

Do not construct Allah as a “thing” that the human mind attempts to compare, imagine, measure and encompass.

The Quran is not merely to be recited.

Not merely to be memorised.

It must be understood.

Memorisation brings the verses to the tongue.

Knowledge brings the verses to the mind.

Guidance brings their meaning to the heart.

And in matters of aqidah:

An error involving a single word at the foundation of understanding can lead a person very far astray.