ARABIC-THE THEOLOGICAL AND JURISPRUDENTIAL PROBLEMATICS OF DESCRIBING GOD ALMIGHTY AS A “THING”: A CRITICAL ANALYTICAL STUDY

الإشكالية الكلامية والفقهية لوصف الله تعالى بـ (الشيء) "دراسة تحليلية نقدية"

Abstract

This study examines the theological and juristic debate surrounding the attribution of the term “thing” (shayʾ) to God in Islamic thought. The controversy does not arise from conflicting scriptural evidence, but from methodological differences in dealing with ambiguous and shared terms within the discourse on divine attributes. The research analyzes the linguistic meaning of shayʾ and its usage in the Qur’an and the Prophetic Sunnah, showing that while the term is employed in general informative contexts—such as affirming God’s absolute power or negating the existence of anything besides Him—it is never used as a divine name or attribute. The study further demonstrates that much of the disagreement among theological schools is methodological and terminological rather than substantive. Central to the discussion is the distinction between informative statements about God (ikhbār) and divine names and attributes (asmāʾ wa-ṣifāt). Based on this distinction, upheld by the majority of Ahl al-Sunnah scholars, the study concludes that attributing shayʾ to God as a name or attribute is impermissible, while its qualified use as an informative expression is acceptable when it conveys a sound meaning consistent with divine transcendence.