Answer by: Umm ‛Abdillāh al-Wādi’yyah - may Allaah preserve her
Uploaded: Rajab 01, 1434, (11 May, 2013)

Is Allâh Qadîm (Old), Dâim (Lasting), Sitîr (All-Concealler), Sâtir (Concealler) and Sattâr (Ever Concealing)?

Answer: All those are not established as being for Allâh the Mighty and Majestic. As for Qadîm and Dâim, there is a weak hadîth on both. Ibn Mâjah reported it [2/1265] in the route of Abdul-Malik b. Muhammad As-Sana'âni, (he said:) Abu Al-Mundhir Zuhayr Muhammad narrated to us, he said Musa b. Uq'bah narrated to us, he said AbdurRahman Al-A'raj narrated to me from Abu Hurairah (may Allâh be pleased with him) from the Messenger of Allâh (Sallallâhu alayhi wa sallam) who said:

'Indeed Allâh has Ninety-Nine Names,'

Then the reporter mentioned the rest of the hadîth which contained Al-Qadîm and Ad-Dâim. Abdul-Malik b. Muhammad is however weak. As for Zuhayr b. Muhammad, when the people of Shâm report from him then his chain is weak; and this chain is one of those.

Ash-Shaukâni mentioned the hadîth in Tuhfatudh-Dhâkireen (70) and said: 'Its chain is weak.'

For details with regard to routes of the hadîth, one should see Al-Hâshiyyah (Notes) on Al-As'mâ Wa As-Sifât of Al-Bayhaqî [1/22-26]; Al-Hâshidî wrote the Hâshiyyah.

As for the statement of (Al-Imâm) At-Tahâwi in Al-Aqeedah At-Tahâwiyyah (p.111): '(Allâh is) Qadîm (Old) without a beginning, Dâim (Lasting) without an end,' Ibn Abi Al-Izz rejected his statement saying: 'Theologians have added Al-Qadîm to Allâh's Names the Mighty; it is not part of the Beautiful Names. Al-Qadîm in the language of the Arabs with which He revealed the Qur'ân is Al-Mutaqaddim ala ghayri-hi (the one before the other), such as it is said 'this is qadîm (old)' for something that is ancient, and 'this is hadîth (new)' for something that is novel. They never used qadîm except for something that came before another not what has not been preceded by non-existence as Allâh said:

"And the moon, we have measured for it mansions (to traverse) till it returns like Al-'Ur'jûnul-Qadîm (the old dried curved date stalk)." [Yaa-sin: 39].

Al-'Ur'jûnul-Qadîm is the type that remains till the other one comes, so when the new one comes, it will be said to the former one qadîm (old).' Until he said: 'As for the introduction of Al-Qadîm into Allâh's Names the Mighty, it is what is popular with the people of scholastic theology. Many of the former (Salaf) and later (khalaf) scholars have decried that, among them was Ibn Hazm.' End of quote.

This Allâh's Statement suffices from these two names:

"He is the First (Nothing is before Him) and the Last (Nothing is after Him), the Most High (Nothing is above Him) and the Most Near (Nothing is nearer than Him). And He is the All-Knower of everything." [Al-Hadîd: 3].

And it is authentic in Sahîh Muslim [4/2084] in the hadîth of Abu Hurairah (may Allâh be pleased with him) who said: 'The Messenger of Allâh used to command us that whenever we wanted to sleep we should say: Allâhumma anta Al-Awwal falaysa qablaka shay wa anta al-aakhir falaysa ba'daka shay ['O Allâh You are the First there was nothing before You and You are the Last there is nothing after You']…'

As for the name Sitîr; Abu Dâwud reported in his Sunan [2/436]: Abdullah Ibn Muhammad b. Nufayl narrated to us, he said Zuhayr narrated to us from Abdul-Malik b. Abi Sulayman Al-Ar'zamiyy from Atâ from Ya'laa: That the Messenger of Allâh (Sallallâhu alayhi wa sallam) saw a man taking bath in an open place without a loin-cloth, then the Prophet (Sallallâhu alayhi wa sallam) mounted the minbar (the pulpit), praised Allâh and mentioned His Names and Attributes then said:

'Indeed Allâh is Hayiyyun Sitîr (Shy and Concealing), He loves modesty and covering; when any of you takes bath let him cover (himself).'

This hadîth, with this chain, is broken.

Al-Mizzî said in Tahdhîb Al-Kamâl, while mentioning those whom Atâ b. Abi Rabbâh reported from: 'Ya'lâ b. Umayyah, even if he is precise in memorizing things, what is correct is that there is Saf'wân b. Ya'lâ b. Umayyah between both.' End of quote.

So also is Sâtir and Sattâr, they are not among His Names. But the Attribute of As-Satr (concealment) is established for Allâh the Mighty and Majestic in the Sunnah, as it has come in Sahîh Muslim from Abu Hurairah (may Allâh be pleased with him) [that the Prophet (Sallallâhu alayhi wa sallam) said]:

'Whoever conceals a Muslim (of his fault), Allâh will conceal him on the Day of Resurrection.'

Names and Attributes of Allâh are Tauqîfiyyah (that is, they require proofs from the Sharî'ah to establish them).