Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

dear brother
assalamo alaikum
my question to you is:
Is Allah omnipresent? kindly explain in detail according to Quran and sunnah.
Thanks
a sister

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Allah’s attribute of Omnipresent

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad(saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

There is absolutely no Quranic term or attribute of Allah Subhanah which states that Allah Subhanah is ‘Omnipresent’, or present everywhere in His Majestic Self!

The correct meaning or understanding of the term ‘Omnipresent’ when used for Allah Subhanah, would be that the All Seeing, All Knowing Lord is present everywhere through His Perfect and Absolute Knowledge; not in His Majestic Self.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 50 Surah Qaaf verse 16: It was We who created man and We Know what dark suggestions his soul makes to him: for We are nearer to him than (his) jugular vein.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 58 Surah Mujadila verse 7: Seest thou not that Allah doth Know (all) that is in the heavens and on earth? There is not a secret consultation between three but He makes the fourth among them; nor between five but He makes the sixth; nor between fewer nor more but He is in their midst (with His Knowledge) wheresoever they be: in the end will He tell them the truth of their conduct on the Day of Judgment for Allah has full Knowledge of all things.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 6 Surah Anaam verse 59: With Him are the keys of the Unseen, the treasures that none Knows but He. He Knows whatever there is on the earth and in the sea. Not a leaf doth fall but with His Knowledge: there is not a grain in the darkness (or depths) of the earth nor anything fresh or dry (green or withered) but is (inscribed) in a Record Clear (to those who can read).

Thus in conclusion, it is indeed true that Allah Subhanah is ‘Omnipresent’ everywhere with his Perfect and Absolute Knowledge; but to believe that the Lord is Omnipresent everywhere in His Majestic Self would be incorrect belief.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan