What do the noble ulamā say about referring to Allāh as ‘Hāzir aw Nāzir’, is this permissible?
بسم اللہ الرحمن الرحیم
الجواب بعون الملک الوھاب اللھم ھدایۃ الحق والصواب
Without doubt everything is unveiled in relation to Allāh (Most Transcendent) and He Sees everything. However, we cannot use the words ‘hāzir aw nāzir’ to describe these Divine Attributes. Because, firstly, these words are not from the Asmā (Beautiful Names) of Allāh (Most Transcendent) and secondly because the meanings explained for these words in the Arabic lexicons do not befit the Majesty of Allāh (Most Transcendent). For this reason, the noble ‘ulamā say that it is not allowed to use these words in relation to Allāh (Most Transcendent).
For this reason, instead of ‘hāzir and nāzir’ one should say ‘Shahīd and Basīr’ to describe these Divine Attributes of Allāh (Most Transcendent). Just as Allāh (Most Transcendent) mentions in the Qur’an:
{Indeed everything is before Allāh}
[Sūrah al-Hajj 22:17]
Allāh also mentions:
{Indeed Allāh is All-Hearing, All Seeing}
[Sūrah al-Hajj 22:75]
Muftī A’zham Pakistan Muftī Waqār al-Dīn al-Qādirī (May Allah shower him with mercy) writes:
“Considering the meanings of hāzir and nāzir mentioned in the lexicons mentioning these words in relation to Allāh (Most Transcendent) is impermissible. The meaning of Hāzir (ar. Hādir) in Arabic, written in the famous Arabic Lexicons al-Munjid and Mukhtār al-Sihāh and other than them is: Closeness, courtyard, place of assembly, that thing which is openly unveiled before the eyes is called hādir.
As for the meaning of ‘nāzir’ (ar. nāzhir) written in Mukhtār al-Sihāh it is the blackness of the eyeball, whereas the meaning written for ‘nazhr’, is to ponder and reflect on a matter, to evaluate something and to consider something with the eye.
It is necessary to understand Allāh (Most Transcendent) as being free of both these words considering their lexical meanings. These words cannot be spoken about Allāh without interpretation. For this reason, hāzir and nāzir are not included in the al-Asmā al-Husnā by way of Name or Attribute. Neither have these words come in the Qur’an or Ahādīth for Allāh (Most Transcendent) nor have the noble Sahābah, Tābi’īn or the Mujtahid Imāms used these words for Allāh (Most Transcendent).”
[Waqār al-Fatāwā Volume 2 page 66]
It is mentioned in Fatāwā Fayd al-Rasūl:
“If the belief is hāzir aw nāzir in the meaning Shahīd aw Basīr i.e. everything in existence is unveiled for Allāh (Most Transcendent) and Allāh (Most Transcendent) Sees every existing thing then this belief is true, but expressing this belief with the wording hāzir aw nāzir i.e. using the wording hāzir and nāzir concerning Allāh (Most Transcendent), should not be done. However, if someone still used this wording regarding Allāh (Most Transcendent) it will not be Kufr.”
[Fatāwā Fayd al-Rasūl Volume 1 page 3]
Muftī Sharīf al-Haqq al-Amjadī (may Allāh shower him with mercy) writes:
“The one who calls Allāh (Most Transcendent) hāzir aw nāzir is not a Kāfir, but calling Allāh (Most Transcendent) hāzir aw nāzir is forbidden because Asmā Allāh (Allāh’s Beautiful Names) are tawqīfī (based on revelation) i.e. That Name which the Sharī’ah has mentioned in relation to Allāh (Most Transcendent) then its usage is correct and those names which the Sharī’ah hasn’t expressed then they should be avoided.”
[Fatāwā Shārih Bukhārī Volume 1 page 305]
الله أعلم عز و جل و رسوله أعلم صلى الله تعالى عليه وآله و سلم
Answered by Muhammad Sājid al-Attārī (Specialist in al-Fiqh al-Islāmī)
This answer is correct – Muftī Abū al-Hasan Fudayl Ridā al-Attārī
20th Muharram al-Harām 1439 AH (11th October 2017)
Translated by Ustādh Ibrar Shafi
Dār al-Iftā Ahl al-Sunnah (Da’wat e Islami)
