Commentary

Meaning of a Hadith

Q: There is a Hadith in which it is mentioned:

Allah Ta'ala will gather all the human beings of early generations as well as later generations on one plain so that the announcer will be able to make them all hear his voice and the watcher will be able to see all of them. Does the word announcer and watcher refer to Allah? Also, is Allah attributes with a voice?

Allah Ta'ala's encompassing knowledge

Q: I have a question about some texts in the Quran whose meanings we should not delve into. I sometimes start getting images in my mind.

For example about this Hadith Prophet Mohammad (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said, "If one of you lowered a bucket by a rope (into a well), then it would fall on Allah." [At-Tirmidhi]

I get an image that a bucket is falling into a well and if Allah is in the well, because it seems that this is what the literal meaning means. Then I get really confused because if I accept this image it seems that I'm doing anthropomorphism and if I reject it what if it is the real meaning. What I mean to say is that whether the meaning is literal or figurative only Allah knows best, but then I get a literal image in my mind. I get really scared that if I accept it, what if it is anthropomorphism and if I reject it, what if this is what actually happens. I'm really scared of doing kufr. Please help me out.

Respect for the husband

Q: Due to this hadith and seemingly degrading hadiths on women, I'm having doubts and resentments towards men. Can women decide to never be married? The Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said: “It is not right for any human being to prostrate to another; if it were right for one human being to prostrate to another, I would have commanded women to prostrate to their husbands because of the great rights that they have over them. By the One in Whose hand is my soul, if a man were covered from head to foot with weeping sores oozing pus, and his wife were to come to him and lick his sores (to clean them), this would not fulfil the rights he has over her.’”

It's been days and I can't get over it. Explain this. If marriage means this,  I don't know what to think or say. These hadiths really distress me that much. Not only I have my own problems; now I have to read these hadiths which really discourage and sadden me.

Memorizing the 99 names of Allah

Q: What is meant by "memorizes" or "preserves" the 99 names of Allah in the Hadith below:

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ لِلَّهِ تِسْعَةٌ وَتِسْعُونَ اسْمًا مَنْ حَفِظَهَا دَخَلَ الْجَنَّةَ