Can Allaah be described as plotting etc .

Can Allaah be described as plotting, deceiving and betraying as in the
verses (interpretation of the meaning):
"they were plotting and Allaah too was plotting"
[al-Anfaal 8:30]
"Verily, the hypocrites seek to deceive Allaah, but it is He Who deceivesthem"
[al-Nisa' 4:142]?.
Praise be to Allaah.
The attributes of Allaah are all attributes of perfection, pointing to
the best and most perfect of meanings. Allaah says (interpretation of
the meaning):
"and for Allaah is the highest description. And He is the All-Mighty,
the All-Wise"
[al-Nahl 16:60]
"His is the highest description (i.e. none has the right to be
worshipped but He, and there is nothing comparable unto Him) inthe
heavens and in the earth. And He is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise"
[al-Room 30:27]
Al-Sa'di said in his Tafseer (commentary) – p. 718, 1065:
The highest description means the most perfect attributes.
Attributes are of three types:
1 – Attributes of perfection – in which there is no shortcoming
whatsoever. These attributes apply to Allaahin absolute terms and are
not limited or restricted in any way. Examples of that include His
knowledge, power, hearing, seeing, mercy, etc.
2 – Attributes which imply imperfection and shortcomings. These can
never be ascribed to Allaah, such as sleeping, being unable, doing
wrong or oppressing, betraying, etc.
3 – Attributes which maybe perfect or imperfect, depending on the
context. These cannot beascribed to Allaah in absolute terms, and
theycannot be denied in the case of Allaah in absolute terms. If the
context implies perfection then they canbe ascribed to Allaah; if it
implies imperfection then they cannot be ascribed to Allaah. Examples
include: plotting, deceiving and mocking.
Plotting against, betraying and mocking the enemy are attributesof
perfection, because that is indicative of complete knowledge, power
and might, and so on.
But plotting against the sincere believers is an attribute of imperfection.
Hence these characteristics are not ascribed to Allaah in absolute
terms, rather they are mentioned in such a context as to indicate that
these are attributes of perfection.
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"Verily, the hypocrites seek to deceive Allaah, but it is He Who deceivesthem"
[al-Nisa' 4:142]
This is deceiving the hypocrites.
And He says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And (remember) when the disbelievers plotted against you (O Muhammad)
to imprisonyou, or to kill you, or to get you out (from your home,
i.e. Makkah); they were plotting and Allaahtoo was plotting; and
Allaah is the Best of those who plot"
[al-Anfaal 8:30]
This is a plot against the enemies of Allaah who were plotting against
the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).
Allaah says of the hypocrites (interpretation of the meaning):
"And when they meet those who believe, they say: 'We believe,' but
when they are alone with their Shayaateen (devils — polytheists,
hypocrites), they say: 'Truly, we are with you; verily, we were but
mocking.'
Allaah mocks at them and gives them increase in their wrong-doing to
wander blindly"
[al-Baqarah 2:14-15]
This is mocking the hypocrites.
These attributes are to be regarded as indicating perfection in this
context. Hence we say that Allaah mocks thehypocrites and deceives
them, and that He plots against His enemies, andso on. But it is not
permissible to describe Allaah as mocking or deceiving in absolute
terms, because that doesnot indicate perfection.
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked: Can
Allaah be described as plotting and named as such?
He replied:
Allaah cannot be described as plotting except in a limited sense;He
cannot be described as such in absolute terms. Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"Did they then feel secure against the Plan of Allaah? None feels
secure from the Plan of Allaah except the people who are the losers"
[al-A'raaf 7:99]
This verse indicate that Allaah has a plan or plot, which was to
confound them without them realizing it. This is akin to the hadeeth
narrated by al-Bukhaari: "War is deceit."
If it is asked: How can Allaah be described as plotting when this
seemsto be something blameworthy?
The answer is that plotting in the right circumstances may be
something praiseworthythat points to the strength of the plotter, and
that he is superior to his enemy. Hence Allaah cannot be described as
plotting in absolute terms, and we cannot say "Allaah is a Plotter."
Rather this attribute is mentioned ina context where it is positive,
such as the verses (interpretation of the meaning):
"they were plotting and Allaah too was plotting"
[al-Anfaal 8:30]
"So they plotted a plot, and We planned a plan, while they perceived not"
[al-Naml 27:50]
And we cannot say in absolute terms that this cannot be ascribed to
Allaah, rather in contextswhere it is something positive it may be
ascribed to Him, and in contexts where it is not something positive,
it should not be ascribed to Him. So Allaah should not be called by a
name which refers to this, so we cannot say that one of the names of
Allaah is "the Plotter". Plotting is one of His actions, because it
has to do withthe Will of Allaah.
Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen, 1/170.
He was also asked: Can Allaah be described as betraying, or as
deceiving, as in the verse (interpretation of the meaning):
"Verily, the hypocrites seek to deceive Allaah, but it is He Who deceivesthem"
[al-Nisa' 4:142]?
He replied:
With regard to betrayal, this is something that can never be ascribed
to Allaah, because it is something shameful in all circumstances, and
it is plotting at a time of trust, which is blameworthy. Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"But if they intend to betray you (O Muhammad), they indeed betrayed
Allaah before. So He gave (you) power over them. And Allaah is
All-Knower, All-Wise"
[al-Anfaal 8:71]
And He did not say: So Hebetrayed them.
With regard to deceiving, it is like plotting. It may be ascribed to
Allaah when it is something positive, but it cannot be ascribedto Him
in absolute terms.Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"Verily, the hypocrites seek to deceive Allaah, but it is He Who deceivesthem"
[al-Nisa' 4:142]
Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen, 1/171
And Allaah knows best.