Names and Attributes of Allah, - Commentary on the hadeeth, “Allaah createdAdam in His image” .

When Prophet says"Allah created Adam in his image" what does"his
image" refer to and how should we understand it?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Al-Bukhaari (6227) and Muslim (2841) narrated from Abu Hurayrah that
the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Allaah
created Adam in His image, and he was sixty cubits tall. When he
created him he said, 'Go and greet that group of angels who are
sitting and listen to how they greet you, for that will be your
greeting and the greeting of your descendents.' So he said,'Al-salaamu
'alaykum (peace be upon you),' and they said, 'Al-salaamu 'alayka wa
rahmat-Allaah (Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allaah.' So they
added(the words) 'wa rahmat-Allaah.' Everyone who enters Paradise will
be in the form of Adam, but mankind continued to grow shorter until
now."
Muslim (2612) narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: The Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "When any one of
fights his brother, let him avoid the face, for Allaah created Adam in
His image."
Ibn Abi 'Aasim narrated in al-Sunnah (517) that Ibn 'Umar said: The
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
"Do not say 'May Allaah deform your face' [a form of cursing in
Arabic], for the son of Adam was created in theimage of the Most
Merciful." Shaykh 'Abd-Allaah ibn al-Ghunaymaan (may Allaah preserve
him) said: "This hadeeth is saheeh and was classed as such by the
imams and by Imam Ahmad andIshaaq ibn Raahawayh. Those who classed it
as da'eef have no evidence,except for the view of Ibn Khuzaymah, but
those who classed it as saheeh are more knowledgeable than him.
Ibn Abi 'Aasim also narrated (516) that Abu Hurayrah said: The
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
"When any one of you fights let him avoid the face, for Allaah created
Adam in the image of His Face." Shaykh al-Albaani said: its isnaad is
saheeh.
These two hadeeth indicate that the pronoun in the phrase "in His
image" refers to Allaah, may He be glorified.
Al-Tirmidhi (3234) narrated from Ibn 'Abbaas that the Prophet(peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "My Lord came to me in the
most beautiful image and said, 'O Muhammad.' I said, 'HereI am at Your
service, my Lord.' He said, 'What are the chiefs (angels) on high
disputing about...'" Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh
al-Tirmidhi.
According to the lengthyhadeeth about intercession, it says, "... then
the Compeller (al-Jabbaar) will come tothen in an image different than
the imagein which they saw Him the first time..." Narratedby
al-Bukhaari, 7440; Muslim, 182.
From these ahaadeeth we learn that it is proven that Allaah has an
image (soorah in Arabic), in a manner thatbefits Him, may He be
glorified and exalted. Hisimage is one of His attributes which cannot
be likened to the attributes of created beings, just as His essence
cannot be likened to their essence.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said: "The word soorah (image) in this
hadeeth is like all the other names and attributes narrated (in the
texts) where the words used may also be applied to created beings, in
a limited manner. When these words are applied to Allaah, they carry a
unique meaning, such asal-'Aleem (All Knowing), al-Qadeer
(All-Powerful), al-Raheem (Most Merciful), al-Samee' (All Hearing),
al-Baseer (All-Seeing), and such as His creating with His hands,
rising above the Throne, etc." Naqd al-Ta'sees, 3/396
Everything that exists must inevitably have a form or image. Shaykh
al-Islam said: "Just as everything that exists must have attributes
that, so too everything that exists by itself must have a form or
image. It is impossible for something that exists by itself not to
have a form or image."
And he said: "There was no dispute among the salaf of the first three
generations that the pronoun in the hadeeth refers to Allaah, and it
is narrated through many isnaads from many of the Sahaabah. The
contexts of the ahaadeeth all indicate that... but when al-Jahamiyyah
became widespread in the third century AH, a group began to say that
the pronoun refers to something other than Allaah, and this was
transmitted from a group of scholars who are known to have knowledge
and to follow the Sunnah in most of their affairs, such as Abu Thawr,
Ibn Khuzaymah, Abu'l-Shaykh al-Asfahaani and others. Hence they were
denounced by the imams of Islam and other Sunni scholars."
Naqd al-Ta'sees, 3/202
Ibn Qutaybah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: "That Allaah should
have an image is no stranger than His having two hands, fingers or
eyes. Rather those are readily accepted because they are mentioned in
the Qur'aan, but this idea (image or form) is regarded as strange
because it is not mentioned in the Qur'aan. But we believe in them
all, but we do not discuss how any of them are."
Ta'weel Mukhtalif al-Hadeeth, p. 221
Shaykh al-Ghunaymaan said: "Thus it is clear thatthe form or image is
like all the other divine attributes. Any attribute which Allaah has
affirmed in the Revelation, we must affirm it and believe in it."
Sharh Kitaab al-Tawheedmin Saheeh al-Bukhaari, 2/41
Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked: There is a
hadeeth narrated fromthe Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) in which he forbids saying "May Allaah deform your face",
and says that Allaah created Adam in His image. What is the correct
belief with regard to this hadeeth?
He replied:
This hadeeth is proven from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him), in which he said: "If any one of you strikes (another),
let him avoid the face, for Allaah created Adam in His image."
According to another version: "In the image of the Most Merciful."
This does not imply resemblance or likeness.
What is meant, according to the scholars, is that Allaah created Adam
with the ability to hear and see, and to speak when he wants. These
are also attributes of Allaah, for He is All-Hearing, All-Seeing, and
He speaks when He wants, and He has a Face, may He be glorified and
exalted.
But it does not mean that there is any resemblance or likeness. Rather
the image of Allaah is different from that of created beings. What is
meant is that He is All-Hearing, All-Seeing,and He speaks when He
wants, and He created Adam also able to hear and see, with a face and
hands and feet. But man's hearing is not like Allaah's hearing, his
seeing is not like Allaah'sseeing, his speaking is not like Allaah's
speaking. Rather Allaah has attributes that befit His majesty and
might, and man has attributes that befit him, attributesthat are
finite and imperfect, whereas the attributes of Allaah are perfect,
with no shortcomings, infinite and without end. Hence Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"There is nothing like Him, and He is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer"
[al-Shoora 42:11]
"And there is none co-equal or comparable unto Him"
[al-Ikhlaas 112:4]
So it is not permissible tostrike the face or say "May Allaah deform yourface".
End quote. Majmoo' Fataawa al-Shaykh, 4/226
Another thing that will help to explain the meaning of this hadeethis
the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him):
"The first group to enter Paradise will be in the image of the moon"
(Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 3245; Muslim, 2834." What the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) meant here isthat the first group
will be in human form, but because of their purity, beauty and
brightness offace they will look like the moon, so they are likened to
the moon, butwithout resembling it. So just because a thing issaid to
be in the image of a thing it does not mean that it is like it in all
aspects.
The Prophet's words, "Adam was created in His image" means that Allaah
created Adam in His image, for He has a face, an eye, a hand, anda
foot, and Adam had a face, an eye, a hand, anda foot... but that does
not mean that these things are exactly the same. There is some
similarity, but it is not exactly the same. Similarly the first group
to enter Paradise are likened to the moon, butthey are not exactly the
same. This confirms the view of Ahl al-Sunnah wa'l-Jamaa'ah, who say
that none of the attributes of Allaah can be likened to the attributes
of created beings, without distorting or misinterpreting, or
discussing how or likening Him to His creation.
See Sharh al-'Aqeedah al-Waasitah by Shaykh Muhammad ibn 'Uthaymeen, 1/107, 293.
For more information, see: Sharh Kitaab al-Tawheed min Saheeh
al-Bukhaari by Shaykh al-Ghunaymaan, 2/33-98,in which he quotes at
length from Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on
him), refuting the misinterpretation of this hadeeth by ahl al-kalaam
and those who agreed with them.
And Allaah knows best.