Does the Hadith, "The hearts of the servants are between two fingers of the Fingers of the Most Merciful; He turns them as He wills," necessitate an allegorical interpretation of the attribute of "fingers," or is it a metaphor for Allah's power, and what is its relationship to predestination (jabr), free will (ikhtiyar), divine will (mashee'ah), and divine decree (qadar)?
Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Sep 2, 2026
Fingers are an established attribute of Allah, the Most Blessed, the Most High, as indicated by texts from the noble , such as the Hadith of Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-Aas and the Hadith of Abdullah ibn Mas'ud, may Allah be pleased with them both. The imams of the Salaf, like Ibn Khuzaymah, Al-Ajurri, and Al-Darimi, affirmed this attribute and did not interpret it in a way that contradicts its apparent meaning.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
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