Oneness, Uniqueness of Allah (Tawheed)

Sahih al-Bukhari - Hadith 7553

Hadith Text

"I heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) saying, 'Before Allah created the creations, He wrote a Book (wherein He has written): My Mercy has preceded my Anger.' and that (Book) is written with Him over the Throne."

Commentary on Divine Pre-Eternal Decree

This noble hadith establishes the fundamental Islamic doctrine that Allah's Mercy encompasses all things and precedes His Wrath in the Divine Decree. The "Book" mentioned refers to the Preserved Tablet (al-Lawh al-Mahfuz) wherein Allah inscribed all that was to occur before creation.

The positioning of this Book "over the Throne" signifies its supreme importance in the cosmic order, indicating that Allah's attribute of Mercy is foundational to His relationship with creation.

Theological Implications

This teaching provides profound comfort to believers, affirming that Allah's essential nature is Merciful. His Anger is secondary to and constrained by His primary attribute of Mercy.

Scholars explain that this precedence is both temporal in the Divine Decree and essential in Allah's attributes - meaning Mercy is more comprehensive and fundamental than Wrath in Allah's relationship with His creation.

Practical Lessons

This hadith encourages hope in Divine Mercy and discourages despair. It teaches that even when we sin, we should not lose hope in Allah's forgiveness, for His Mercy precedes His Anger.

It also instructs believers to embody this divine quality by making mercy predominant in their dealings with others, following the example of their Lord.