Abu Hanifah used thoughtful questions and analogies to respond to nonbelievers' questions about the nature and existence of God without being able to describe God's essence. When asked where or how God moves, he likened it to light radiating in all directions. When asked God's form, he noted we cannot define the soul though it departs the body at death. Ultimately, God's divine entity cannot be defined as we are limited beings.

2. Many people – including Muslims ask:
“Where is God or Allah? What Image does
God or Allah have?”
These questions cannot be easily answered,
but let’s see how Imam Abu Hanifah
responded when he was asked such
questions by nonbelievers.

3. ?”To those who ask: “Where is God or Allah

4. :The atheists asked Abu Hanifah
?”When was your Lord born“

5. Abu Hanifah replied:
“Allah existed first - before
history and before time.

6. He added:
“What comes before three?”
They replied: “Two.”

7. He asked:
“What comes before two?”
.”They replied: “One

8. Abu Hanifah said:
“What comes before one?”
They replied: “Nothing.”

9. He said: “If the number ‘one’ is not
preceded by anything, then how can
the True One and Only God
(Allah) be preceded by anything.
Allah is Ancient and Eternal. Nothing
precedes Him.”

10. They asked:
“In which direction does your Lord
move?”

11. He asked: “If you bring a lantern
into a dark place, in which direction
will its light move?”
They replied: “In every direction.”

12. Abu Hanifah said:
“If this is how the lantern’s light
radiates, then how about Allah’s
Light - the Light of the Heavens and
the Earth?”

13. They said: “Define your Lord’s entity.
Is your Lord solid like iron; liquid
like water; or gaseous like smoke or
vapor?”

14. He asked: “Have you ever sat beside
a dying patient?”
They said: “Yes, we have.

15. He added: "Did he speak to you after he
was pronounced dead?"
They said: "No."

16. Abu Hanifah asked: “Before he died,
did he not talk and move?”
They said: “Yes.”

17. He said: “What changed him?”
They said: “His soul departed.”

18. He said: “Then isn’t it true that his
soul left his body?
They said: “Yes.”

19. Abu Hanifah asked: “Could you
describe his soul? Is it solid like
iron; liquid like water; or gaseous
like smoke or vapor?”

20. They replied: “We know nothing
about it.”

21. He said: “If you cannot define the entity of
this created soul, then how can you expect
me to describe the Divine Entity.”

22. Let’s repeat this prayer together: “Oh,
Allah.”

23. Allah, help me to uphold the truth against
tyrants; and prevent me from advocating
injustice to gain the applause of the weak.

24. Oh Allah, if you make me rich, do not
.deprive me of happiness

25. If You Grant me strength, do not take
.away my mental faculties

26. If you make me successful, do not
deprive me of modesty.

27. If you make me modest, do not
deprive me of my pride and dignity.

28. Oh Allah, teach me to love others as
.much as I love myself

29. Teach me to judge myself before I judge
.others

30. Teach me that tolerance is the greatest
strength.

31. And that vengeance is the first sign of
.weakness

32. Oh Allah, if you grant me success, do not
blind me by vanity.

33. Do not make me despair if I fail.

34. Please let me always remember that
.failure precedes success

35. Oh Allah, if you deprive me of my
.wealth, do not let me despair

36. If you take away my success, give me
.the strength to overcome failure

37. If you deprive me of good health, do
.not deprive me of faith

38. Oh Allah, if I hurt others, give me the
.strength to apologize

39. If people hurt me, give me the strength
.to forgive

40. If I am oblivious to Thee, do not deprive
.me of Your Forgiveness and Patience

41. Oh Allah, You are the All-Powerful,
All-Merciful and All-Capable
ALLAHU AKBAR

42. .Ameen

43. Dear Muslims:
Please send this presentation to all your
friends.
May Allah reward you for this good deed
on the Day of Judgment.
Please also pray for the author, and the
translator.
(Translated by Tarek Sida - 2010)