Does Allaah have Arms and Legs like us or not?

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

Allaah, The Most High and The Most Gracious should not be described except by what He described Himself in His Book (the Quran) and by what the Prophet described Him in the Sunnah. However, as far as we know, there is no description neither in the Quran nor in the Sunnah which mentions that Allaah has arms.

As for the leg, Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Prophet said in a long Hadeeth: "...As for the Fire (Hell), it will not be filled till Allaah puts His Leg over it whereupon it will say: 'Qat! Qat! Qat! (i.e. enough)'. At that time, it will be filled, and its different parts will come closer to each other …." [Al-Bukhari] 

In another narration reported by Anas the Prophet said: "People will be thrown into Hellfire, and it [Hellfire] will say: "Are there some more?", until Allaah will put his foot or his leg on it, and thereupon it will say: "Enough, enough!"

These narrations as well as other similar ones about the Attributes of Allaah are accepted and affirmed by Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamaa'ah without asking how they are and without resembling them or comparing them to anyone or anything esle. Allaah Says (what means): {There is nothing like unto Him and He is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer.} [Quran 42:11]

Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamaa'ah do not try to distort or nullify such Attributes; rather, they just accept them as they are stated.

Ibn Abu 'Izz from the Hanafi School of jurisprudence, said in his explanation of the book entiltled At-Tahaawiyyah: "Abu Haneefah said: "It is unacceptable for any person to talk about the Entity of Allaah with anything; rather, he should only say about Allaah what He said about Himself."

Besides, Imaam Maalik said about Istiwaa' (Allaah's rising above the Throne): "Rising is linguistically understood (known), the manner in which it occurs is unknown, and asking about it is an innovation."

Moreover, Abu 'Ubayd Al-Qassim Ibn Sallaam said while commenting on the Ahadeeth about the Attributes of Allaah: "These Ahadeeth are a confirmed reality for us because they were reported from trustworthy people who reported them from trustworthy ones. However, if we are asked about their interpretation, we will say that we do not know of any previous scholar who interpreted them. So, we do not interpret any of them. We just believe in them and keep silent (about them)."

Finally, we warn you against believing that Allaah resembles any of His Creations. Allaah Says (what means): {There is nothing like unto Him.} [Quran 42:11] We also warn you against thinking about the Entity of Allaah, because doing so opens the door for the whispers of the devil, by which he misguides people and leads them astray. Indeed, the Prophet said: "Think about Allaah's Creatures but do not think about Allaah Himself." [Al-Bukhari]

For more benefit, please refer to Fatwa 143821.

Allaah Knows best.