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Question
Please clarify that is it Shirk to say that universe exists in God and God is beyond the universe. Are spirits small part of God like drops from ocean? Please explain in detail the meaning of the words "breathed into him of my spirit" in the Holy Quran (15:29). Also explain the meaning of Hadeeth: "He who knows himself knows his Lord."
Answer
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. We ask Allaah to exalt his mention as well as that of his family and all his companions.
Saying that the universe exists in Allaah is a statement of disbelief and falsehood and it is contradictory to the creed of Ahlus-Sunnah Wal-Jamaa'ah. Similarly, saying that all the souls [or spirits] are a part of Allaah is a statement of disbelief, Glorified and Exalted is Allaah! High above (the great falsehood) that they say.
Shaykh Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah
said: 'Allaah is separate from His Creatures, and His Creatures are separate from him and there is no transfer that means the emptying of a space and the filling of another, as He is The One Who is separate from His Creatures.' Al-Haafith Abu Nu'aym said: 'Allaah is separate from His Creatures and His Creatures are separate from Him, He does not disintegrate or mingle in them and He rose above His Throne above the heavens in a manner that befits His Highness.'
Ibn Taymiyyah said: 'He is High Above the Throne separate from His Creation, His Creatures do not have something similar in any way to His Entity, and His Entity does not have anything similar to His Creatures.'
Ad-Daarimi reported that Ibn Al-Mubaarak was asked: 'How do we know our Lord? He replied: "He is above the seven heavens on the Throne separate from his Creation.'
Ibn Khuzaymah said: 'Whoever does not believe that Allaah is above the heavens and separate from His Creatures is a non-Muslim; so he will be asked to repent from that. If he repents he would be forgiven; otherwise, he should be killed.'
There are many statements of our righteous predecessors
confirming that Allaah is separate from His Creation and that there is no creature in Him, Glorified and Exalted is He! High above (the great falsehood) that they say.
As regards saying that Allaah is beyond the universe, if what is meant is that He encompasses everything [with his knowledge] then this is a true statement. Allaah says (which means): {And ever is Allaah, of all things, encompassing.}[Quran 4:126]. Allaah further says (which means): {Unquestionably He is, of all things, encompassing.}[Quran 41:54]. Another verse reads (which means): {While Allaah encompasses them from behind.}[Quran 85:20]. So Allaah encompasses His Creation with His Knowledge, Might, Hearing and Seeing. In addition to this, He rose above His Throne above the seven heavens. Allaah says (which means): {The Most Merciful [Allaah] rose over (Istawa) the (Mighty) Throne (in a manner that suits His Majesty.}[Quran 20:5].
Concerning the saying of Allaah (which means): {So when I have fashioned him completely and breathed into him (Aadam) the soul which I created for him...}[Quran 15:29 and 38:72]; what is meant here is not the soul that is in the body, High above is He from this, as He is not composed of body and soul. But it is a soul among the souls that Allaah created and He attributed this soul to him as a way of conferring honour to it, exactly as we say "the House of Allaah", ''the she-camel of Allaah'' and here ''the soul of Allaah". Therefore, there is nothing in the verse which suggests that the universe is a part of Allaah, Glorified and Exalted is He! High above (the great falsehood) that they say.
With regard to the narration "He who knows himself knows his Lord", it is a fabricated one. Imaam Al-Albaani said: "There is no source for this narration." Ibn Taymiyyah said: 'It is a fabricated narration.'
So this narration is not said by the Prophet 
; however, those who use this narration mean that the one who knows that he will die, realizes that his Lord does not die and will remain forever.
Allaah Knows best.
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