enislamtoday.net: Some people who seek to be pious tend to underrate the value of beauty. They fail to recognize that beauty is an Islamic value. Allah intended for His Creation to contain beauty.

Allah says: “And He created the cattle for you; you have in them warm clothing and (many) advantages, and of them do you eat. And you have a sense of pride and beauty in them as ye drive them home in the evening, and as ye lead them forth to pasture in the morning.” [Sūrah al-Nahl: 5-6]

He says: “And (He has created) horses, mules, and donkeys, for you to ride and use as an ornament for show; and He has created (other) things of which you have no knowledge.” [Sūrah al-Nahl: 8]

Elsewhere in the Qur’ān, Allah speaks about the beauty of the heavens, the stars, of gardens and myriad other things.

Beauty stands in opposition to ugliness. Allah is beautiful in His essence, in His names and attributes, and in His actions. This is why the greatest of all pleasures in Paradise is to look upon Allah’s countenance. Allah says: “That day will faces be resplendent, looking to their Lord” [Sūrah al-Qiyāmah: 22-23]

Allah refers to His names as being beautiful: “Allah’s are the most beautiful names.” [Sūrah al-A`rāf: 180]

Likewise, His actions are beautiful. They are always within the context of His beneficence and grace, or His justice and wisdom. His actions are never in vain, never unjust, and never superfluous. “Perfected is the Word of your Lord in truth and justice.” [Sūrah al-An`ām: 115]

Allah created everything with proficiency and He created the human being in the best of forms.

The beauty that exists in Creation – on land and at sea and in the heavens – attests to Allah’s beauty as well as His power. He who created beauty is most entitled to beauty. And indeed Paradise is adorned with beauty beyond imagining.

Allah’s beauty is also beyond our imagining. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) beseeched Allah with the following prayer: “I unable to extol all of Your praises. You are as You have extolled Yourself.” [Sahīh Muslim (486)]

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) also said: “His is a veil of light. If He were to remove it, the glory of His countenance would ignite everything of Creation as He looks upon it.” [Sahīh Muslim (179)]

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