Title: Regarding the Physical Attributes of God... Question: Where is God? What does God look like? Does God have a home? What is God's gender? Is God a male or a female? Answer: A close consideration of these questions shall show that all of them, in fact, relate to the physical attributes of God. As I have already clarified in one of my earlier responses [1] , the Qur'an has not given us any information about the physical attributes of God. In my referred response, I have clarified the basic reason why the Qur'an does not give any information about the physical attributes of God and have mentioned that: For the development of a sound relationship with his Creator, man does not need to be familiar with His physical characteristics. A sound relationship - one that is based on the correct appreciation of the rights and duties of man with reference to his Creator - can be fully developed even without information of His physical appearance and personality. The important thing that needs to be understood and acknowledged for the purpose of developing a sound relationship with God is a good knowledge of the qualitative attributes of God, rather than His physical attributes. It is for this reason that the Qur'an has concentrated on an attributive introduction of God. Thus, after having known that God is alive in a self-sustaining manner; God is the sole Creator of all that enjoys existence; and God is the ultimate and active ruler and controller over all that exists and that mercy, providence, wisdom, omnipotence, omniscience and justice are some of His permanent attributes, what difference would it make if we are not aware of the exact location of where He resides? What changes would occur in our relationship with Him, if He resides in a palace or a house? One can easily see that questions regarding the physical attributes of God, hold absolutely no relevance in defining and developing our relationship with Him. This holds true for all questions directed toward understanding the physical attributes of God. Thus, even though we are not aware of the exact location of God or whether He is everywhere or not, yet we do know that His knowledge encompasses everything - at all places in all times; and we do know that He has active control over everything - at all places in all times. The Qur'an considers this information to suffice for us, in the present life. As far as the 'gender' question is concerned, we know that the division of various species into males and females of that species is a part of the grand plan of creation. In this plan, even though each individual male, as well as female, is an independent being, yet from the perspective of sustaining the existence of that species, as a whole, the males and the females are completely dependent upon each other. From this perspective, like a number of other perspectives, it is clear that the males and the females of a species complement each other. This translates into the fact that taken independently, the males and the females of a species are, in fact, incomplete by their very nature. It clearly follows that God, being clear of all imperfections, is neither male nor female. Furthermore, it is also clear that one of the prime reasons for the division of various species into males and females is to create, within these species, the potential of reproduction and, thereby, the potential of sustaining the species itself. The creation of this potential, in turn, was to cope with the fact that the individual members of each species was given a limited life cycle, which was to end at its death. God, on the other hand, is alive in a self-sustaining manner and does not need to reproduce for the purpose of sustaining His 'species'. God is the creator and designer of the males and females in each species. He, Himself, is above the scope of this division. I hope this helps. March 31, 2001 [1] Reference is to one of my earlier responses titled " The Islamic Introduction to God ".