Explanation

This Hadīth indicates the majesty of Allah, the Almighty, in the sense that He puts all the heavens on one Finger of His noble Hand. The Hadīth enumerates immense creations, each of which Allah, the Almighty, puts on one of His Fingers. Indeed, if Allah wills, He would put the heavens and earths and everything therein on only one Finger of His Hand. This belongs to the knowledge that Prophets received from divine revelation. Therefore, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) acknowledged what the Jew said. He was pleased to hear that and even laughed in confirmation of it as ‘Abdullāh ibn Mas‘ūd reported in another narration. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) then recited the verse: {And they have not appraised Allah with true appraisal, while the earth entirely will be [within] His grip on the Day of Resurrection, and the heavens will be folded in His right Hand. Exalted is He and high above what they associate with Him} [Sūrat Az-Zumar: 67]. This verse affirms that Allah, the Almighty, has Hands, confirming what the Jew said. Thus, it would not make sense to deny Allah's attributes, thereby negating that Allah has Fingers on the pretext that affirming this attribute implies a similarity between Allah and His creation. Those who deny Allah's attributes are unaware that affirming this attribute to Allah does not entail such a resemblance. Since we affirm to Allah life, ability, power, hearing, and sight, we are not necessarily implying that Allah resembles His creation. Indeed, {There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the Hearing, the Seeing.} [Sūrat Ash-Shūra: 11].