Is there a hadith in which the word "person" (shakhs) is used as a description of Allah?
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The questioner : If this word, "person," is established, do we say, "May Allah reward you," that the estimation is not a human person, or do we affirm personhood for Allah (Mighty and Majestic) and say that it does not represent the personhood of the station?
The Shaykh : No, if it is established and its indication is established, because in a hadith narrated by the people of the Sunan, Abu Razin al-'Aqili said: "O Messenger of Allah, how will Allah judge us when He is a person and we are many?" And if this is established, it settles the dispute.
The questioner : Ibn Abi 'Asim mentioned it in his book al-Sunnah, volume two. However, Shaykh Nasir pointed out that the hadith is more weak than authentic. What? From the hadith of the people of the Sunan? Shaykh Nasir disagreed with Ali in the book al-Sunnah of Ibn Abi 'Asim, pointing out that it is weak in two instances.
The Shaykh : Yes. I have in mind a word from one who thought that Ibn al-Qayyim spoke about it in Zad al-Ma'ad.
The questioner : Okay, and what about this illness?
The Shaykh : If it is established, we must say it, but as I said, the establishment of personhood for Allah does not require it to be similar to the personhood of the created beings. That is correct, and this is what we said: we said that it is not necessary that the one who is preferred be of the same kind as the one who is preferred over. But if the word in the Sunan, "He is a person and we are many," is established, then no problem remains. So the issue depends on its establishment, and perhaps Allah will make it easy for us to find some free time to verify it. We have published the words of Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) regarding it.
The Shaykh : No, if it is established and its indication is established, because in a hadith narrated by the people of the Sunan, Abu Razin al-'Aqili said: "O Messenger of Allah, how will Allah judge us when He is a person and we are many?" And if this is established, it settles the dispute.
The questioner : Ibn Abi 'Asim mentioned it in his book al-Sunnah, volume two. However, Shaykh Nasir pointed out that the hadith is more weak than authentic. What? From the hadith of the people of the Sunan? Shaykh Nasir disagreed with Ali in the book al-Sunnah of Ibn Abi 'Asim, pointing out that it is weak in two instances.
The Shaykh : Yes. I have in mind a word from one who thought that Ibn al-Qayyim spoke about it in Zad al-Ma'ad.
The questioner : Okay, and what about this illness?
The Shaykh : If it is established, we must say it, but as I said, the establishment of personhood for Allah does not require it to be similar to the personhood of the created beings. That is correct, and this is what we said: we said that it is not necessary that the one who is preferred be of the same kind as the one who is preferred over. But if the word in the Sunan, "He is a person and we are many," is established, then no problem remains. So the issue depends on its establishment, and perhaps Allah will make it easy for us to find some free time to verify it. We have published the words of Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) regarding it.
Source
قناة «فضيلة الشيخ محمد بن صالح العثيمين»، 4273 - 4600 هل ثبت في حديث لفظ شخص وصف لله؟ ابن عثيمين — youtube.com
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.
