Criticizing the Creed of the Salaf
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Fatwa No. ( 21164 )
Q: We ask you to provide a detailed explanation regarding what Khalid Mayyub wrote in the newspaper Akhbar al-Khalij, issue (7889), on Friday, corresponding to 29/10/1999 CE, titled: “Exalting Allah the Exalted from the opposites of these attributes and from all imperfections,” in which he committed in this article the act of criticizing the creed of the Salaf , and specifically Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah and Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on them both), by accusing them of ascribing a body to Allah.
A: It is obligatory to affirm what Allah has affirmed for Himself, or what His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) has affirmed for Him, of names and attributes, in the manner befitting Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He), affirming them without likening Allah to creation or asking how an attribute is, and to deny what He has denied of Himself, or what His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) has denied of Him, of resembling the created beings, exalting Him without distortion of a text's meaning or denial of the divine attributes, in accordance with His saying
(Glorified and Exalted is He):[Ash-Shuraa 42:11] . Thus, He affirmed for Himself hearing and sight, and denied for Himself resembling the created beings. As for the terms ascribing a body to Allah, limbs, organs, and distinction, these are newly coined terms for which there is no text in the Book or the Sunnah denying or affirming them. As for direction, the people of the Sunnah and the community are in consensus that Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) is in the direction of the height above His creations, rising above the Throne, distinct from His creation, as indicated by the evidence of the Book and the Sunnah. Whoever denies this is a disbeliever in Allah (Mighty and Majestic). This is the school of the righteous Salaf, and the imams of guidance have followed their path, such as Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah and Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on them both). And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Q: We ask you to provide a detailed explanation regarding what Khalid Mayyub wrote in the newspaper Akhbar al-Khalij, issue (7889), on Friday, corresponding to 29/10/1999 CE, titled: “Exalting Allah the Exalted from the opposites of these attributes and from all imperfections,” in which he committed in this article the act of criticizing the creed of the Salaf , and specifically Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah and Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on them both), by accusing them of ascribing a body to Allah.
A: It is obligatory to affirm what Allah has affirmed for Himself, or what His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) has affirmed for Him, of names and attributes, in the manner befitting Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He), affirming them without likening Allah to creation or asking how an attribute is, and to deny what He has denied of Himself, or what His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) has denied of Him, of resembling the created beings, exalting Him without distortion of a text's meaning or denial of the divine attributes, in accordance with His saying
(Glorified and Exalted is He):
There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the Hearing, the Seeing.
لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْءٌ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُ
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.