The Shaykh’s response to those who interpret the attributes of Allah the Exalted in the name of purifying Him.
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The Shaykh : And on this occasion, I am pleased with a statement by al-Khatib al-Baghdadi that I had quoted from a manuscript in the al-Zahiriyyah Library. He says: "The statement regarding the attributes is like the statement regarding the Essence, in terms of affirming and purifying". What is said about the Essence is said about the attributes. Allah exists. This fool who denies the attributes uses this expression: Allah exists. Well, do you exist or are you lost? He also exists. So, according to their method, one of the two existences must be denied so that there is no likeness. Either he denies his own existence or he denies the existence of his Lord. Whichever he denies, he falls into negation. I mean, he falls into pantheism. If he denies his own existence, he falls into pantheism. If he denies the existence of his Lord, he also falls into pantheism. Everything you see with your eyes is Allah. This is what the pantheists or the people of union, such as Ibn Arabi and others, say.
Ah, he will be forced here to say: No, my existence is contingent, whereas the existence of Allah Mighty and Majestic is necessary. So there are two existences, but they are completely different in reality. So, what you said about the Essence, say it about the attributes, and apply that, and you will be free from negation and from likening Allah to creation.
[Ash-Shuraa 42:11] Like Him, meaning: His essence, and likewise in His attributes, because the essence is undoubtedly possessed of all attributes of perfection. Therefore, He followed up the verse with His saying: [Ash-Shuraa 42:11].
The negators are of different types. Among them are those who went so far in negation that they fell into absolute denial, as you hear this fool saying: Allah is not described as being inside the world or outside the world. This, as I always say on such occasions, and this is a fact that must be preserved: if you were to ask the most eloquent of the Arabs to describe the non-existent, he would not be able to describe it except in the way they describe their object of worship: Allah is not above, not below, not on the right, not on the left, not in front, not behind, not inside the world, and not outside it. Some of them went so far in negation that they said: He is neither connected to it nor separate from it. This is the attribute of the non-existent. Likewise, the Mu'tazilah.
The student: Our Shaykh, what is your opinion about the prayer?
The Shaykh : How?
The student: We pray.
The Shaykh : Is it time?
The student: Yes, the call to prayer.
The Shaykh : Let's go, in the name of Allah.
Ah, he will be forced here to say: No, my existence is contingent, whereas the existence of Allah Mighty and Majestic is necessary. So there are two existences, but they are completely different in reality. So, what you said about the Essence, say it about the attributes, and apply that, and you will be free from negation and from likening Allah to creation.
There is nothing like unto Him
ليس كمثله شيءand He is the Hearing, the Seeing.
وهو السميع البصيرThe negators are of different types. Among them are those who went so far in negation that they fell into absolute denial, as you hear this fool saying: Allah is not described as being inside the world or outside the world. This, as I always say on such occasions, and this is a fact that must be preserved: if you were to ask the most eloquent of the Arabs to describe the non-existent, he would not be able to describe it except in the way they describe their object of worship: Allah is not above, not below, not on the right, not on the left, not in front, not behind, not inside the world, and not outside it. Some of them went so far in negation that they said: He is neither connected to it nor separate from it. This is the attribute of the non-existent. Likewise, the Mu'tazilah.
The student: Our Shaykh, what is your opinion about the prayer?
The Shaykh : How?
The student: We pray.
The Shaykh : Is it time?
The student: Yes, the call to prayer.
The Shaykh : Let's go, in the name of Allah.