The denial by the *mu'attilah* of the attribute of elevation for Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He), and the clarification that the *mu'attil* worships non-existence, while the *mujassim* worships an idol.

The Shaykh : They say: "Allah (Mighty and Majestic) is not described as being above, and consequently, He is not described as being below." They have explicitly stated absolute negation, saying: "Allah is not above, not below, not to the right, not to the left, not in front, not behind, not inside the world, and not outside it." Some of them added—adding a bundle of straw to a camel's load, as it is said—"He is not connected to it and not separated from it." I ask Allah to punish you—and I ask Allah for nothing but a great matter—tell me: if it were said to the most eloquent of the Arabs, "Describe for us the isolated one who has no existence," could he describe him with more than what these people describe their object of worship with? They say of Him: "Allah is not above, not below, not to the right, not to the left, not in front, not behind, not inside the world, and not outside it." What remains? Nothing remains but non-existence. And some of them added—as you heard—"He is not connected to it and not separated from it." Therefore, be aware of the danger of this negation. One of the intelligent princes, when he witnessed a discussion between one of the great scholars of the Salaf and many of the shaykhs of the Khalaf, and they debated in his presence, this Salafi affirmed for Allah (Mighty and Majestic) the attribute of elevation with many verses, which you do not need us to recite for you; such as: , so when he heard the affirmation of thisThe Shaykh : Salafi and the denial of those people with what you heard, he said a word that indicates his wit and intellect. He said: "These are a people who have lost their Lord!!
The one who says of his Lord: 'Not above, not below, not to the right, not to the left, not inside the world, and not outside it'—there is no doubt that they have been ignorant of their object of worship. And from here it becomes clear to you how a Muslim can believe in Allah while he purifies Him, in his claim, from being inside the world or outside it? There is only a created thing or an uncreated thing, or an uncreated and creating thing. And in that case, this Creator is either inside the world or outside the world. So if it is said: He is not inside the world and not outside it, they have judged Him as non-existent. And therefore, that wise prince said: 'These are a people who have lost their Lord!!'
And this is a reality that we know and hear here in the lands of Sham on the pulpits. This word that denies the existence of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), I have heard it on the pulpit repeatedly, where they indoctrinate the common Muslims with this attribute for Allah (Mighty and Majestic); and it is absolute negation and denial. And true is the one who said: "The *mujassim* worships an idol, and the *mu'attil* worships non-existence." Who is the *mu'attil*? He is the one who denies the divine attributes. So this one who says, in his claim of fleeing from likening Allah to creation and ascribing a body to Allah: "Allah is not above, not below," up to the great misguidance that you heard. This is better than that *mujassim*, and both are in misguidance. I say: better than him; because he affirmed something to worship, whereas this *mu'attil* has denied the existence of Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He) and described Him with an attribute that no person who truly believes in the existence of the Creator would believe except that He is one of two things: either inside the world or outside it. And the texts from the Book and the Sunnah all came in a mutually supporting manner affirming that Allah (Mighty and Majestic) has the attribute of elevation. And we know that all Muslims agree on a reality, even if they differ in its details as we are now, that Allah (Mighty and Majestic) has all the attributes of perfection, and He is purified from all the attributes of deficiency. So let us now think about what the Salaf believe, that Allah (Mighty and Majestic), as He said: , and described His believing servants as , so He has the attribute of elevation.