What is our methodology regarding many of the attributes for which neither affirmation nor negation has been transmitted? Do we negate them directly, or do we suspend judgment on them?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The Shaykh: Go ahead.
The questioner: Shaykh, a question concerning the attributes.
The Shaykh: Concerning what?
The questioner: The attributes, the attributes of Allah (Mighty and Majestic).
The Shaykh: Yes, and peace be upon you.
The questioner: Shaykh, there are ... many attributes for which neither affirmation nor negation has been transmitted. Some have affirmed them for Allah (Mighty and Majestic), and some have negated them from Allah (Mighty and Majestic). So what is our methodology regarding these attributes? Do we negate them directly, or do we suspend judgment? What is your opinion?
The Shaykh: I do not know. I feel there is a contradiction in your speech. If there are attributes for which no text has been transmitted, neither in the Book nor in the Sunnah, can they be considered an attribute?
The questioner: For example, meaning.
The Shaykh : Before.
The questioner: No, they are not an attribute.
The Shaykh: So the question is invalid from the start. We do not describe Allah except with what He has described Himself with, or with what His Messenger has described Him with. Give us some water.
The student: Yes.
The questioner: A question also concerning the names, Shaykh.
The Shaykh: If in your question you assumed that there is no text, then the answer is in your question.
The questioner: But, our teacher, regarding the issue of direction.
The Shaykh: Direction? Do you say by direction?
The questioner: Regarding it, of course, we negate it directly.
The Shaykh : Do not deviate.
The questioner: I do not say that Allah (Mighty and Majestic) has a direction.
The Shaykh: Okay, that is the answer. So you are at ease and you have put others at ease.
The questioner: Our Shaykh.
The Shaykh: We are not finished yet.
The questioner: Excuse me, I apologize.
The Shaykh: He has not ... finished his question yet ... .
The questioner: Shaykh, I mean, truly.
The Shaykh: Do you not say by direction?
The questioner: I took a course in Aqeedah, three [sessions]. Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) spoke about this issue.
The Shaykh: ... Ibn Taymiyyah.
The questioner: For example, he mentions in it, he says, for example, the attribute of direction for Allah (Mighty and Majestic). He said: "Here we suspend judgment on the intended meaning of the speaker regarding this direction. If his intention is..."
The Shaykh: This is a refutation of you.
The student: A refutation of him.
The Shaykh: This statement is a refutation of him. He does not say that Allah has a direction.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh: Does he say?
The questioner : He does not hold it.
The Shaykh: Yes, okay, he is refuting the others.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh: The one who affirms direction or negates it, he says to him, what do you want? But this is one thing, and for him to affirm that Allah has a direction is another thing.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh: So Ibn Taymiyyah, may he be kept safe from such, would not say this.
The questioner: Shaykh, a question concerning the attributes.
The Shaykh: Concerning what?
The questioner: The attributes, the attributes of Allah (Mighty and Majestic).
The Shaykh: Yes, and peace be upon you.
The questioner: Shaykh, there are ... many attributes for which neither affirmation nor negation has been transmitted. Some have affirmed them for Allah (Mighty and Majestic), and some have negated them from Allah (Mighty and Majestic). So what is our methodology regarding these attributes? Do we negate them directly, or do we suspend judgment? What is your opinion?
The Shaykh: I do not know. I feel there is a contradiction in your speech. If there are attributes for which no text has been transmitted, neither in the Book nor in the Sunnah, can they be considered an attribute?
The questioner: For example, meaning.
The Shaykh : Before.
The questioner: No, they are not an attribute.
The Shaykh: So the question is invalid from the start. We do not describe Allah except with what He has described Himself with, or with what His Messenger has described Him with. Give us some water.
The student: Yes.
The questioner: A question also concerning the names, Shaykh.
The Shaykh: If in your question you assumed that there is no text, then the answer is in your question.
The questioner: But, our teacher, regarding the issue of direction.
The Shaykh: Direction? Do you say by direction?
The questioner: Regarding it, of course, we negate it directly.
The Shaykh : Do not deviate.
The questioner: I do not say that Allah (Mighty and Majestic) has a direction.
The Shaykh: Okay, that is the answer. So you are at ease and you have put others at ease.
The questioner: Our Shaykh.
The Shaykh: We are not finished yet.
The questioner: Excuse me, I apologize.
The Shaykh: He has not ... finished his question yet ... .
The questioner: Shaykh, I mean, truly.
The Shaykh: Do you not say by direction?
The questioner: I took a course in Aqeedah, three [sessions]. Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) spoke about this issue.
The Shaykh: ... Ibn Taymiyyah.
The questioner: For example, he mentions in it, he says, for example, the attribute of direction for Allah (Mighty and Majestic). He said: "Here we suspend judgment on the intended meaning of the speaker regarding this direction. If his intention is..."
The Shaykh: This is a refutation of you.
The student: A refutation of him.
The Shaykh: This statement is a refutation of him. He does not say that Allah has a direction.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh: Does he say?
The questioner : He does not hold it.
The Shaykh: Yes, okay, he is refuting the others.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh: The one who affirms direction or negates it, he says to him, what do you want? But this is one thing, and for him to affirm that Allah has a direction is another thing.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh: So Ibn Taymiyyah, may he be kept safe from such, would not say this.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.