The Censure of Asking About What the Companions Remained Silent Regarding Concerning the Names and Attributes of Allah

Regarding the word (al-Nur), is it among the attributes of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He)?

Allah the Exalted said: [al-Nur:35] So say what Allah said about Himself, and do not go beyond that. You have predecessors who are better than you, and the one being asked has predecessors who are better than him. The predecessors who are better than you are the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), and the one being asked who is better than the one being asked in our time is the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him).Did they say when this verse was revealed: O Messenger of Allah! Is al-Nur among the names of Allah or His attributes? They did not ask. Does what sufficed them suffice us, or is it permissible for us to go beyond them? It is not permissible for us to go beyond them.
What sufficed them suffices us. Therefore, I advise the brothers present now, whether they are students of knowledge or not, to refrain from asking about the names and attributes of Allah what the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) refrained from asking. By Allah! They are better than us, and the one to whom the question was directed in their time is better than us. So we should stop. Why this excessive effort?We say as Allah said about Himself: [al-Nur:35] If you follow this principle and adopt this methodology, you will be safe, and your creed will be safe from doubts and illusions, and you will be safe from following desires or speaking about Allah without knowledge.So my advice to you and to whoever listens to my words: That he should fear Allah in himself, and avoid what the noble Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) avoided in refraining from asking about the names and attributes of Allah. The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) fulfilled the intended purpose, and Allah (Mighty and Majestic) has completed the religion for us. If there had been anything requiring questioning and clarification, Allah the Exalted would have enabled one of the Companions to ask about it. For this reason, the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) in Madinah were too shy to ask the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) about anything until they would wish that a man from the Bedouins would come and ask about it. Then Allah the Exalted would enable someone to ask about the matter, and the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) would answer it.Until a man asked him: Where was Allah before He created the heavens and the earth? — up to this point — so the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) answered him. If there had been anything related to the religion that people needed, Allah the Exalted would have enabled someone to ask about it. So refrain from what the Companions refrained from, and leave this restriction.One comes, being pretentious, deep, and making excessive effort, saying: How many fingers does Allah have, for example? Glory be to Allah! Are you obligated with this? You must believe in what came in the Book and the Sunnah regarding the attributes of Allah and be silent.Imam Ahmad said: We do not go beyond the Qur'an and the Hadith, and we describe Allah with what He described Himself with in His Book, or what His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) described Him with, so we do not go beyond the Qur'an and the Hadith.