May we ask about matters that have not occurred, given that their occurrence is very remote?

The questioner : May we ask, O honorable Shaykh, about matters that have not occurred, given that their occurrence is very remote? We seek your guidance.

The Shaykh : What a person, whether a student of knowledge or not, should do is not to ask about matters that are unlikely to occur, for that is a form of seeking to test and overwhelm, and a waste of time. One should only ask about matters that have actually occurred or are likely to occur. This applies to the questioner. As for one who is researching or writing, there is no blame on him if he brings up matters to clarify a rule or principle, even if they are rare occurrences, for this is one of the methods of teaching knowledge. However, as for asking questions, one should not ask except about something that has occurred or is likely to occur.
On this occasion, I would like to direct my brothers, the students of knowledge who have begun seeking knowledge, discussion, and research, regarding the attributes of Allah the Exalted: do not ask too many questions, and do not ask about anything that the Companions, the Successors, and the imams of the Ummah remained silent about, for we are in no need of this, and because if a person delves into these matters concerning the attributes of Allah, he will fall into great labyrinths, and it is feared for him either likening Allah to creation or denial of the divine attributes. For this reason, Imam Malik (may Allah have mercy on him) and other imams rebuked those who asked about the attributes of Allah what the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) did not ask about. He (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked about the saying of Allah the Exalted: How did He rise above the Throne? He lowered his head until sweat covered him from the intensity of the impact of the question on him, then he raised his head and said to the questioner: "The rising above the Throne is not unknown, the how is not comprehensible, faith in it is obligatory, and asking about it is a religious innovation". The question about it, meaning about the manner of the rising above the Throne, was a religious innovation because it did not occur from the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), who are more eager for knowledge than we are and more reverent toward Allah Mighty and Majestic. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not convey it to his Ummah, even though he was the most eager of people to convey the message, but the manner and reality of the attributes of Allah is a matter that is unknown, known only to Allah Mighty and Majestic. If this had been among the matters that are obligatory for a person in his religion or are among the complements of his religion, Allah Mighty and Majestic would have clarified it and His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) would have conveyed it. But this is a matter beyond our minds, which we cannot grasp. For this reason, I warn my brothers once again from delving into these issues, from straining and being overly strict, and from leaving the texts as they are in their clear, evident meanings, and from not asking about anything that the righteous Salaf did not ask about. As for the issues of rulings, they are easier; they may research and discuss, and they may derive examples from the principles and rules that may be remote in occurrence. And success is from Allah.

The questioner : May Allah bless you. Also, from the questions of the listeners, a student from King Abdulaziz University, this question, O Shaykh Muhammad, says.