The Shaykh’s mention of the hadith of the girl, the interpretation of the deniers regarding it, and his refutation of them in that, as well as the verse “Are you secure from Him who is in the heavens?”

The Shaykh : And if we keep in mind this verse and the verses and hadiths that precede it, then it is fitting for us to turn to the hadith of the girl, which Imam Muslim narrated in his Sahih from the hadith of Mu'awiyah ibn al-Hakam al-Sulami. And if we want to know the deviation of Muslims today, except for those whom Allah wills—and they are few—from the Sunnah, then know that this question is not permissible according to the shaykhs. This question, which the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) directed to the girl by way of testing and examination, is not permissible for a Muslim to utter, let alone to test people with it as the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) did.
And if the question is not permissible, then the answer is not permissible according to them. Just as it is not permissible to direct the question that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) directed to the girl—“Where is Allah?”—it is also not permissible for the answer to be “Allah is in the heavens,” even though the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) testified to the faith of the girl who answered with this answer. The strange thing is that you should know that when the shaykhs are asked, “How do you not permit the question and not validate the answer, when the Messenger asked it and approved the answer?” they say, “This was the Messenger accommodating the girl.” That is, the girl is like a Bedouin woman; she is not cultured and she is not educated, so he descended to her level—as it is said today—and spoke to her in the logic she understands. So he said to her on the assumption that her mind is material, that she understands material questions, and she answered with a material answer, saying “In the heavens,” meaning—and these are the interpretations of the shaykhs today—meaning that there are idols on earth that are worshipped besides Allah, so Allah is not these idols. As for Allah being in the heavens, no, Allah is not described as being in the heavens, despite the fact that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) asked this question and the girl said “In the heavens,” the answer is wrong. When they are asked, “How does the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) approve a wrong?” their eyes roll in their heads, as if they are bewildered and cannot see. And this is the reality of every person who deviates from the light that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) brought; he becomes doubtful of the self-evident truths, of the facts. Among the self-evident truths is that the Messenger does not approve of error and does not approve of falsehood. How did they find it acceptable to say that the Messenger approved this error because it was a girl, an uneducated girl? This is if we grant their interpretation. And even so, their interpretation is among the most invalid of falsehoods, because the girl, in fact, answered with the text of the Noble Qur'an.
And this is regrettable, that the girl who was a shepherdess should know more about what is permissible for Allah (Mighty and Majestic) in terms of attributes than the scholars who specialize in studying the oneness of Allah. Because the girl who said “Allah is in the heavens” is repeating the Qur'an Who is it that is in the heavens? Allah. So the girl answered with an answer she received from the Qur'an. And if we are people who are not cultured, not educated, and not studying the Qur'an as it should be, this verse may be hidden from us. But what about the scholars and shaykhs who study the Qur'an day and night and study the science of the oneness of Allah? Do they not recite this verse to its end? Yes, they recite this verse, but the pickaxe of interpretation, which is a destructive pickaxe, is still in their hands. So they came to this verse as well and interpreted it among the verses they interpret. Do you know what they said? That is, the angels. Allah has no connection to the verse. That is, the angels. Well, and Allah? Are the attributes of the angels the complete verse ? So these attributes, which are the attributes of the Lord of the Worlds, they also transferred them from Him to some of His creation, namely the angels. What is the reason for this interpretation? It is the same reason for interpreting istawa (rising above) to mean istawala (dominating), even though interpreting istawa to mean istawala is more severe and more dangerous than interpreting Why? Because describing the angels with such an attribute is possible, on the interpretation, that Allah empowers them to do so, that is meaning that Allah commands the angels and the earth swallows up those in it. It is possible for this attribute to be given to the angels, but the primary attribute belongs to whom? To Allah (Mighty and Majestic). But you know that interpreting istawa to mean istawala is false from more than one aspect.
So the believer is permitted, first, to follow the example of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) in asking, “Where is Allah?” Then it is obligatory for him that the answer be the answer of the girl: “Allah is in the heavens.” Why? Because the verses and hadiths are mutually supporting and abundant in establishing the attribute of elevation for Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He).