A Note to Those Who Say That Those Who Adopt the Methodology of the Salaf Are Strict in Some Matters, Such as the Matter of the Exaltation of Allah the Exalted.
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The Shaykh : They have their enemies.
The questioner : No... for him.
The Shaykh : No, you took it from their speech.
The questioner : His speech...
The Shaykh : And I have only ever answered from the speech of their enemies. The first example is...
The questioner : ... an example...
The questioner : I have been cautious in any case.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : I said to him, it may be from his speech, or it may be from people who are imitating them.
The Shaykh : I am saying... this issue, and it seems he is not answering anything from it. You are now, you are now, may Allah bless you, taking a stance where you want to prove that these people who adopt the methodology of the Salaf have strictness among them, and you brought an example. The first example is false according to him, regarding Ibn Taymiyyah. So why don't you bring another example that is established?
The questioner : ... is the example... and the speech that... meaning...
The Shaykh : Yes, by Allah.
The questioner : Against the will of Imam Ahmad.
The Shaykh : Yes, that is right.
The questioner : So naturally, the point is that you... seven years.
The Shaykh : But I am warning you that you have changed your line now.
The questioner : I am telling you, I want to change it. I told you I will bring you from the same thought.
The Shaykh : You are speaking about the thought of the predecessors, not the thought of one independent jurist... now, may Allah guide you, you are speaking about... the predecessors. And so you started with an example you attributed to Ibn Taymiyyah. We told you his enemies will mention this, so you need to bring a second example about him or about someone else, not about me. Even though I am not incapable of telling you this is the truth, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) — this is a reference I saw, and perhaps you considered it part of the strictness or exaggeration — it is from the Sunnah. But I am drawing your attention: stay on your first line, because now, if I am strict, does that mean the Salaf are strict?
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : That is not what we understood from the beginning.
The questioner : ... all of them.
Another questioner: Meaning, the Salafis in every place and time.
The Shaykh : Very well.
The questioner : To clarify more: I do not mean by Salafiyyah, may Allah forbid, that I intend the Companions, or otherwise I intend...
Another questioner: The concept of Salafis, meaning you are named with this name.
The questioner : Yes, they adopted these views and...
The Shaykh : Very well.
The questioner : I believe, and the issue is not about defining the speech as from this or that. When I thought this was its meaning, that this is what is intended... and that this is a hadith of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), etc., or even... the point is how the speech is used.
The Shaykh : Very well.
The questioner : And how the concept is derived from it?
The Shaykh : Very well.
The questioner : I see that there is strictness... this means "above," meaning above in the sky, meaning in the sky. There may be something of... that in the same concept we say... the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing: hearing not like our hearing, and seeing not like our seeing. That the "above-ness"... is above-ness, but... the perception that we understand as "this is above" or "He descended" — He does not descend... one leg and He descended... the seventh heaven does not mean a space or within the seventh heaven, above the seventh heaven.
The Shaykh : May Allah forgive you, may Allah forgive you.
The questioner : This whole speech.
The Shaykh : My brother, may Allah guide you, may Allah guide you. First, no one says this. It is not necessary to be like this, it is not necessary to be like this. No one says this. But you changed your line. You said you noticed strictness in what you read. So what is this strictness? You say it is not necessary for the "above-ness" to be like the above-ness of this on that. Who says otherwise? You changed your line. You changed it in the sense that it became clear to you that your speech was wrong, so admit it, my brother. Admitting error is the essence of correctness. And if you are not wrong, you are mistaken. Follow the line and bring us the examples. We are interested to see the examples. We are interested to see the strictness that you attributed to those who adopted the line of the Salaf. So first, you brought an example. We showed you this example is not correct. Bring a second example from our current reality. We told you you are speaking about the past, not the present. And finally you returned to say that this "above-ness" does not mean this. Who said it means this? Since we repeat to your ears...[Ash-Shuraa 42:11] Our rising is not like His rising. Well, all Salafis believe in this creed. So what are you going around now? Who knows?
The questioner : That when... I tell you... sit with us and ask "Where is Allah?" and you insist on us that... the answer...
The Shaykh : To whom am I asking? May Allah guide you, may Allah guide you, may Allah guide you, Mr. Adnan. To whom do we ask "Where is Allah?"
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : No. You are completely wrong. I tell you, you may not be wrong, but this is a mistake that can now be considered a mistake. One day, one day, you or someone else does not have a correct idea about the Salafi call and their belief in the divine attributes. And we are still doing this, because a man from one of the parties comes and says, "You are such and such and such," etc. I say to him, "My brother, our call is not based on what you are spreading about us: moving the finger in prayer, hanging a picture is not permissible, hanging a clock in the mosque, etc. We are looking into the creed." He says to you, "Is there disagreement in the creed?" Yes, there is great disagreement, and the topic continues. Well, let us enter into an experiment. Please.
"Where is Allah?" He is rolling his eyes like this. What is this question? And people of all shapes and colors. What do they say to you? This question is not permissible, and it comes in the hadith as you know, etc. In this context, there is no such question. But I tell you, now, "Where is Allah?" How does this speech come from you? It is a strange matter.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Yes, by Allah.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Yes, by Allah, and by Allah, you are right.
The questioner : ... the question was asked to a group of people, and I was among them... several years... Abu Ahmad.
The Shaykh : And I, and I am telling you this — (the Shaykh laughed, may Allah have mercy on him).
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Of course, he asks, but he did not answer.
Another questioner: ... Where is Allah.
The Shaykh : To whom am I asking? I am asking if...
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Are they asking in doubt, in suspicion of their creed, in suspicion of their faith in Allah the Mighty and Majestic?
The questioner : I like this too, the place of His existence, etc. It also needs to have a specific concept for Allah the Exalted that differs from the concept of...
The Shaykh : This is also like that issue of the "above-ness." Yes, like that, but who says otherwise?
The questioner : We have not seen this speech... meaning.
Another questioner: My master...
The questioner : We have not seen these Imams that you say asked the slave girl, etc., that it must be understood that it has another meaning. Okay, what is your evidence?
The Shaykh : What does it mean? This is a problem. You mean another meaning. What other meaning?
The questioner : No... for him.
The Shaykh : No, you took it from their speech.
The questioner : His speech...
The Shaykh : And I have only ever answered from the speech of their enemies. The first example is...
The questioner : ... an example...
The questioner : I have been cautious in any case.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : I said to him, it may be from his speech, or it may be from people who are imitating them.
The Shaykh : I am saying... this issue, and it seems he is not answering anything from it. You are now, you are now, may Allah bless you, taking a stance where you want to prove that these people who adopt the methodology of the Salaf have strictness among them, and you brought an example. The first example is false according to him, regarding Ibn Taymiyyah. So why don't you bring another example that is established?
The questioner : ... is the example... and the speech that... meaning...
The Shaykh : Yes, by Allah.
The questioner : Against the will of Imam Ahmad.
The Shaykh : Yes, that is right.
The questioner : So naturally, the point is that you... seven years.
The Shaykh : But I am warning you that you have changed your line now.
The questioner : I am telling you, I want to change it. I told you I will bring you from the same thought.
The Shaykh : You are speaking about the thought of the predecessors, not the thought of one independent jurist... now, may Allah guide you, you are speaking about... the predecessors. And so you started with an example you attributed to Ibn Taymiyyah. We told you his enemies will mention this, so you need to bring a second example about him or about someone else, not about me. Even though I am not incapable of telling you this is the truth, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) — this is a reference I saw, and perhaps you considered it part of the strictness or exaggeration — it is from the Sunnah. But I am drawing your attention: stay on your first line, because now, if I am strict, does that mean the Salaf are strict?
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : That is not what we understood from the beginning.
The questioner : ... all of them.
Another questioner: Meaning, the Salafis in every place and time.
The Shaykh : Very well.
The questioner : To clarify more: I do not mean by Salafiyyah, may Allah forbid, that I intend the Companions, or otherwise I intend...
Another questioner: The concept of Salafis, meaning you are named with this name.
The questioner : Yes, they adopted these views and...
The Shaykh : Very well.
The questioner : I believe, and the issue is not about defining the speech as from this or that. When I thought this was its meaning, that this is what is intended... and that this is a hadith of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), etc., or even... the point is how the speech is used.
The Shaykh : Very well.
The questioner : And how the concept is derived from it?
The Shaykh : Very well.
The questioner : I see that there is strictness... this means "above," meaning above in the sky, meaning in the sky. There may be something of... that in the same concept we say... the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing: hearing not like our hearing, and seeing not like our seeing. That the "above-ness"... is above-ness, but... the perception that we understand as "this is above" or "He descended" — He does not descend... one leg and He descended... the seventh heaven does not mean a space or within the seventh heaven, above the seventh heaven.
The Shaykh : May Allah forgive you, may Allah forgive you.
The questioner : This whole speech.
The Shaykh : My brother, may Allah guide you, may Allah guide you. First, no one says this. It is not necessary to be like this, it is not necessary to be like this. No one says this. But you changed your line. You said you noticed strictness in what you read. So what is this strictness? You say it is not necessary for the "above-ness" to be like the above-ness of this on that. Who says otherwise? You changed your line. You changed it in the sense that it became clear to you that your speech was wrong, so admit it, my brother. Admitting error is the essence of correctness. And if you are not wrong, you are mistaken. Follow the line and bring us the examples. We are interested to see the examples. We are interested to see the strictness that you attributed to those who adopted the line of the Salaf. So first, you brought an example. We showed you this example is not correct. Bring a second example from our current reality. We told you you are speaking about the past, not the present. And finally you returned to say that this "above-ness" does not mean this. Who said it means this? Since we repeat to your ears...
There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the Hearing, the Seeing.
ليس كمثله شيء وهو السميع البصيرThe questioner : That when... I tell you... sit with us and ask "Where is Allah?" and you insist on us that... the answer...
The Shaykh : To whom am I asking? May Allah guide you, may Allah guide you, may Allah guide you, Mr. Adnan. To whom do we ask "Where is Allah?"
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : No. You are completely wrong. I tell you, you may not be wrong, but this is a mistake that can now be considered a mistake. One day, one day, you or someone else does not have a correct idea about the Salafi call and their belief in the divine attributes. And we are still doing this, because a man from one of the parties comes and says, "You are such and such and such," etc. I say to him, "My brother, our call is not based on what you are spreading about us: moving the finger in prayer, hanging a picture is not permissible, hanging a clock in the mosque, etc. We are looking into the creed." He says to you, "Is there disagreement in the creed?" Yes, there is great disagreement, and the topic continues. Well, let us enter into an experiment. Please.
"Where is Allah?" He is rolling his eyes like this. What is this question? And people of all shapes and colors. What do they say to you? This question is not permissible, and it comes in the hadith as you know, etc. In this context, there is no such question. But I tell you, now, "Where is Allah?" How does this speech come from you? It is a strange matter.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Yes, by Allah.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Yes, by Allah, and by Allah, you are right.
The questioner : ... the question was asked to a group of people, and I was among them... several years... Abu Ahmad.
The Shaykh : And I, and I am telling you this — (the Shaykh laughed, may Allah have mercy on him).
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Of course, he asks, but he did not answer.
Another questioner: ... Where is Allah.
The Shaykh : To whom am I asking? I am asking if...
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Are they asking in doubt, in suspicion of their creed, in suspicion of their faith in Allah the Mighty and Majestic?
The questioner : I like this too, the place of His existence, etc. It also needs to have a specific concept for Allah the Exalted that differs from the concept of...
The Shaykh : This is also like that issue of the "above-ness." Yes, like that, but who says otherwise?
The questioner : We have not seen this speech... meaning.
Another questioner: My master...
The questioner : We have not seen these Imams that you say asked the slave girl, etc., that it must be understood that it has another meaning. Okay, what is your evidence?
The Shaykh : What does it mean? This is a problem. You mean another meaning. What other meaning?