Discussion of those who interpret the attributes figuratively and deny them.
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The Shaykh : Therefore, if we wish to engage with them according to their classification and terminology, whenever they say something is figurative, we tell them: "Present your proof if you are truthful." And they are unable to present any proof whatsoever in all the deviations in their statements regarding some of the verses and some of the hadiths related to the divine attributes. This is what can be mentioned for this occasion.
The questioner : Well, my Shaykh...?
The Shaykh : This is denial of the attributes. For that reason, Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said his word of paramount importance: "As for the one who ascribes a body to Allah, he worships an idol, and the one who denies the attributes worships nothing". Ascribing a body to Allah is misguidance, but more misleading than this misguidance is the denial of the attributes, because the denial of the attributes means denying the existence of the Lord of the worlds. Ascribing a body to Allah is misguidance, but it contains affirmation of the existence of the Truth, (Glorified and Exalted is He). Some of them explicitly arrive at pure denial and pure nothingness. I know one of the Shuyukh there in Damascus, from whom I received some Hanafi jurisprudence, some grammar, and some rhetoric. He would preach on Friday before thousands of people, saying: "Our Lord is not above, not below, not to the right, not to the left, not in front, not behind, not inside the world, and not outside it." I say: If the most eloquent of the Arabs in tongue and expression were brought and asked to describe the object of worship for us, he would not be able to describe it except as these people describe their object of worship: not below, not above, not to the right, not inside the world, and not outside it. This is denial of the attributes, and I seek refuge in Allah from it. However, the degree of denial varies between, for example, the Jahmiyyah, who deny the attributes in a pure, absolute manner, and the Maturidiyyah and the Asha'irah, who deny some of the attributes but believe in the others. This is as it was said: "And all good is in following the Salaf *** And all evil is in the innovation of the Khalaf"
The questioner : Well, my Shaykh...?
The Shaykh : This is denial of the attributes. For that reason, Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said his word of paramount importance: "As for the one who ascribes a body to Allah, he worships an idol, and the one who denies the attributes worships nothing". Ascribing a body to Allah is misguidance, but more misleading than this misguidance is the denial of the attributes, because the denial of the attributes means denying the existence of the Lord of the worlds. Ascribing a body to Allah is misguidance, but it contains affirmation of the existence of the Truth, (Glorified and Exalted is He). Some of them explicitly arrive at pure denial and pure nothingness. I know one of the Shuyukh there in Damascus, from whom I received some Hanafi jurisprudence, some grammar, and some rhetoric. He would preach on Friday before thousands of people, saying: "Our Lord is not above, not below, not to the right, not to the left, not in front, not behind, not inside the world, and not outside it." I say: If the most eloquent of the Arabs in tongue and expression were brought and asked to describe the object of worship for us, he would not be able to describe it except as these people describe their object of worship: not below, not above, not to the right, not inside the world, and not outside it. This is denial of the attributes, and I seek refuge in Allah from it. However, the degree of denial varies between, for example, the Jahmiyyah, who deny the attributes in a pure, absolute manner, and the Maturidiyyah and the Asha'irah, who deny some of the attributes but believe in the others. This is as it was said: "And all good is in following the Salaf *** And all evil is in the innovation of the Khalaf"