Then he spoke about the claim that Allah is sitting on the Throne.

The Shaykh : The report that is mentioned regarding Allah sitting on His Throne: first, attributing sitting to Allah is like attributing direction to Allah, or place to Allah, or the absence of place to Allah, because none of that has come in any text. When something comes in, we return only to what has come. It has never come in any hadiths that we must build our creed upon, even if they are ahad reports. Pay attention, because we do not believe in philosophy. There is no hadith that Allah the Exalted is sitting on the Throne or seated on the Throne. Therefore, this report has no value, and this is if it were established, but it is not established.
Furthermore, the complete misguidance of this report lies in the fact that the rest of the Throne: can the mind of a person comprehend its vastness, because it is wider than the entire universe? What is left of the Throne? The span of a hand? Glory be to Allah! If this Throne were like a wide chair, without likening Allah to creation, a wide chair that does not fit two people but fits one and a half, and it is said that there is empty space in this Throne the size of a hand's span for the king to sit in, that would be ridiculous. What can be said about this Throne whose vastness is known only to Allah, who said: What do we say about the Throne? It is beyond what a person can imagine. How can it be said that there is empty space the size of a hand's span there? Why this amount? So that the Messenger sits beside the Lord of the Worlds? This place does not accommodate that. Glory be to Allah! This is not acceptable, neither by transmission nor by reason.

The questioner : This statement is not written.

The Shaykh : The point is that if you see a narration like this, you do not say: This is Ibn Taymiyyah's creed, or Ibn Taymiyyah mentioned it. I tell you: it would have been better for him to mention it and comment on it. But the scholar, my brother, who is overflowing with knowledge, cannot stop to comment on everything that everyone says and narrates. This is the nature of scholars. But Allah brings you the creed of al-Humaydi, al-Tamimi, al-Wasiti, and so on, and he mentions, for example—may Allah forbid—that Allah is sitting on the Throne and there is empty space the size of a hand's span for Muhammad (peace be upon him) to sit in. By Allah, this is a problem among problems, and I am the first to disbelieve in it. How can you imagine that such misguidance is borne by Ibn Taymiyyah and attributed to him? This is wrong, it is not permissible. This is my advice to you, may it be clear.

The questioner : It is clear, but there is a doubt that Ibn al-Qayyim says in "Bada' al-Fawa'id" regarding this issue.

The Shaykh : Do not say that. You did not accept the advice just now.

The questioner : No, this is a doubt.

The Shaykh : You did not accept the advice just now. The answer to it has already been given. May Allah guide you.

The questioner : An issue to clarify for me. I have a doubt,

The Shaykh : And that is

The questioner : and it is: that ..
Al-Halabi : In al-Bada'iyah, my Shaykh, when he quoted from al-Daraqutni and so on, and al-Khallal.

The Shaykh : What is the doubt, I mean: that he mentioned it, and that he narrated it?

The questioner : I mean, the doubt is that Ibn al-Qayyim says, by report, that there is empty space in the Throne and so on.

The Shaykh : He is transmitting it, not stating it as his own view.

The questioner : He is transmitting it and affirming it.

The Shaykh : Is everything that is transmitted affirmed?

The questioner: No.

The Shaykh : Look, now pay attention. I almost made a mistake with you specifically. And your Shaykh says, but he retracted. He says: Ibn al-Jawzi, this is one who raised the banner of denial of the divine attributes to refute the doubt of likening Allah to creation, authenticated the hadith of the girl. And what did he say in the introduction to the commentary he printed? I am certain that the Messenger did not say this statement—I seek refuge in Allah. Well, but the narration is there. Ibn al-Jawzi mentioned it and moved on from it. But in another place, he expressed his view that he rejects this hadith. So the meaning of this is: not everything that an author mentions in a book—and this was discussed earlier—means that it is his creed.

The questioner: I understood, Shaykh.

The Shaykh : May Allah reward you with good.

The questioner : There is a final question:

The Shaykh : Final, not a blessing, is it?

The questioner : It is not that it is a complaint or a problem, since the statement you mentioned is very, very good. And I know many people, I mean, it is not permissible to say: because I studied withThe Shaykh : Hasan, we say: it had an effect on us, or so, because there is between you and him...

The Shaykh : There is no doubt, there is no problem.

The questioner : There are people who have never heard ofThe Shaykh : Hasan, and yet they see you stillThe Shaykh : Hasan, their hearts yearn for you.

The Shaykh : I did not understand what you said.

The questioner : My Shaykh, despite the fact that he read with al-Khasaf, but nevertheless...

Another questioner : No, please, this is a man from the household of the Prophet, respecting him is obligatory. Forget all the disagreements that occur...

The questioner : He says: despite the fact that he read with that man, but although he read with him, he does not understand, for example, or something like that, although there are other people who did not read with him, did not see him, or know him, and yet they look at you more than this man looks at you.

The Shaykh : This is also a trap.

The questioner : No, there is speech behind this: they look at you and say your creed is not sound, or that you are one who ascribes a body to Allah, and so on. And from the speech that... you denied that.

The Shaykh : I did not deny it.

The questioner : I mean: that this is the truth.

The Shaykh : I did not deny it. I wish I could see you truly as a Shaykh who will align with our companion, because you speak in politics.

The questioner : Pardon me, I am saying what is reality.

The Shaykh : This is not reality. Your saying that I denied it. This is not reality.

The questioner : The doubt has been dispelled for us.

The Shaykh : There is a difference between "I denied it" and "this is my creed which people follow and which is written in my books."

The questioner : Your statement is sound.

The Shaykh : But your statement is not sound.

The questioner : I admit, regarding this word, it is possible, but the idea has been dispelled from our minds.

The Shaykh : Good, praise be to Allah, okay.

The questioner : So this idea was not fromThe Shaykh : Hasan and others?

The Shaykh : Definitely fromThe Shaykh : Hasan. We do not agree with it. Since he publicly declares in a printed book, first, the one who ascribes a body to Allah, the one who ascribes a body to Allah. So, my brother, you have no stone. You are a human being. And you are neither a scholar nor a student except from his side. So when he hears you and you hear him, and you are confident that he is a scholar, may Allah will it, he says to people: the one who ascribes a body to Allah, the one who ascribes a body to Allah. You have no stone, so you do not ask. And we excuse you and others, but you do not deny the truth. You say: I was not affected by him. This is not possible. You were affected by him.

The questioner : ... regarding myself.

The Shaykh : This is possible. Do you see how your companion veils your words? Your moderate, transmitted speech cannot be refuted. Your companion comes with a book he writes, and our companion comes and says: this is Al-Albani's authorship. What is this fabrication? What is this lying? What is this accusation? If you want to defend him, go ahead. Even I do not want you to defend him, so that you do not attach the accusation to yourself.

The questioner : We are coming to an issue where we want to take the path of fairness, and praise be to Allah, may Allah will it, we came out with benefits.

The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah. We do not hope for that. We did not stay up with you until near midnight except because of our eagerness for you to benefit. This is so that you know that we do not want to dominate, nor do we want to impose our opinions. Otherwise, I would have said to you: one word and cover it. I do not take my merchandise, especially with you, my man, to argue and go east and west and waste our time, and so on. It is enough for me that, may Allah will it, soon the crown will fall from your head and you will wear what your brothers wear. In addition to this, I advise you with the following advice, and I advise your brothers with it: that you do not become like their story, meaning: you throw off the crown and shave your head like the others, so that they do not imitate you and cover their heads. This is the proper conduct...

The questioner : But the point that just turned in my mind: well, I wish you, for example, would write a book of creed so that your creed is clear to people. I mean, it is possible that a person has not read the books, but it is a burden. It is possible that someone buys your books and sees every place and where, I mean: I wish you would write a book of creed for yourself. I mean, one says: no.

The Shaykh : And what is your opinion of people other than you who, for decades, say: I wish you would put down a book on the terminology of hadith. We are waiting for you. You have applied the science of hadith practically, while those who are writing today are doing so theoretically. What is your opinion?

The questioner : By Allah, they have the right to consider it.

The Shaykh : Do we respond to you, or to them, or to other people? And we are human, my brother. Our capacity is limited, and our age is also, as you see, on the edge of the grave.

The questioner : After a long life, may Allah will it.

The Shaykh : This is what we can do, may Allah will it.

The questioner : What benefits, if one dies, its benefit remains, and the living benefit from it.

The Shaykh : We are walking this path, serving the Muslims through purification and education, whether in hadith, 'aqidah, or fiqh. But, "Not everything a man wishes for does he attain; the winds blow in ways the ships do not desire."

The questioner : Never mind. Since you are a scholar who has been so for over fifty years, your name has become familiar to people's minds. I mean, when it comes to mind, do you see how it works? So you write a book on 'aqidah.

The Shaykh : This is being used as evidence that this is a good thing. It does not need evidence, and nothing is valid in the minds of people if the day needs evidence.

The questioner : It becomes, by Allah, a bit of blame on you. By Allah, the truth is, I am upset right now.The Shaykh : Yes, but it becomes a bit...

The questioner : ... .

The Shaykh : These are the ones who have something in their hearts; they are among those who have bad suspicions, and this is not permissible.

The questioner : I mean, when I see your name on a book, I die. Why, my brother? He tells you: This is not correct, this is not such and such, even though he has never...

The Shaykh : Now you have raised an issue among the issues that you do not want. What is your opinion now?
Another sinned, and I am the one tormented among you, so I am like the finger of the regretters.
I am afraid now: And nothing is valid...

The questioner : No.

The Shaykh : I mean, but you need to record it.

The questioner : Because indeed, the verse represents your current state, correct.

The Shaykh : Another sinned, and I am the one tormented among you, so I am like the finger of the regretters.
I want to ask you a question: Why do these people, when they read a name on a book by Al-Albani, die? Why?

The questioner : First of all: because you are a Wahhabi. I mean, there are a group of your students; when I read your books, frankly, the issues are not ambiguous or muddled. There are people who say: I am a Salafi, or I am a Wahhabi, or I am one of the students of...The Shaykh : Nasser.

The Shaykh : I do not take it that I say this. Do not fabricate about people. No one says: I am a Wahhabi.

The questioner : Salafi.

The Shaykh : But you say: Wahhabi. There is a radar there, be careful.

The questioner : He says: I am one of the students of...The Shaykh : Nasser, and we are such and such, but he speaks the very words of tashbih (likening Allah to creation).

The Shaykh : Subhan Allah! Do you have an example?

The questioner : I have an example.

The Shaykh : Give it to us, let us see.

The questioner : For example, when he tells you: I say: that Allah is in the sky in reality, and we do not say: without a place, or I do not know what such and such, it is not like the good speech that you spoke.

The Shaykh : I tell you now: Allah is in the sky in reality, and by Allah, He is All-Hearing and All-Seeing in reality. Disagree with me, let us see.

The questioner : ...

The Shaykh : The camel has returned to its old path.

The questioner : I want to tell you.

The Shaykh : Still, the speech I am telling you, you are disagreeing with me now in what I am saying.

The questioner : Your speech is clear.

The Shaykh : Disagree with me in my saying: that Allah (Mighty and Majestic), when He said: {And He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing}, I say: He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing in reality. Disagree with me.

The questioner : Now, after the speech we have heard, we cannot disagree with you.

The Shaykh : Where were you before now?

The questioner : Because they used to say, I will bring, I have an issue...

The Shaykh : May Allah guide you, you were with us in this reality. I say now: He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing in reality. May Allah guide you. I hope this voice of mine that is coming out well today is due to patience in teaching.

The questioner : Only the patient are given their reward in full.

The Shaykh : Have you ever considered in your mind that you would say: He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing in reality? I tell you: No, because the instruction you were given and the reading you read never make you feel this reality at all. Rather, we pass it over as it came, and we said earlier: passing it over as it came does not mean without understanding, but with understanding, and this is the correct understanding. Do not scratch your head too much, because we are afraid for it, especially with a pen, meaning, scratching with a pen has a meaning.
The important thing is that Allah is not like anything, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. Just as He is not like anything in reality, so He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing in reality. So, your objection to that unknown Salafi of ours, listen, may Allah guide you, if it were me and I were a young man, you would have destroyed him with your scholarly wrestling. Did you understand me?

The questioner : I understood you.

The Shaykh : You denied it against him. Why? Because your mind is empty of this correct 'aqidah. So, everything by which Allah described Himself, everything is in reality, but a reality befitting His Essence, His Beauty, and His Perfection, not a reality that corresponds to our weakness and incapacity, and so on. So, your objection to that man, did you combine the two opposites in describing him as a Salafi, or did you say: Wahhabi? And although we thank you that you withdrew the word Wahhabi, we thank you for that. Your objection to him stems from the fact that you do not say: 'aqidah in reality, but rather we pass it over as it came.

The questioner : I will complete my speech for you, I mean: what is the speech they speak, because I heard this.

The Shaykh : We did not hear the speech, and it is correct speech.

The questioner : Part of it, and then he tells you: Allah (Mighty and Majestic) istawa (rose above) on the Throne, and he tells you: istawa means istaqara (settled).

The Shaykh : No, I do not say that. You are saying what you please, but the Salafi does not say: istaqara, or qa'ada (sat), or jala (sat), no, this is an 'aqidah that is not mentioned.
And from here you were brought, and then, my brother...

The questioner : I was actually saying: from what I remember of what I heard from the young people, that you explicitly say by istiqara (settling), and I heard now something different from what you said.

The Shaykh : I tell you, may Allah guide you: Why, when you heard this speech, is your case like that of the others, like the group I spoke about...
No, you really need to be punched, I mean, because they put you in your place. Why did you not try to contact Al-Albani before he died and hit him with what you hit the Shaykh al-Islam with, and he has already died? Why did you not try to contact Al-Albani and see if he is a mujassim (one who ascribes a body to Allah) as your Shaykh says?

The questioner : Let us leave the matter of our Shaykh.

The Shaykh : Never mind, take it on the go. This is by way of reminder. Or you hear someone who claims to be a student of you, and you hear from him a false 'aqidah, which is that Allah istawa on His Throne, meaning: He settled, and perhaps you hear He sat and He rested.

The questioner : We heard it.

The Shaykh : Where were you, and Al-Albani had not yet died, so you do not describe him with the Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah with this fabrication? Where were you? Tell me, do not deviate.
The question is where, here, not about the number, not about the response? You do not want to deny it. Where were you?

The questioner : I came to your house a year and a half ago, and I came again after that in months.

The Shaykh : What did you do at my house?

The questioner : I rang the bell, and they said:The Shaykh : He is busy and does not have time. Oh people of good, we need to ask him and inquire about issues. They said: He is busy and old in age and does not have time. So this is the problem.

The Shaykh : Now, are we asking you this as an excuse for you?

The questioner : I have an excuse, because I...

The Shaykh : Okay, what do you do with His saying (Exalted is He): {And if it is said to you, return, then return}?

The questioner : I do not understand the question.

The Shaykh : It is your right. The group presented the excuse, that is it, you no longer knock on his door, you no longer open his phone? Is this an excuse for you?

The questioner : By Allah, this is indeed a shortcoming. You need to admit the mistake, because whoever does not admit his mistake does not deviate from it, he does not return from it ever.

The questioner : ... I mean: since this is not your 'aqidah and you deny it.

The Shaykh : My brother, may Allah guide you, your coming here, the problems are many. The one responsible for them is only the one who fell into these problems, not the one about whom every fabrication is made that the mountains cannot bear.
Al-Albani is a mujassim, Ibn Taymiyyah is a mujassim. Allahu Akbar against the oppressors, against the tyrants. These people set themselves up for the 'aqidah of the Salaf, which is between tashbih (likening Allah to creation) and ta'til (denial of the divine attributes). Allah said, and the Messenger of Allah said, regarding the manner (kayfiyyah) that Allah intended. This is a mujassim, and he repeats it, and you hardly find a newspaper except he says: the mujassim, where are you? And I say now: Your coming here, I wish it had been at your request, so that we could record it in your white record. But this was at my request, out of jealousy for you, when a man from our old brothers whom we knew told me. We said to him: My brother, bring them so that we can understand each other. If we had requested this, you would not have come here or knocked on our door.

The questioner : We did not want to waste the reward on you. This is a happy opportunity.

The Shaykh : May Allah reward you all with good.

The questioner : Now, in your speech about the white record, do not think of it as one person thought of it in the past.

The Shaykh : How?

The questioner : Look, do you understand from this word? Our Shaykh said: so that we write for you in your white record with us? Do you not understand from it now?

Another questioner : I want to answer you, we...The Shaykh : After we sat with him, and praise is due to Him, we found him in good condition. The word does not contain any ... opponent?

The questioner : May Allah bless you, he is not an opponent; he is Hasan al-Saqaf.

Another questioner : He is excellent; he did not speak nonsense.

The questioner : Now, may Allah bless you, he mentioned this statement that ...The Shaykh : ... Does this man have the right to accuse our Shaykh of this, while he believes, and I was satisfied with this because he sat in a session with our Shaykh, or our Shaykh, by the decree of Allah, gathered in a council, and I objected to him and said to him: How can you say this, O Hasan, about our Shaykh? But he refused to retract this statement.

Another questioner : Is the tape recorded regarding this issue?

The questioner : Yes, it is recorded regarding this issue, but I do not know where this tape is.

Another questioner : May Allah bless you, what I hope is that this statement ...

The Shaykh : The important thing is that he does not deny it.

The questioner : He does not deny it, of course, O Shaykh.

The questioner : ... You should tell him: Let him fear Allah (Mighty and Majestic) in accusing our Shaykh of this. There is no Arab who understands this word except in the correct Arab understanding. May Allah reward you.

The Shaykh : Here, Abd al-Rahman, do not forget me.

The questioner : No problem, we just heard from ...The Shaykh : Nasser today what we did not expect, meaning: truly ...