What is the position of a student of knowledge regarding scholars who have engaged in some degree of figurative interpretation (ta'wil) concerning the names and attributes? Is it permissible, when they are mentioned in his presence, to say about them that they are misguided or innovators, or the like?

The questioner : This questioner asks: O Shaykh, what is the position of a student of knowledge regarding scholars who have engaged in some degree of figurative interpretation (ta'wil) concerning the names and attributes? Is it permissible, when they are mentioned in his presence, to say about them that they are misguided or innovators, or the like, given that they have made efforts in serving knowledge and spreading the call to Allah, and some of them are known for their asceticism and righteousness?

The Shaykh : First, we must know that it is obligatory for the Muslim, in the matter of the names and attributes of Allah, to take them in their apparent meaning befitting Allah (Mighty and Majestic), without asking how (takyif) or likening Allah to creation (tashbih). He must take them in their apparent meaning befitting Allah, without asking how or likening Allah to creation. This is because Allah the Exalted said in His Book: And He said: And He said: And He said: These verses and the hadiths concerning the attributes of Allah are news from Allah and His Messenger regarding a matter that the intellect cannot grasp. If it is news from Allah and His Messenger regarding a matter that the intellect cannot grasp, then the obligation is to submit and affirm it as it is, without distortion (tahrif). For example, Allah described Himself as being established above His Throne, saying: And He described Himself as having hands and a face. What is our position regarding these texts? We submit and do not distort, but we know that the establishment (istiwa') of Allah above His Throne is not like the establishment of a human on a chair, a mount, or a ship. We know that the hand of Allah, which He affirmed for Himself, is not like the hand of a created being. We know that the face of Allah is not like the face of a created being. If we affirm this in this manner, we have submitted. As for distortion in this matter, it is invalid (batil). The one who distorts has committed two great prohibitions: first, diverting the text from what Allah intended by it, and second, affirming a meaning that Allah (Mighty and Majestic) did not intend. Thus, the two prohibitions are: diverting the text from what Allah intended by it, and affirming a meaning that Allah did not intend by this text. An example of what the people of interpretation (ta'wil) distorted is the saying of Allah the Exalted: What do we understand from its apparent meaning? That Allah comes in His own person. But do we understand from this coming that it is similar to the coming of humans? No, why? Because Allah attributed the coming to Himself. Just as His person has no equivalent, so His coming has no equivalent, because the attribute follows the one who possesses it. But the people of distortion came and said: meaning "and the command of your Lord came." Thus, they committed two prohibitions. The first prohibition is that they diverted the word from its apparent meaning which Allah intended. The second prohibition is that they affirmed something that Allah (Mighty and Majestic) did not intend. Who said that the meaning of His saying: is "and the command of your Lord came"? Who said this? This is a statement made without knowledge. Based on this, it is obligatory for us, if we see a person who follows this path, that is, distorting the texts of the Book and the Sunnah regarding the attributes of Allah, to warn people against him and his method, and to clarify that he is in error. As for describing him as misguided in an absolute sense, while he has a position of truth in other matters of religion, this is not appropriate (la yajuz), because the obligation is to speak with justice. If a person deviates in one thing, it is not appropriate to describe him as deviant in an absolute sense, saying "this person is misguided" or the like. Rather, we say: "This person is misguided in this specific thing," so that we give him his due.
So, regarding this distorter, we have two positions:
The first position is to warn against his method. Is this ruling obligatory or not? It is obligatory, so that people are not led astray by him.
The second position is to be fair to him. We say: He is misguided in this, but he is not misguided in the other matters in which he hit the truth. So we give him what he deserves and describe him with what is his. As for condemning him absolutely, warning against him absolutely, and denying the truth he established, this is contrary to fairness. Yes.