Is it permissible to gesture with the hand in front of students and the general public when explaining the reality of the attribute of seizing for Allah?
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The questioner : Allah the Exalted is not like the attributes of the created beings... some people say... for example, before the Sunnah...
The Shaykh : This is a mistake, a mistake, this is a mistake, unless one says that the reality of seizing is such and such, without attributing it to Allah. If he says, "The reality of seizing is like this," there is no harm, but on the condition that he does not say that Allah seizes in that manner. We do not know how Allah Mighty and Majestic seizes. He informed us that He seizes the earth, but He did not inform us how He seizes it. We do not know. People now differ regarding seizing; you seize in one way, and another person seizes in another way. However, if he intends to clarify the reality of seizing, there is no blame on him, just as the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) clarified the reality of seeing [Allah]. He said:Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2554Sahih (Darussalam) Yes.
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : Yes
The questioner : ... the general public ...
The Shaykh: You say that it is in front of students. Students are learning, and if he does not teach them in this way and teach them the manner of the reality, they may not understand. As for the general public in general, we do not see that he should say this to them, even in what has come in explicit texts, because their thoughts may immediately jump to likening Allah to creation. Yes, we took three. Yes.
The Shaykh : This is a mistake, a mistake, this is a mistake, unless one says that the reality of seizing is such and such, without attributing it to Allah. If he says, "The reality of seizing is like this," there is no harm, but on the condition that he does not say that Allah seizes in that manner. We do not know how Allah Mighty and Majestic seizes. He informed us that He seizes the earth, but He did not inform us how He seizes it. We do not know. People now differ regarding seizing; you seize in one way, and another person seizes in another way. However, if he intends to clarify the reality of seizing, there is no blame on him, just as the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) clarified the reality of seeing [Allah]. He said:
you shall see your Lord as you see the moon
إنكم سترون ربكم كما ترون القمرThe questioner : ...
The Shaykh : Yes
The questioner : ... the general public ...
The Shaykh: You say that it is in front of students. Students are learning, and if he does not teach them in this way and teach them the manner of the reality, they may not understand. As for the general public in general, we do not see that he should say this to them, even in what has come in explicit texts, because their thoughts may immediately jump to likening Allah to creation. Yes, we took three. Yes.