Refuting the opponents in the chapter of the Names and Attributes, with an explanation that the Attributes of Allah are not invoked.
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The Shaykh : Now, another point, because this topic is important, my brothers. This is a matter of creed. Has anyone among the people said that the Names of Allah indicate only the identification of the named entity without any description?
Yes, there are some, among the people of innovation like the Mu'tazilah, the Jahmiyyah, and those who agree with them, who say that the Names of Allah have no meaning. I seek refuge in Allah, they have no meaning; they are static names. Yes, they say they have no meaning, because if you affirm a meaning for them, which is the attribute, you have affirmed something eternal alongside Allah. This is because the precedence of the name necessitates the precedence of the attribute if it includes it. Thus, you would affirm eternal knowledge alongside Allah, and eternal hearing alongside Allah. How many are these? Look at my fingers. You would affirm eternal sight alongside Allah, and eternal power alongside Allah, and eternal wisdom alongside Allah. All of these are eternal. And you condemn the Christians when they said that Allah is the third of three, yet you are now saying hundreds. It is not possible for the Names to indicate Attributes, because if we affirmed the Attributes, it would necessitate that these Attributes are eternal like the Name. In that case, you would be affirming multiple eternal things alongside Allah. Look how Satan has played with their minds. It is said: Yes, we believe in the eternity of the Attribute just as we believe in the eternity of the one described, and that Allah has always been Hearing, Seeing, Knowing, and Powerful. We believe in this. But whoever says that the Attribute is separate from the one described such that it becomes a rival to Him, who says this? No one says this. Otherwise, we would say to you, O man, the Exalted, you are Hearing, Seeing, Knowing, Powerful, and Strong. How many is one? It becomes five people, and he is one person. No one says this. The multiplicity of the Attribute does not necessitate the multiplicity of the one described, because the Attribute is not independent. For this reason, the Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "Whoever invokes an Attribute of the Attributes of Allah is an associate of partners with Allah". If he invokes an Attribute, it is shirk (associating partners with Allah), because you have claimed that it is separate from Allah. If you say, "O Mercy of Allah, have mercy on me," is that permissible or not permissible? My brothers, even according to our view, if you invoke the mercy, if you say, "O Mercy of Allah, have mercy on me," is that permissible or not permissible?
It is not permissible at all, because you have made the mercy a deity to be invoked, and the mercy is a description of the One who shows mercy, and it is not independent. If you say, "O Hearing of Allah, restore my hearing," is that permissible or not permissible?
It is not permissible. The Hearing of Allah is not independent. But say, "O All-Hearing, restore my hearing," and there is no harm. Now, this principle has been established in your hearts: that the Attributes of Allah are not invoked. It has been established.
Yes, there are some, among the people of innovation like the Mu'tazilah, the Jahmiyyah, and those who agree with them, who say that the Names of Allah have no meaning. I seek refuge in Allah, they have no meaning; they are static names. Yes, they say they have no meaning, because if you affirm a meaning for them, which is the attribute, you have affirmed something eternal alongside Allah. This is because the precedence of the name necessitates the precedence of the attribute if it includes it. Thus, you would affirm eternal knowledge alongside Allah, and eternal hearing alongside Allah. How many are these? Look at my fingers. You would affirm eternal sight alongside Allah, and eternal power alongside Allah, and eternal wisdom alongside Allah. All of these are eternal. And you condemn the Christians when they said that Allah is the third of three, yet you are now saying hundreds. It is not possible for the Names to indicate Attributes, because if we affirmed the Attributes, it would necessitate that these Attributes are eternal like the Name. In that case, you would be affirming multiple eternal things alongside Allah. Look how Satan has played with their minds. It is said: Yes, we believe in the eternity of the Attribute just as we believe in the eternity of the one described, and that Allah has always been Hearing, Seeing, Knowing, and Powerful. We believe in this. But whoever says that the Attribute is separate from the one described such that it becomes a rival to Him, who says this? No one says this. Otherwise, we would say to you, O man, the Exalted, you are Hearing, Seeing, Knowing, Powerful, and Strong. How many is one? It becomes five people, and he is one person. No one says this. The multiplicity of the Attribute does not necessitate the multiplicity of the one described, because the Attribute is not independent. For this reason, the Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "Whoever invokes an Attribute of the Attributes of Allah is an associate of partners with Allah". If he invokes an Attribute, it is shirk (associating partners with Allah), because you have claimed that it is separate from Allah. If you say, "O Mercy of Allah, have mercy on me," is that permissible or not permissible? My brothers, even according to our view, if you invoke the mercy, if you say, "O Mercy of Allah, have mercy on me," is that permissible or not permissible?
It is not permissible at all, because you have made the mercy a deity to be invoked, and the mercy is a description of the One who shows mercy, and it is not independent. If you say, "O Hearing of Allah, restore my hearing," is that permissible or not permissible?
It is not permissible. The Hearing of Allah is not independent. But say, "O All-Hearing, restore my hearing," and there is no harm. Now, this principle has been established in your hearts: that the Attributes of Allah are not invoked. It has been established.