What are the negative, relational, and compound attributes?
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The questioner : The deniers of the attributes, meaning the deniers of the attributes, do not affirm for Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) any affirmative attributes; rather, they affirm for Him only negative or relational attributes, or a combination of both. What are the negative, relational, and compound attributes?
The Shaykh : These innovators say: "Allah the Exalted is not affirmed to have affirmative attributes; rather, only relational or negative attributes, or a combination of both, are affirmed for Him." As for the relational attributes, if we say that He is the Creator, it does not mean that He is characterized by creation, but rather that He has a created being. So describing Him with creation is merely a matter of relation. As for the negative attributes, they say: "We do not affirm for Allah anything that is affirmative. We do not affirm for Him (Glorified and Exalted is He) knowledge, but we say that Allah is not ignorant. We do not say that Allah is Hearing, but we say that Allah is not deaf." And so on. They turn the affirmative attributes into negative attributes. This is the meaning of their statement that they do not affirm anything except relational or negative attributes, or a combination of both. They make them negative-relational. We ask Allah for safety from that.
The questioner : Your Eminence, the Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Just one question, okay?
The questioner : The meaning of negative-relational.
The Shaykh : Negative-relational is the same thing. For example, they say: "Allah is the Creator," meaning He is not incapable of creation, and He is the Creator of a created being. So they make it a negative-relational attribute.
The Shaykh : These innovators say: "Allah the Exalted is not affirmed to have affirmative attributes; rather, only relational or negative attributes, or a combination of both, are affirmed for Him." As for the relational attributes, if we say that He is the Creator, it does not mean that He is characterized by creation, but rather that He has a created being. So describing Him with creation is merely a matter of relation. As for the negative attributes, they say: "We do not affirm for Allah anything that is affirmative. We do not affirm for Him (Glorified and Exalted is He) knowledge, but we say that Allah is not ignorant. We do not say that Allah is Hearing, but we say that Allah is not deaf." And so on. They turn the affirmative attributes into negative attributes. This is the meaning of their statement that they do not affirm anything except relational or negative attributes, or a combination of both. They make them negative-relational. We ask Allah for safety from that.
The questioner : Your Eminence, the Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Just one question, okay?
The questioner : The meaning of negative-relational.
The Shaykh : Negative-relational is the same thing. For example, they say: "Allah is the Creator," meaning He is not incapable of creation, and He is the Creator of a created being. So they make it a negative-relational attribute.