Distinguishing between what leads to ascribing a body to Allah or *** does not necessitate it, with clear proof (Is it said that Allah is a body or not?) And by Allah, if you had published all your sheikhs *** they would never have been able to distinguish
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The Shaykh :"Distinguishing between what leads to ascribing a body to Allah or *** does not necessitate it, with clear proof"
Then he said, he swore, may Allah have mercy on him, he said:
"And by Allah, if you had published all your sheikhs *** they would never have been able to distinguish"
In that case, they would be contradictory and arbitrary. This is an attribute that does not necessitate ascribing a body to Allah, so we affirm it. This is an attribute that necessitates ascribing a body to Allah, so we do not affirm it. Then it must be known that the word "body" has multiple meanings in the Arabic language, and Allah has not been described with it, neither in negation nor affirmation. There is nothing in the Qur'an or the Sunnah where Allah said about Himself that He is a body, nor that He negated being a body. So what is required of us? We are required to suspend judgment regarding the term, so we do not say that Allah is a body, nor that Allah is not a body. We are safe from this. But in terms of meaning, we believe that Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) has a Self described with attributes. This attribute is described with the Face, the Eye, the Hand, the Foot, the Leg, the Descent, the Rising above the Throne, the Coming, and the Arrival. We believe in this, but we do not use the term "body" out of what? Out of respect for the Book and the Sunnah, because it has not come in the Book and the Sunnah that Allah is a body. So out of respect for Allah, we do not say "body," but we affirm attributes that are established for Allah, truly existing with Him, and we affirm that Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) is a thing unified with Himself, independent with Himself, distinct from His creation, as the Salaf (may Allah be pleased with them) said, and Allah knows best.
Then he said, he swore, may Allah have mercy on him, he said:
"And by Allah, if you had published all your sheikhs *** they would never have been able to distinguish"
In that case, they would be contradictory and arbitrary. This is an attribute that does not necessitate ascribing a body to Allah, so we affirm it. This is an attribute that necessitates ascribing a body to Allah, so we do not affirm it. Then it must be known that the word "body" has multiple meanings in the Arabic language, and Allah has not been described with it, neither in negation nor affirmation. There is nothing in the Qur'an or the Sunnah where Allah said about Himself that He is a body, nor that He negated being a body. So what is required of us? We are required to suspend judgment regarding the term, so we do not say that Allah is a body, nor that Allah is not a body. We are safe from this. But in terms of meaning, we believe that Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) has a Self described with attributes. This attribute is described with the Face, the Eye, the Hand, the Foot, the Leg, the Descent, the Rising above the Throne, the Coming, and the Arrival. We believe in this, but we do not use the term "body" out of what? Out of respect for the Book and the Sunnah, because it has not come in the Book and the Sunnah that Allah is a body. So out of respect for Allah, we do not say "body," but we affirm attributes that are established for Allah, truly existing with Him, and we affirm that Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) is a thing unified with Himself, independent with Himself, distinct from His creation, as the Salaf (may Allah be pleased with them) said, and Allah knows best.