Part Two: Those who made the apparent, immediate meaning of the texts of the attributes a false meaning that is not befitting of Allah, which is likening (tashbih), and they preserved their indication of that.
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The Shaykh : He says: "Part Two" of those who argued with the evidence "Those who made the apparent, immediate meaning of the texts of the attributes a false meaning that is not befitting of Allah, which is likening (tashbih), and they preserved their indication of that. These are the mushabbihah (those who liken), and their doctrine is invalid and forbidden from several angles".
We ask Allah for safety. These people said, "We take the verses of the texts and their hadiths at their apparent meaning." But what is their apparent meaning? It is likening (tashbih), that it is similar to what the created have. The answer to them, or the refutation of them, is from several angles:
"First: It is an encroachment upon the texts and a denial of their intended meaning. How can the intended meaning be likening when Allah the Exalted said:[Ash-Shuraa 42:11]?" If the intended meaning were likening, the Qur'an would contradict itself, because Allah says . So if He says "Nothing is like Him," how can you say that the attributes mentioned in the Qur'an indicate likening?
"Second: Reason indicates the distinctness of the Creator from the created in essence and attributes. So how can one rule that the texts indicate similarity between them?" This is a rational indication. Pure reason indicates that the Creator must necessarily be stronger than the created in His knowledge, power, and so on. So how is it correct for us to make them equal? Yes.
"Third: This concept that the mushabbih understood from the texts is contrary to what the Salaf understood from them, so it is invalid" because it contradicts the consensus. Did any of the Salaf—and by the Salaf we mean the Companions and the Imams of the Muslims after them—did any of them say in likening (tamthil)? The answer is no. And whoever claims that, upon him is the evidence. How would Allah hide the truth from these people to reserve it for the people of likening (tamthil)?
We ask Allah for safety. These people said, "We take the verses of the texts and their hadiths at their apparent meaning." But what is their apparent meaning? It is likening (tashbih), that it is similar to what the created have. The answer to them, or the refutation of them, is from several angles:
"First: It is an encroachment upon the texts and a denial of their intended meaning. How can the intended meaning be likening when Allah the Exalted said:
There is nothing like unto Him
ليس كمثله شيءNothing is like Him
ليس كمثله"Second: Reason indicates the distinctness of the Creator from the created in essence and attributes. So how can one rule that the texts indicate similarity between them?" This is a rational indication. Pure reason indicates that the Creator must necessarily be stronger than the created in His knowledge, power, and so on. So how is it correct for us to make them equal? Yes.
"Third: This concept that the mushabbih understood from the texts is contrary to what the Salaf understood from them, so it is invalid" because it contradicts the consensus. Did any of the Salaf—and by the Salaf we mean the Companions and the Imams of the Muslims after them—did any of them say in likening (tamthil)? The answer is no. And whoever claims that, upon him is the evidence. How would Allah hide the truth from these people to reserve it for the people of likening (tamthil)?