What is the response to those who say that when Shaykh al-Islam explained the creed, he only spoke about the oneness of the names and attributes, and that Shaykh Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab only spoke about the oneness of worship when he explained the creed?
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The questioner : May Allah forgive you, O Shaykh. What is your opinion of this claim by those who say that when Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah explained the creed, he did not explain it from all its aspects, but only from the aspect of the oneness of the names and attributes, and that Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab (may Allah have mercy on him), when he explained the creed, did not explain it except in the oneness of worship?
The Shaykh : We say that this is a claim, and a claim is not accepted unless there is evidence. It comes either from a person who has not read the books of the two Shaykhs and has not comprehended what they wrote regarding tawhid (the oneness of Allah), or from a person who has an agenda with this speech, wanting to belittle the status of these two Shaykhs, whom Allah has bestowed upon the servants.
And Shaykh al-Islam (may Allah have mercy on him) has much speech regarding the oneness of lordship with the philosophers and others, and he has much speech regarding the oneness of worship. In fact, he has independent books on that; the treatise "Al-'Ibadah" (Worship) is entirely about establishing the oneness of worship. Likewise, Shaykh Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab (may Allah have mercy on him) has writings on both this and that. However, because the onslaught in the era of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) was from the people of Kalam (speculative theology), and the speech of the people of Kalam was regarding the attributes and what relates to them, most of what he wrote was in this aspect. And Shaykh Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab, because in his era the onslaught was from shirk (associating partners with Allah) in worship, most of what he wrote was in the oneness of worship. Yes.
The Shaykh : We say that this is a claim, and a claim is not accepted unless there is evidence. It comes either from a person who has not read the books of the two Shaykhs and has not comprehended what they wrote regarding tawhid (the oneness of Allah), or from a person who has an agenda with this speech, wanting to belittle the status of these two Shaykhs, whom Allah has bestowed upon the servants.
And Shaykh al-Islam (may Allah have mercy on him) has much speech regarding the oneness of lordship with the philosophers and others, and he has much speech regarding the oneness of worship. In fact, he has independent books on that; the treatise "Al-'Ibadah" (Worship) is entirely about establishing the oneness of worship. Likewise, Shaykh Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab (may Allah have mercy on him) has writings on both this and that. However, because the onslaught in the era of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) was from the people of Kalam (speculative theology), and the speech of the people of Kalam was regarding the attributes and what relates to them, most of what he wrote was in this aspect. And Shaykh Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab, because in his era the onslaught was from shirk (associating partners with Allah) in worship, most of what he wrote was in the oneness of worship. Yes.