Is it permissible to seek nearness to Allah through His descriptive attributes in supplication?
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The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : Yes, even the active attributes. For example, the One who descends to the lowest heaven and says, "Who is calling upon Me, that I may answer him? Who is asking Me, that I may give him? Who is seeking My forgiveness, that I may forgive him?" One may say, "I ask You to forgive me."
The questioner : I mean the descriptive attributes.
The Shaykh : The descriptive attributes are not permissible; they are not suitable. May Allah reward you. This is because the descriptive attributes are not meanings by which one seeks nearness. It is permissible for those who make them into meanings to use them as a means, but they are those who distort the truth.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : They make them a means. You... "I ask You by Your hand that You give me," "I ask You by Your leg that You walk with me." No, no, that is not permissible.
The Shaykh : Yes, even the active attributes. For example, the One who descends to the lowest heaven and says, "Who is calling upon Me, that I may answer him? Who is asking Me, that I may give him? Who is seeking My forgiveness, that I may forgive him?" One may say, "I ask You to forgive me."
The questioner : I mean the descriptive attributes.
The Shaykh : The descriptive attributes are not permissible; they are not suitable. May Allah reward you. This is because the descriptive attributes are not meanings by which one seeks nearness. It is permissible for those who make them into meanings to use them as a means, but they are those who distort the truth.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : They make them a means. You... "I ask You by Your hand that You give me," "I ask You by Your leg that You walk with me." No, no, that is not permissible.