Explanation of the author's statement: "The first verse indicates the obligation of affirming [the attributes] without distortion or negation, for both are forms of deviation."
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The Shaykh : He said: "The first verse indicates the obligation of affirming [the attributes] without distortion", where is the first verse?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Okay, it indicates the obligation of affirming in His saying, and also, merely by the report [Al-A'raf 7:180], we are obligated to affirm, because the report of Allah is the truth. But beyond that, call upon Him with them. And it indicates the obligation of avoiding distortion and negation, because they are? Distortion and negation, where do they come from? From deviation. The one who distorts what came in the Book and the Sunnah is a deviator, or the one who expresses it in a meaning other than its intended meaning is a deviator without doubt, because the origin of deviation is inclination, as will come later. So whoever departs from the straight path in the names and attributes of Allah is a deviator. And it indicates "the second verse indicates the obligation of denying likening [Allah to creation]", where is the second verse?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : No,[Ash-Shuraa 42:11] [Ash-Shuraa 42:11], how does it indicate the obligation of denying likening [Allah to creation]? Because it is a report, a report from Allah the Exalted that there is no likeness to Allah, so it is obligatory for us to say so, and to deny likeness. Yes, and know that denying likeness does not indicate denying the original sharing. Sharing in a thing is different from likeness to it, is it not? You are an animal and the sheep is an animal, did you share in animality?
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh : Did you agree in likeness?
The student: No.
The Shaykh : No, okay, you are a body and the stone is a body, did you share in corporeality and were you alike? You were not alike.
The student: You are alike in the movement of the body.
The Shaykh : No, you are not alike, even though you shared in the original, original meaning, but you differed without doubt. If you strike a stone with a stone, it may break or it may not break, but if you strike your head with a stone, it breaks.
Okay, existence. You exist and the sky exists, and the sky exists, did you share in existence but were you alike? No. The Lord, Mighty and Majestic, exists and the created exists, they shared in existence but they are not alike in this existence. The existence of the Creator is specific to Him and the existence of the created is specific to it. So note that likeness does not mean denying sharing in the absolute thing.
And this is what led astray those who went astray from the people of innovation. They thought that sharing in the origin of a thing necessitates likeness, so they said Allah has no hand, and Allah has no face, and Allah has no eye, and Allah has no foot, and Allah has no leg, and He did not truly rise above the Throne, and He does not truly descend to the lowest heaven, and the like of that. They thought that affirming these things in a true sense necessitates likeness. And Allah the Exalted has denied that there is a likeness to Him, so it is obligatory for us to deny these things. Did you understand now? Okay, and as for the third verse, it indicates the obligation of denying asking how [the attributes are]. Where is the third verse?[Al-Isra 17:36] Okay, a person said that Allah has a true hand. He said that Allah has a true hand, correct?
The student: Correct.
The Shaykh : He said it is like the hand of the created, is that wrong?
The student: Error
The Shaykh : Good, and what indicated his error?
The student: Its non-occurrence.
The Shaykh : No, its non-occurrence, no. Denying likeness. Denying likeness is not its non-occurrence. Okay,[Ash-Shuraa 42:11] it lies with everyone who claims likeness in the attributes of Allah. Yes, [Ash-Shuraa 42:11] can we also use His saying [Al-Isra 17:36] as evidence for denying likeness?
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh : It is possible, because the one who likens [Allah to creation] has no knowledge of it. But since we have a verse that indicates the denial of likeness, it is preferable to use that as evidence. It is preferable to use that as evidence.
Okay, someone said Allah has a true hand, so we say? He is truthful. He said its attribute is such and such, and he stood up to count for us the fingers, and count for us the veins, and count for us the bones, and count for us things. Yes, and refuge in Allah, what do we say? We say you lied. Who told you this? Is this one who stood up to describe the attributes of Allah, describing the hand of Allah the Exalted with attributes that have no counterpart for us, but he imagined attributes and stood up to describe it with them? Is this in the verses we mentioned that indicate the prohibition of their method?
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes, it is in[Al-Isra 17:36], this is what it indicated [Ash-Shuraa 42:11], no, what indicated it was [Al-Isra 17:36], because we say, we say, where did you get this knowledge from? So he will say, he will say, I have no knowledge, but by Allah I think it is like this. We say then do not stand upon what you have no knowledge of.
If someone asks why did you not bring His saying, the Exalted,[Al-A'raf 7:33], why did you not bring this verse? And the one who asks how [the attributes are] said about Allah what he does not know. So I say that we turned away from this verse for two reasons:
First, it is long, and this book is a curriculum for students. The more concise the evidence, the easier it is for them. Which is longer,[Al-A'raf 7:33] to His saying [Al-Baqarah 2:169], or this one [Al-Isra 17:36]? Of course, this one is more concise. The first one is longer and this one is more concise.
Second, this verse[Al-Isra 17:36] is more general than the first verse. The first verse says, and do not say about Allah what you do not know. And this one is about Allah and others [Al-Isra 17:36], so it is general in what concerns Allah the Exalted and what concerns others. So it becomes clear, O our brothers, by these three verses... the obligation of affirming what Allah affirmed for Himself, what comes after? And denying what Allah denied for Himself, and remaining silent about what He remained silent about. Where do we take this from? From the verse [Al-Isra 17:36]. And for this reason we said, and it indicates the obligation of suspending judgment regarding what has not been affirmed or denied.
The student: But...
The Shaykh : Yes, that is right.
The student: ... the explicit statement of prohibition.
The Shaykh : Yes, it has an explicit statement of prohibition, but this one surpasses it in two matters, it surpasses it in two matters. Then we say the original ruling in prohibition is prohibition.
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Okay, it indicates the obligation of affirming in His saying
So call upon Him by them
فادعوه بهاAnd to Allah belong the best names
ولله الأسماء الحسنىThe student: ...
The Shaykh : No,
There is nothing like unto Him
ليس كمثله شيءThere is nothing like unto Him
ليس كمثله شيءThe student: Yes.
The Shaykh : Did you agree in likeness?
The student: No.
The Shaykh : No, okay, you are a body and the stone is a body, did you share in corporeality and were you alike? You were not alike.
The student: You are alike in the movement of the body.
The Shaykh : No, you are not alike, even though you shared in the original, original meaning, but you differed without doubt. If you strike a stone with a stone, it may break or it may not break, but if you strike your head with a stone, it breaks.
Okay, existence. You exist and the sky exists, and the sky exists, did you share in existence but were you alike? No. The Lord, Mighty and Majestic, exists and the created exists, they shared in existence but they are not alike in this existence. The existence of the Creator is specific to Him and the existence of the created is specific to it. So note that likeness does not mean denying sharing in the absolute thing.
And this is what led astray those who went astray from the people of innovation. They thought that sharing in the origin of a thing necessitates likeness, so they said Allah has no hand, and Allah has no face, and Allah has no eye, and Allah has no foot, and Allah has no leg, and He did not truly rise above the Throne, and He does not truly descend to the lowest heaven, and the like of that. They thought that affirming these things in a true sense necessitates likeness. And Allah the Exalted has denied that there is a likeness to Him, so it is obligatory for us to deny these things. Did you understand now? Okay, and as for the third verse, it indicates the obligation of denying asking how [the attributes are]. Where is the third verse?
And do not pursue that of which you have no knowledge
ولا تقف ما ليس لك به علمThe student: Correct.
The Shaykh : He said it is like the hand of the created, is that wrong?
The student: Error
The Shaykh : Good, and what indicated his error?
The student: Its non-occurrence.
The Shaykh : No, its non-occurrence, no. Denying likeness. Denying likeness is not its non-occurrence. Okay,
There is nothing like unto Him
ليس كمثله شيءThere is nothing like unto Him
ليس كمثله شيءAnd do not pursue that of which you have no knowledge
ولا تقف ما ليس لك به علمThe student: Yes.
The Shaykh : It is possible, because the one who likens [Allah to creation] has no knowledge of it. But since we have a verse that indicates the denial of likeness, it is preferable to use that as evidence. It is preferable to use that as evidence.
Okay, someone said Allah has a true hand, so we say? He is truthful. He said its attribute is such and such, and he stood up to count for us the fingers, and count for us the veins, and count for us the bones, and count for us things. Yes, and refuge in Allah, what do we say? We say you lied. Who told you this? Is this one who stood up to describe the attributes of Allah, describing the hand of Allah the Exalted with attributes that have no counterpart for us, but he imagined attributes and stood up to describe it with them? Is this in the verses we mentioned that indicate the prohibition of their method?
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes, it is in
And do not pursue that of which you have no knowledge
ولا تقف ما ليس لك به علمThere is nothing like unto Him
ليس كمثله شيءAnd do not pursue that of which you have no knowledge
ولا تقف ما ليس لك به علمIf someone asks why did you not bring His saying, the Exalted,
Say, "My Lord has only forbidden immoralities - what is apparent of them and what is concealed - and sin, and oppression without right, and that you associate with Allah that for which He has not sent down authority, and that you say about Allah that which you do not know."
قل إنما حرم ربي الفواحش ما ظهر منها وما بطن والإثم والبغي بغير الحق وأن تشركوا بالله ما لم ينزل به سلطانا وأن تقولوا على الله ما لا تعلمونFirst, it is long, and this book is a curriculum for students. The more concise the evidence, the easier it is for them. Which is longer,
Say, "My Lord has only forbidden immoralities
قل إنما حرم ربي الفواحشand to say about Allah what you do not know.
وأن تقولوا على الله ما لا تعلمونdo not pursue that of which you have no knowledge
لا تقف ما ليس لك به علمSecond, this verse
And do not pursue that of which you have no knowledge
ولا تقف ما ليس لك به علمdo not pursue that of which you have no knowledge
لا تقف ما ليس لك به علمAnd do not pursue that of which you have no knowledge
ولا تقف ما ليس لك به علمThe student: But...
The Shaykh : Yes, that is right.
The student: ... the explicit statement of prohibition.
The Shaykh : Yes, it has an explicit statement of prohibition, but this one surpasses it in two matters, it surpasses it in two matters. Then we say the original ruling in prohibition is prohibition.