Explanation of the author's statement: "… If someone were to say: If Allah's rising above His Throne means His being above it, then it would follow that He is larger than the Throne,
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The Shaykh :"If Allah's rising above His Throne means His being above it, then it would follow that He is larger than the Throne, or smaller, or equal to it", is this implication correct? Anything that is upon something is either larger than what is below it, or smaller, or equal to it, right? Yes, this is correct; it is a logical implication. So in the answer, we say, and look at the rest of the objection: "This implies that He is a body, and a body is impossible for Allah". Look, this is the false premise that destroys the argument, and everyone who denies the attributes follows it. Everyone who denies the attributes says that affirming them necessitates that He is a body, and then they say that bodies are similar to one another. If bodies are similar, and this necessitates ascribing a body to Allah, then it follows that Allah is similar to creation. But I think we have previously explained that this premise is unsound; in fact, it is a premise that yields no result. The answer is yes: "It should be said: There is no doubt that Allah is greater than the Throne and greater than everything". This is the truth, or is it not? Because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) informed us that Allah grasps the heavens in His right hand, and likewise the earth. Yes, and it was narrated from Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him both) . And on this basis, Allah is greater than everything, and there is no objection to this. "And this view does not entail any of the false implications from which Allah is exonerated". Is there any objection in this? If we say that Allah is greater than everything, we say in every prayer, "Allah is the Greatest." Although what comes to mind when we say "Allah is the Greatest" in prayer and in the call to prayer is that He is greater in majesty and greatness, and that is what is generally understood, but with that, He is also greater than everything, even in His essence. The evidence for this is what we referred to a moment ago. And Allah (Mighty and Majestic) is above the Throne and does not need the Throne, as mentioned before; He does not need it. Therefore, there is no harm in this and no objection.
"As for his saying that a body is impossible for Allah, the answer is that the discussion of the term 'body' and its application to Allah, whether in negation or affirmation, is among the innovations that did not come in the Book, nor in the Sunnah, nor in the statements of the Salaf", is that not so? Search the Qur'an for Allah negating that He is a body or affirming that He is a body; you will not find it. Is there in the Sunnah that the Messenger affirmed that Allah is a body or that He is not a body? You will not find this. In the statements of the Salaf, you will not find this. The discussion of the body did not occur until after the emergence of innovations, and for this reason we say that this is not found, and its application "is among the innovations that did not come in the Book and the Sunnah and the statements of the Salaf, and it is among the ambiguous terms that require detailed explanation", because the word "body," if you ask whether Allah has a body or not, requires detailed explanation. So we say:
First, as for the term itself, we do not commit to affirming it or negating it. Why? Because it did not come down; it is not that Allah affirmed it or negated it. So it is our right to hold back from what Allah held back from. As for the meaning, we say: If by "body" is meant the created, composite thing, where every part of it needs the other, then this is impossible for Allah. For example, in our bodies, the rest of the body needs the head; if the head were removed, the body would be of no use, clear? We need the intestines, the stomach, the heart, and the liver; if these were removed from us, we would not remain. As for the Lord (Mighty and Majestic), it is not possible for Him to be like this. It is not possible for us to say that Allah is a body in this meaning, ever, because that necessitates being created and great deficiency, and it necessitates that the Creator has a Creator who created Him. But if by "body" is meant that which subsists by itself and is described with what befits it, then this is not impossible for Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He). For Allah subsists by Himself and is described with the perfect attributes that befit Him. Because if you did not describe Allah with this, it would mean that He does not exist. If you said He does not subsist by Himself and is not described with attributes, then is it possible for Him to exist? No. Rather, this is like their saying: "Allah is not above the universe, nor below it, nor to its right, nor to its left, nor connected to the universe, nor separated from the universe". And what would He be? Nothing. So if you believe in Allah (Mighty and Majestic) with an essence described with the attributes that befit it, that is the truth. And nothing of the false implications follows from this, ever. Yes.
That the seven heavens and the seven earths are in the palm of the Most Merciful like a mustard seed in one of our palms
أن السماوات السبع والأرضين السبع في كف الرحمن كخردلة في كف أحدنا"As for his saying that a body is impossible for Allah, the answer is that the discussion of the term 'body' and its application to Allah, whether in negation or affirmation, is among the innovations that did not come in the Book, nor in the Sunnah, nor in the statements of the Salaf", is that not so? Search the Qur'an for Allah negating that He is a body or affirming that He is a body; you will not find it. Is there in the Sunnah that the Messenger affirmed that Allah is a body or that He is not a body? You will not find this. In the statements of the Salaf, you will not find this. The discussion of the body did not occur until after the emergence of innovations, and for this reason we say that this is not found, and its application "is among the innovations that did not come in the Book and the Sunnah and the statements of the Salaf, and it is among the ambiguous terms that require detailed explanation", because the word "body," if you ask whether Allah has a body or not, requires detailed explanation. So we say:
First, as for the term itself, we do not commit to affirming it or negating it. Why? Because it did not come down; it is not that Allah affirmed it or negated it. So it is our right to hold back from what Allah held back from. As for the meaning, we say: If by "body" is meant the created, composite thing, where every part of it needs the other, then this is impossible for Allah. For example, in our bodies, the rest of the body needs the head; if the head were removed, the body would be of no use, clear? We need the intestines, the stomach, the heart, and the liver; if these were removed from us, we would not remain. As for the Lord (Mighty and Majestic), it is not possible for Him to be like this. It is not possible for us to say that Allah is a body in this meaning, ever, because that necessitates being created and great deficiency, and it necessitates that the Creator has a Creator who created Him. But if by "body" is meant that which subsists by itself and is described with what befits it, then this is not impossible for Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He). For Allah subsists by Himself and is described with the perfect attributes that befit Him. Because if you did not describe Allah with this, it would mean that He does not exist. If you said He does not subsist by Himself and is not described with attributes, then is it possible for Him to exist? No. Rather, this is like their saying: "Allah is not above the universe, nor below it, nor to its right, nor to its left, nor connected to the universe, nor separated from the universe". And what would He be? Nothing. So if you believe in Allah (Mighty and Majestic) with an essence described with the attributes that befit it, that is the truth. And nothing of the false implications follows from this, ever. Yes.