Explanation of the author's statement: "As for the one who denies the attributes, his denial is apparent."
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The Shaykh :"As for the one who denies the attributes, his denial is apparent" or not? The denial of the one who denies the attributes is apparent, because he denies and says: Allah has no Face, no Hand, no Hearing, no Sight, no Knowledge, and none of the attributes.
But his likening of Allah to creation, "And as for his likening of Allah to creation, its aspect is: he only denied the attributes because he believed that affirming the attributes necessitates likening Allah to creation, so he began to deny the attributes to escape that, thus he first likened Allah to creation and then denied the attributes".
Is that correct or not? We asked the one who denies the attributes: Why did you deny that Allah has a Hand, that Allah has a Hand? He said: Because if I affirmed that Allah has a Hand, I would be likening Him to His creation, do you understand? Now, what did he base his denial on? On likening Allah to creation. He based his denial on likening Allah to creation, so he first likened Allah to creation and then denied the attributes. This is from one aspect.
From another aspect, which we mentioned, but it is clear: if he denies Allah of His attributes, then he has likened Him to what? To what is deficient, he has likened Him to what is deficient.
If he says Allah has no Hand, he has likened Him to one who has no Hand. If he says Allah has no Face, he has likened Him to one who has no Face, and so on.
So if he said, "I take a negative stance, I neither affirm nor deny," the matter would be easier, but he denies, so he has likened Allah (Mighty and Majestic) to one who does not possess these attributes.
So his likening of Allah to creation is in reality from two aspects: from his understanding that affirmation necessitates likening Allah to creation, so he denied, and from the fact that when he denies these attributes, he has likened Allah to what? To one who does not possess these attributes. So it is correct for us to say to the one who denies the attributes: You are one who likens Allah to creation.
But his likening of Allah to creation, "And as for his likening of Allah to creation, its aspect is: he only denied the attributes because he believed that affirming the attributes necessitates likening Allah to creation, so he began to deny the attributes to escape that, thus he first likened Allah to creation and then denied the attributes".
Is that correct or not? We asked the one who denies the attributes: Why did you deny that Allah has a Hand, that Allah has a Hand? He said: Because if I affirmed that Allah has a Hand, I would be likening Him to His creation, do you understand? Now, what did he base his denial on? On likening Allah to creation. He based his denial on likening Allah to creation, so he first likened Allah to creation and then denied the attributes. This is from one aspect.
From another aspect, which we mentioned, but it is clear: if he denies Allah of His attributes, then he has likened Him to what? To what is deficient, he has likened Him to what is deficient.
If he says Allah has no Hand, he has likened Him to one who has no Hand. If he says Allah has no Face, he has likened Him to one who has no Face, and so on.
So if he said, "I take a negative stance, I neither affirm nor deny," the matter would be easier, but he denies, so he has likened Allah (Mighty and Majestic) to one who does not possess these attributes.
So his likening of Allah to creation is in reality from two aspects: from his understanding that affirmation necessitates likening Allah to creation, so he denied, and from the fact that when he denies these attributes, he has likened Allah to what? To one who does not possess these attributes. So it is correct for us to say to the one who denies the attributes: You are one who likens Allah to creation.