Explanation of the author's statement: "3- They cling to words that are shared between meanings that are valid to attribute to Allah the Exalted, and meanings that are not valid to attribute to Him, such as: body and space"
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The Shaykh : He said: "The third: They cling to words that are shared between meanings that are valid to attribute to Allah the Exalted, and meanings that are not valid to attribute to Him". They bring up words that are shared, indicating a meaning that is valid for Allah, and a meaning that is not valid for Him, so they deny it. As long as a person understands that there is a meaning in this word that must be denied regarding Allah, if they base the matter on denying this meaning, they accept it.
An example of this is the body. They say: Allah the Exalted does not have a body. By this, they intend to deny the elevation of Allah by His Essence, His descent by His Essence, His Hand, His Face, His Eye, His Foot, His Leg, and the like.
They say: All of this indicates that Allah is a body, and Allah the Exalted is free from being a body.
When you hear this statement for the first time, you say: These are the ones who purified Allah the Exalted from deficiency. They said: He is not a body. But the truth is that they are the ones who made Allah nothing. They made Allah nothing, and they only made Him a concept understood by the imagination alone.
And we say to them, as mentioned before: If you mean by body the composite body whose parts depend on each other in composition and standing, is this? It is negated from Allah, and we do not affirm for Allah the Exalted a body in this meaning.
And if you mean by body the one who stands by Himself, possessing the attributes He deserves, who has actions under His will and desire, who takes, is pleased, becomes angry, laughs, rises, comes, and descends, if you mean by body this meaning, what is it? It is true. And with this, we do not use the word body, neither in denial nor affirmation. We do not say that Allah has a body, nor do we say that He does not have a body. This is with regard to the word. But with regard to the meaning, we must specify. If we mean by body the first meaning, it is impossible for Allah. And if we mean by body the second meaning, that it is a sacred Essence with which actions stand, and He has a Hand, a Face, an Eye, and the like, what is it? It is true, indeed obligatory. It is obligatory for us to believe in that.
But it is obligatory for us to be cautious about imagining this Essence. We must be cautious, because no matter how much you imagine, you will not grasp this. If Allah the Exalted is not grasped by the sensory powers, how can He be grasped by the mental, rational powers? Allah the Exalted said:[Al-An'am 6:103] And He the Exalted said: [Taha 20:110].
So beware of imagining that Allah the Exalted is on a specific body that you measure, because this will lead you to deserts from which you are unable to escape. But you believe that Allah Mighty and Majestic has a great, sacred Essence. As for imagining a specific modality for it, this is not permissible.
Likewise, space. Space. Do you say: Does Allah the Exalted have space? Or not? They say: If you affirm that Allah is above His Throne by His Essence, that necessitates having space. That necessitates having space, and having space is prohibited, because it implies that Allah is confined. And Allah the Exalted is vast and all-knowing. So you must deny His elevation by His Essence so that you do not fall into this doubt.
We have previously said: If by space it is meant that Allah is contained by the created things and surrounded by them, this is invalid. How is this possible, when His Footstool encompasses the heavens and the earth? And His Footstool is the place of His feet.
And if by space it is meant that He is separate from the creatures and distinct from them, what is this? This is true and correct. And with this, we do not use this word, neither in denial nor affirmation, because it has not come in the Book and the Sunnah to affirm it for Allah or deny it from Him. So we must be polite and not go ahead of Allah and His Messenger. But with this, we cannot take the denial of this name, yes? Denying what Allah described Himself with of actions and attributes.
Okay, we: Do we say by space, or do we say by the absence of space? No, no, look at the two expressions: Do we say by the absence of space, or do we not say by space?
The student: The latter.
The Shaykh : Ah, we do not say by space in an absolute sense, because if we said by the absence of space, we would have denied it. So there is a difference between a person saying by denial, and denying the statement.
Pay attention to this point. Denying the statement is not a statement of denial. So I do not say that it is space, unlike if I said: I say that it is not space. Is that clear, everyone?
So if you asked: Do you say by the denial of space, or do you not say by space? Ah? I do not say by space, because there is a difference between denying the statement, and the statement of denial. Yes, okay.
An example of this is the body. They say: Allah the Exalted does not have a body. By this, they intend to deny the elevation of Allah by His Essence, His descent by His Essence, His Hand, His Face, His Eye, His Foot, His Leg, and the like.
They say: All of this indicates that Allah is a body, and Allah the Exalted is free from being a body.
When you hear this statement for the first time, you say: These are the ones who purified Allah the Exalted from deficiency. They said: He is not a body. But the truth is that they are the ones who made Allah nothing. They made Allah nothing, and they only made Him a concept understood by the imagination alone.
And we say to them, as mentioned before: If you mean by body the composite body whose parts depend on each other in composition and standing, is this? It is negated from Allah, and we do not affirm for Allah the Exalted a body in this meaning.
And if you mean by body the one who stands by Himself, possessing the attributes He deserves, who has actions under His will and desire, who takes, is pleased, becomes angry, laughs, rises, comes, and descends, if you mean by body this meaning, what is it? It is true. And with this, we do not use the word body, neither in denial nor affirmation. We do not say that Allah has a body, nor do we say that He does not have a body. This is with regard to the word. But with regard to the meaning, we must specify. If we mean by body the first meaning, it is impossible for Allah. And if we mean by body the second meaning, that it is a sacred Essence with which actions stand, and He has a Hand, a Face, an Eye, and the like, what is it? It is true, indeed obligatory. It is obligatory for us to believe in that.
But it is obligatory for us to be cautious about imagining this Essence. We must be cautious, because no matter how much you imagine, you will not grasp this. If Allah the Exalted is not grasped by the sensory powers, how can He be grasped by the mental, rational powers? Allah the Exalted said:
Vision perceives Him not, but He perceives [all] vision
لا تدركه الأبصار وهو يدرك الأبصارbut they do not encompass it in knowledge.
ولا يحيطون به علماSo beware of imagining that Allah the Exalted is on a specific body that you measure, because this will lead you to deserts from which you are unable to escape. But you believe that Allah Mighty and Majestic has a great, sacred Essence. As for imagining a specific modality for it, this is not permissible.
Likewise, space. Space. Do you say: Does Allah the Exalted have space? Or not? They say: If you affirm that Allah is above His Throne by His Essence, that necessitates having space. That necessitates having space, and having space is prohibited, because it implies that Allah is confined. And Allah the Exalted is vast and all-knowing. So you must deny His elevation by His Essence so that you do not fall into this doubt.
We have previously said: If by space it is meant that Allah is contained by the created things and surrounded by them, this is invalid. How is this possible, when His Footstool encompasses the heavens and the earth? And His Footstool is the place of His feet.
And if by space it is meant that He is separate from the creatures and distinct from them, what is this? This is true and correct. And with this, we do not use this word, neither in denial nor affirmation, because it has not come in the Book and the Sunnah to affirm it for Allah or deny it from Him. So we must be polite and not go ahead of Allah and His Messenger. But with this, we cannot take the denial of this name, yes? Denying what Allah described Himself with of actions and attributes.
Okay, we: Do we say by space, or do we say by the absence of space? No, no, look at the two expressions: Do we say by the absence of space, or do we not say by space?
The student: The latter.
The Shaykh : Ah, we do not say by space in an absolute sense, because if we said by the absence of space, we would have denied it. So there is a difference between a person saying by denial, and denying the statement.
Pay attention to this point. Denying the statement is not a statement of denial. So I do not say that it is space, unlike if I said: I say that it is not space. Is that clear, everyone?
So if you asked: Do you say by the denial of space, or do you not say by space? Ah? I do not say by space, because there is a difference between denying the statement, and the statement of denial. Yes, okay.