Explanation of the author's statement: "And direction: these general terms are used by them to deny Allah's attributes by denying them of Him"
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The Shaykh : He says: "Likewise, direction"
Direction: they say that Allah the Exalted is not in a direction. They say that Allah is not in a direction. Those who said that Allah is not in a direction divided into two groups: one group said that Allah the Exalted is in every direction and in every place. This is what the early Jahmiyyah said, and everyone who believes in indwelling (hulul) from the Mu'tazilah and others. They say that Allah is in every place, and in that case, is direction negated or not? Direction is negated, because if you say "in front," you are wrong; if you say "above," you are wrong; if you say "below," you are wrong; if you say "on the right," you are wrong; if you say "on the left," you are wrong. Rather, He is in everything, without restriction.
Or they say, those who deny direction, that Allah the Exalted is not in any direction at all, so He is not above the universe, nor below it, nor on the right, nor on the left, nor in front, nor behind. Did you understand?
So it is correct to say that He is non-existent, because if He exists, He must be in one of these directions. So if you say He is not in these directions, it means non-existence. For this reason, some scholars said: if we were asked to describe non-existence, we would not find a description more precise than this: non-existence is that which is not inside the universe nor outside it, not connected nor disconnected, not on the right nor on the left, not above nor below, not behind nor in front. This is non-existence.
So those who deny direction, did they divide into praise?
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : Yes.
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : They deny every direction, right or not? Good.
We have also previously established the invalidity of this second and first opinion. Good. So what do we say about direction?
If someone asked you: Do you say that Allah is in a direction?
If you say: Yes, you are wrong. If you say: No, you are wrong. If you specify, you are correct.
So if you say "in a direction," meaning that He, Blessed and Exalted is He, is above the heavens and what surrounds them, non-existent in the sense that nothing encompasses Him, all creation is below Him, and "above" is a direction of non-existence that nothing from any creation limits, is this correct? This is correct, because Allah the Exalted is above everything, and nothing is ever on the same level as Him.
And if you mean by direction a direction that encompasses Him, a direction that encompasses Him, this is false, because nothing from His creations encompasses Allah.
And if you mean a direction of below, it is also false, because Allah the Exalted is above. The evidence for that, for the establishment of the direction above, but it is a direction of non-existence, meaning that nothing encompasses Allah in His place And "where" is used to ask about the place, right? And the strange thing is that among those who deny this, some reject the hadith, and rejecting texts is easy for them if they are not mass-transmitted.
And some of them say: the question here is about the essence, meaning "Where is Allah? What is He? What is Allah?" And is it conceivable that "where" in this context is a question about the essence? Never. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was more knowledgeable about creation in the Arabic language and asked with the word "where?" If he had intended to ask about the essence, he would have said: "Who is Allah?" and not "Where is Allah?" Good.
The author says: "So these general terms are used by them to deny Allah's attributes by denying them of Him".
When you say: I believe that Allah descends to the lowest heaven, he says: So you believe that Allah is a body. What follows from this, what do you answer him? Right?
The student: It is not necessary.
The Shaykh : I say first: if you mean by body a composite body that needs its parts, like the head needs the body and the body needs the head and the heart and the hand and the like. If you mean this meaning by body, this is false, and I do not commit to it, nor is it necessary for me. And if you mean by body the essence that stands by itself, described with what befits it, then it is true, and I commit to it, and there is nothing wrong with this.
And likewise, if he says: if you say "descends," it means He is in a direction, I say as I said about direction: if you mean by it such and such, it is true, and if you mean by it such and such, it is false and not necessary. Yes, exactly.
Direction: they say that Allah the Exalted is not in a direction. They say that Allah is not in a direction. Those who said that Allah is not in a direction divided into two groups: one group said that Allah the Exalted is in every direction and in every place. This is what the early Jahmiyyah said, and everyone who believes in indwelling (hulul) from the Mu'tazilah and others. They say that Allah is in every place, and in that case, is direction negated or not? Direction is negated, because if you say "in front," you are wrong; if you say "above," you are wrong; if you say "below," you are wrong; if you say "on the right," you are wrong; if you say "on the left," you are wrong. Rather, He is in everything, without restriction.
Or they say, those who deny direction, that Allah the Exalted is not in any direction at all, so He is not above the universe, nor below it, nor on the right, nor on the left, nor in front, nor behind. Did you understand?
So it is correct to say that He is non-existent, because if He exists, He must be in one of these directions. So if you say He is not in these directions, it means non-existence. For this reason, some scholars said: if we were asked to describe non-existence, we would not find a description more precise than this: non-existence is that which is not inside the universe nor outside it, not connected nor disconnected, not on the right nor on the left, not above nor below, not behind nor in front. This is non-existence.
So those who deny direction, did they divide into praise?
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : Yes.
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : They deny every direction, right or not? Good.
We have also previously established the invalidity of this second and first opinion. Good. So what do we say about direction?
If someone asked you: Do you say that Allah is in a direction?
If you say: Yes, you are wrong. If you say: No, you are wrong. If you specify, you are correct.
So if you say "in a direction," meaning that He, Blessed and Exalted is He, is above the heavens and what surrounds them, non-existent in the sense that nothing encompasses Him, all creation is below Him, and "above" is a direction of non-existence that nothing from any creation limits, is this correct? This is correct, because Allah the Exalted is above everything, and nothing is ever on the same level as Him.
And if you mean by direction a direction that encompasses Him, a direction that encompasses Him, this is false, because nothing from His creations encompasses Allah.
And if you mean a direction of below, it is also false, because Allah the Exalted is above. The evidence for that, for the establishment of the direction above, but it is a direction of non-existence, meaning that nothing encompasses Allah in His place
That the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) asked the slave girl, he said to her: Where is Allah?
أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم سأل الجارية، قال لها: أين الله؟She said: In the heaven. He said: Free her, for she is a believer.
قالت : في السماء. قال : أعتقها فإنها مؤمنةAnd some of them say: the question here is about the essence, meaning "Where is Allah? What is He? What is Allah?" And is it conceivable that "where" in this context is a question about the essence? Never. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was more knowledgeable about creation in the Arabic language and asked with the word "where?" If he had intended to ask about the essence, he would have said: "Who is Allah?" and not "Where is Allah?" Good.
The author says: "So these general terms are used by them to deny Allah's attributes by denying them of Him".
When you say: I believe that Allah descends to the lowest heaven, he says: So you believe that Allah is a body. What follows from this, what do you answer him? Right?
The student: It is not necessary.
The Shaykh : I say first: if you mean by body a composite body that needs its parts, like the head needs the body and the body needs the head and the heart and the hand and the like. If you mean this meaning by body, this is false, and I do not commit to it, nor is it necessary for me. And if you mean by body the essence that stands by itself, described with what befits it, then it is true, and I commit to it, and there is nothing wrong with this.
And likewise, if he says: if you say "descends," it means He is in a direction, I say as I said about direction: if you mean by it such and such, it is true, and if you mean by it such and such, it is false and not necessary. Yes, exactly.