Explanation of the author's statement: "The third: that if one likens Allah to His creation, one has denied Him of His obligatory perfection"
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The Shaykh :"Third: that if one likens Allah to His creation, one has denied Him of His obligatory perfection, where the Perfect Lord in every respect is likened to the deficient creation" in every respect. Huh? No, I said that; I added it from my own side.
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : No, it is not obligatory.
I say: If one likens Allah to His creation, one has denied Him of what? Of His obligatory perfection, because one has likened the Perfect to the deficient, and that constitutes a denial, a denial of the perfection of the Perfect.
And it is known that likening or representing the Perfect as the deficient makes it deficient. Indeed, comparing the Perfect with the deficient, even without the intent of compulsion, makes it deficient.
The poet said:
"Have you not seen that the sword's worth is diminished *** when it is said that the sword is sharper than the stick".
If you came to boast of your sword, saying: By Allah, I have a sword, a sharp, great sword, a blade sharper than so-and-so's stick, which is stronger than an arm, what does this amount to? Is this a defect in the sword or not? There is no doubt, because if you say this, you imagine that this sword does not cut the rope, because it is sharper than the stick; the stick, if you strike the rope with it, does not cut it.
So, likening the Perfect to the deficient makes it deficient. How much more so, yes, I say: The implication of the verse is that comparing the Perfect with the deficient makes the Perfect deficient. How much more so if one equates them?
And our statement: Comparing the Perfect with the deficient makes the Perfect deficient, if it is not on the path of compulsion. If it is on the path of compulsion, it does not make it deficient. Allah the Exalted said:[An-Naml 27:59] Do we say: When Allah said: [An-Naml 27:59] does this indicate that Allah is similar to these idols? No, but this is from the category of compulsion, compelling the opponent. It is said: You are now saying that Allah is better, so how do you make them partners with Allah, Mighty and Majestic?
Now, if the one who likens Allah to creation says: Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, addressed us by saying He has a hand and a face, and we do not understand a hand and a face except as similar to our hands and faces?
We say: Do you not read the saying of Allah the Exalted:[An-Nur 24:45] Do you read this or not? He says: Yes, I read this.
Now,[An-Nur 24:45] You walk on two legs. Who else besides you walks on two legs? The chicken walks on two legs. Is your leg like the leg of the chicken? No. So these are two different legs in the Qur'an. Likewise, if Allah says: [Sad 38:75] it is not possible for us to say that the hand of Allah is like your hands.
The hand of the chicken is fitting for it, the hand of the human is fitting for him, the hand of the Creator is fitting for Him, and the hand of the created is fitting for it. So the similarity in name does not necessitate the similarity in reality. Yes.
Now, the topic, I think it is clear now. This topic is very important: that we say to those who liken Allah to creation: You are those who deny the attributes. And we say to those who deny the attributes: You are those who liken Allah to creation. Yes, indeed.
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : No, it is not obligatory.
I say: If one likens Allah to His creation, one has denied Him of what? Of His obligatory perfection, because one has likened the Perfect to the deficient, and that constitutes a denial, a denial of the perfection of the Perfect.
And it is known that likening or representing the Perfect as the deficient makes it deficient. Indeed, comparing the Perfect with the deficient, even without the intent of compulsion, makes it deficient.
The poet said:
"Have you not seen that the sword's worth is diminished *** when it is said that the sword is sharper than the stick".
If you came to boast of your sword, saying: By Allah, I have a sword, a sharp, great sword, a blade sharper than so-and-so's stick, which is stronger than an arm, what does this amount to? Is this a defect in the sword or not? There is no doubt, because if you say this, you imagine that this sword does not cut the rope, because it is sharper than the stick; the stick, if you strike the rope with it, does not cut it.
So, likening the Perfect to the deficient makes it deficient. How much more so, yes, I say: The implication of the verse is that comparing the Perfect with the deficient makes the Perfect deficient. How much more so if one equates them?
And our statement: Comparing the Perfect with the deficient makes the Perfect deficient, if it is not on the path of compulsion. If it is on the path of compulsion, it does not make it deficient. Allah the Exalted said:
Is Allah better or what they associate with Him?"
قل آالله خير أما يشركونIs Allah better or what they associate with Him?"
آالله خير أما يشركونNow, if the one who likens Allah to creation says: Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, addressed us by saying He has a hand and a face, and we do not understand a hand and a face except as similar to our hands and faces?
We say: Do you not read the saying of Allah the Exalted:
Allah has created every [living] creature from water. And of them are those that move on their bellies, and of them are those that walk on two legs, and of them are those that walk on four
والله خلق كل دابة من ماء فمنهم من يمشي على بطنه ومنهم من يمشي على رجلين ومنهم من يمشي على أربعNow,
and of them are those that walk on two legs
ومنهم من يمشي على رجلينto that which I created with My hands
لما خلقت بيديThe hand of the chicken is fitting for it, the hand of the human is fitting for him, the hand of the Creator is fitting for Him, and the hand of the created is fitting for it. So the similarity in name does not necessitate the similarity in reality. Yes.
Now, the topic, I think it is clear now. This topic is very important: that we say to those who liken Allah to creation: You are those who deny the attributes. And we say to those who deny the attributes: You are those who liken Allah to creation. Yes, indeed.