Why did the scholars not qualify the attributes of Presence and Coming Down with "by His Self," just as they qualified the attributes of Highness and Rising above the Throne with it?
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The questioner : When mentioning Highness, he said "by His Self."
The Shaykh : Yes
The questioner : Rising above the Throne was qualified with "by His Self."
The Shaykh : Yes
The questioner : But when mentioning Presence, Descending, and Coming Down, he did not qualify them with "by His Self."
The Shaykh : Yes, we qualified this because the disagreement in the issue of Highness is that it is the Highness of an attribute, not the Highness of the Self. It is clear and known. Did you understand? Likewise, Rising above the Throne: the affirmation of Presence is also clear. But we avoided saying "by His Self" because the common people and those who cannot reconcile Highness and Presence think that if we say "by His Self," they will assume this is the doctrine of the Jahmiyyah. Therefore, we avoided it. Otherwise, the meaning is the same. I have mentioned to you a useful rule, which is the rule of qualified speech, and we are convinced by it: everything that Allah attributes to Himself in terms of meanings and attributes, the intended meaning is Himself by His Self. This includes nearness, presence, rising above the Throne, creation, sending down, and so on. There is no need to say "by His Self" because it is known that when an action is attributed to the doer, or a description to the described, the described is the Self.
The student: So now we understand that they are all one, but...
The Shaykh : They are all one.
The student: ... here, so that no one...
The Shaykh : So that no one thinks that we want to attribute incarnation to Allah, because many people, if you tell them that Allah is with us by His Self, they will say, "This is the doctrine of the Jahmiyyah." If a word leads to a false meaning, even for some people, it is better to avoid it. The most important thing is the creed, my brothers. The rules, the rules, this is the most important thing. Yes, there are issues that do not relate to the attributes, such as issues of the Resurrection and belief in divine decree, but the important thing regarding the attributes is the rules. I advise you to review *Al-Qawa'id al-Muthla* (The Optimal Rules), because it contains rules on the names and attributes and rules on the evidence for the names and attributes...
The reader: In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Our Shaykh (may Allah preserve him) said: "And we believe that Allah the Exalted is pleased with what He has legislated of actions and words, and He dislikes what He has forbidden from them.[Az-Zumar 39:7] [At-Tawbah 9:46] And we believe that Allah the Exalted is pleased with those who believed and did righteous deeds. [Al-Bayyinah 98:8] And we believe that Allah the Exalted is angry with those who deserve anger, such as disbelievers and others. [Al-Fath 48:6] [An-Nahl 16:106] And we believe that Allah the Exalted has a Face described with majesty and honor. [Ar-Rahman 55:27] And we believe that Allah the Exalted has two noble, great hands. [Al-Ma'idah 5:64] [Az-Zumar 39:67]"
The Shaykh : In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and his Companions, and upon those who follow them with excellence until the Day of Judgment.
It has been mentioned to us that among the principles of the people of the Sunnah and the community...
The Shaykh : Yes
The questioner : Rising above the Throne was qualified with "by His Self."
The Shaykh : Yes
The questioner : But when mentioning Presence, Descending, and Coming Down, he did not qualify them with "by His Self."
The Shaykh : Yes, we qualified this because the disagreement in the issue of Highness is that it is the Highness of an attribute, not the Highness of the Self. It is clear and known. Did you understand? Likewise, Rising above the Throne: the affirmation of Presence is also clear. But we avoided saying "by His Self" because the common people and those who cannot reconcile Highness and Presence think that if we say "by His Self," they will assume this is the doctrine of the Jahmiyyah. Therefore, we avoided it. Otherwise, the meaning is the same. I have mentioned to you a useful rule, which is the rule of qualified speech, and we are convinced by it: everything that Allah attributes to Himself in terms of meanings and attributes, the intended meaning is Himself by His Self. This includes nearness, presence, rising above the Throne, creation, sending down, and so on. There is no need to say "by His Self" because it is known that when an action is attributed to the doer, or a description to the described, the described is the Self.
The student: So now we understand that they are all one, but...
The Shaykh : They are all one.
The student: ... here, so that no one...
The Shaykh : So that no one thinks that we want to attribute incarnation to Allah, because many people, if you tell them that Allah is with us by His Self, they will say, "This is the doctrine of the Jahmiyyah." If a word leads to a false meaning, even for some people, it is better to avoid it. The most important thing is the creed, my brothers. The rules, the rules, this is the most important thing. Yes, there are issues that do not relate to the attributes, such as issues of the Resurrection and belief in divine decree, but the important thing regarding the attributes is the rules. I advise you to review *Al-Qawa'id al-Muthla* (The Optimal Rules), because it contains rules on the names and attributes and rules on the evidence for the names and attributes...
The reader: In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Our Shaykh (may Allah preserve him) said: "And we believe that Allah the Exalted is pleased with what He has legislated of actions and words, and He dislikes what He has forbidden from them.
If you disbelieve - indeed, Allah is Free from need of you. And He does not approve for His servants disbelief. And if you are grateful, He approves it for you
إن تكفروا فإن الله غني عنكم ولا يرضى لعباده الكفر وإن تشكروا يرضه لكمBut Allah disliked their being sent, so He kept them back, and they were told, "Remain [behind] with those who remain."
ولكن كره الله انبعاثهم فثبطهم وقيل اقعدوا مع القاعدينAllah being pleased with them and they with Him. That is for whoever has feared his Lord.
رضي الله عنهم ورضوا عنه ذلك لمن خشي ربهthose who assume about Allah an assumption of evil nature. Upon them is a misfortune of evil nature; and Allah has become angry with them
الظانين بالله ظن السوء عليهم دائرة السوء وغضب الله عليهمBut those who [willingly] open their breasts to disbelief, upon them is wrath from Allah, and for them is a great punishment;
ولكن من شرح بالكفر صدرا فعليهم غضب من الله ولهم عذاب عظيمAnd there will remain the Face of your Lord, Owner of Majesty and Honor.
ويبقى وجه ربك ذو الجلال والإكرامRather, both His hands are extended; He spends however He wills.
بل يداه مبسوطتان ينفق كيف يشاءThey have not appraised Allah with true appraisal, while the earth entirely will be [within] His grip on the Day of Resurrection, and the heavens will be folded in His right hand. Exalted is He and high above what they associate with Him.
وما قدروا الله حق قدره والأرض جميعا قبضته يوم القيامة والسماوات مطويات بيمينه سبحانه وتعالى عما يشركونThe Shaykh : In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and his Companions, and upon those who follow them with excellence until the Day of Judgment.
It has been mentioned to us that among the principles of the people of the Sunnah and the community...