If someone asked me about the attribute of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) descending to the lowest heaven, I would pose a question to him, saying: How is the essence of Allah?
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The student: If someone asked me about the attribute of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) descending to the lowest heaven, I would pose a question to him, saying: How is the essence of Allah?
The Shaykh : How did He descend? How is His descent? You ask: How is His essence?
The student: All right, O Shaykh, am I not falling into a prohibited act, O Shaykh?
The Shaykh : No, no, no. You intend to compel him; you intend to force him to remain silent. I am not asking, yes. My question is not that I want him to describe His essence to me. My question is that I want to compel him to remain silent, so I say: Just as you do not ask about the essence, do not ask about the attributes.
The student: I said that the negative attributes come with a detailed explanation in one of three aspects, such as refuting the disbelievers, dispelling a misconception, or issuing a threat.
The Shaykh : Yes, this specific case is not the general rule.
The student: The example that was mentioned[Qaf 50:38] is like the first example.
The Shaykh : Which one?
The student: The one that is in the refutation of the disbelievers.
The Shaykh : Yes, in the refutation of the disbelievers. Regarding the statement of the Jews, it involves both matters; it involves both matters, yes[Ad-Dukhan 44:38].
The student: Shaykh, we say: Yusuf (peace be upon him) did not ask for the position of authority in the first place; he did not ask for it at all. But when the king said to him[Yusuf 12:54] [Yusuf 12:55]?
The Shaykh : Yes, this is also a perspective. He did not ask for the position of authority in the first place; he asked to be in charge of the treasuries.
The student: Some students asked me today; sometimes they say: Is it permissible for a person to ask about the manner of the books and scrolls in which Allah writes the deeds of the servants?
The Shaykh : How?
The student: I said: I was asked one day that some of the brothers say: Is it permissible for a person to ask about the manner of the scrolls in which Allah writes the deeds of the servants?
The Shaykh : If he asks you, we say: Allah knows best. That is the answer.
The student: We say this, and it is not permissible for a person to ask about the manner?
The Shaykh : This is excessive strictness in reality, unless the person is ignorant. Some of the ignorant people, their complete ignorance may lead them to ask about such matters, Khalid.
The student: It is mentioned regarding 'Abdullah ibn Mubarak (may Allah have mercy on him) that he said: "If the Jahmi asks you how He descends, say to him: How does He ascend?" Is this correct?
The Shaykh : I do not know, by Allah, I do not know. But it should not be said this way; no, it should not.
The Shaykh : How did He descend? How is His descent? You ask: How is His essence?
The student: All right, O Shaykh, am I not falling into a prohibited act, O Shaykh?
The Shaykh : No, no, no. You intend to compel him; you intend to force him to remain silent. I am not asking, yes. My question is not that I want him to describe His essence to me. My question is that I want to compel him to remain silent, so I say: Just as you do not ask about the essence, do not ask about the attributes.
The student: I said that the negative attributes come with a detailed explanation in one of three aspects, such as refuting the disbelievers, dispelling a misconception, or issuing a threat.
The Shaykh : Yes, this specific case is not the general rule.
The student: The example that was mentioned
and there touched Us no weariness.
وَمَا مَسَّنَا مِنْ لُغُوبٍThe Shaykh : Which one?
The student: The one that is in the refutation of the disbelievers.
The Shaykh : Yes, in the refutation of the disbelievers. Regarding the statement of the Jews, it involves both matters; it involves both matters, yes
And We did not create the heavens and earth and that between them in play.
وَمَا خَلَقْنَا السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا لَاعِبِينَThe student: Shaykh, we say: Yusuf (peace be upon him) did not ask for the position of authority in the first place; he did not ask for it at all. But when the king said to him
Indeed, you are today established [in position] and trusted."
إِنَّكَ الْيَوْمَ لَدَيْنَا مَكِينٌ أَمِينٌ[Joseph] said, "Appoint me over the storehouses of the land.
قَالَ اجْعَلْنِي عَلَى خَزَائِنِ الْأَرْضِThe Shaykh : Yes, this is also a perspective. He did not ask for the position of authority in the first place; he asked to be in charge of the treasuries.
The student: Some students asked me today; sometimes they say: Is it permissible for a person to ask about the manner of the books and scrolls in which Allah writes the deeds of the servants?
The Shaykh : How?
The student: I said: I was asked one day that some of the brothers say: Is it permissible for a person to ask about the manner of the scrolls in which Allah writes the deeds of the servants?
The Shaykh : If he asks you, we say: Allah knows best. That is the answer.
The student: We say this, and it is not permissible for a person to ask about the manner?
The Shaykh : This is excessive strictness in reality, unless the person is ignorant. Some of the ignorant people, their complete ignorance may lead them to ask about such matters, Khalid.
The student: It is mentioned regarding 'Abdullah ibn Mubarak (may Allah have mercy on him) that he said: "If the Jahmi asks you how He descends, say to him: How does He ascend?" Is this correct?
The Shaykh : I do not know, by Allah, I do not know. But it should not be said this way; no, it should not.