Are the attributes textual like the names, or are they based on ijtihad?

The Shaykh : But if someone asks: Are the attributes textual like the names, or are they based on ijtihad, meaning is it permissible for us to describe Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) with something by which He did not describe Himself?
The answer is that we say: The attributes are textual according to the well-known view among the scholars, just like the names. So you do not describe Allah except with what He described Himself with. You never describe Him with what He did not describe Himself with. And thus we say: The attributes are divided into three categories: an attribute of absolute perfection, an attribute of perfection with a condition, and an attribute of deficiency. The attributes are three categories: an attribute of absolute perfection, an attribute of perfection with a condition, and an attribute of deficiency.
As for the attribute of absolute perfection, it is established for Allah (Mighty and Majestic), such as the Speaker, the Doer of what He wills, the Creator, and the Maker. Let us leave aside the attributes indicated by the names for now, and we will deal with them later. Likewise, the Artificer and many others in the Qur'an.
Attributes of perfection with a condition: Allah is not described with these absolutely, but only with a condition. For example: deception, trickery, and mockery, and the like. These are attributes of perfection with a condition. When? When they are in opposition to those who do such things. In that case, they are perfection. But if mentioned absolutely, they are not valid regarding Allah (Mighty and Majestic). Therefore, it is not valid to describe Him absolutely as the Deceiver, the Mocking One, the Plotter, or the Trickster. This is not valid and is not permissible. Rather, they must be qualified. We say: Deceiver of whom? Of the disbelievers or of the deceivers. Mocking of the hypocrites. Trickster of the hypocrites. Plotter against the disbelievers. You qualify them because they did not come except qualified.
The third: — Muhammad — what indicates deficiency. This is not attributed to Allah absolutely under any circumstances, such as the Incompetent, the Traitor, and the like, or the Blind and the Deaf. We ask Allah for safety. And the like. This is not attributed to Allah absolutely. Why? Because it is deficiency absolutely, so it is not attributed to Allah absolutely. Look, consider, look at the difference between "trickster" and "traitor." Allah the Exalted said: But He said: and He did not say "so He betrayed them," because betrayal is deception in a position of trust, and deception in a position of trust is a deficiency and contains no praise in any way. If a man trusts you and you betray him in a place of trust, that is not right. But if a man tricks you and you trick him and are more deceptive than he is, is that perfection or deficiency? It is perfection. That is why it is said: "War is deception." And it was mentioned regarding 'Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) that when 'Amr ibn Wad came out to duel him, 'Ali came out to 'Amr ibn Wad to duel him. 'Ali called out to him: "I did not come out to duel two people, or he said, two men. 'Amr ibn Wad thought that someone from the people had caught up with him, so he turned around. And when he turned around, he struck him with the sword until his head fell." Is this deception or not? But in the position of deception, he was coming to kill me. He did not trust me so that I would trust him. So the attributes of deficiency are negated from Allah absolutely. Now it is clear that the attributes are three categories: what indicates perfection without a condition, what indicates perfection with a condition, and what indicates deficiency. The one indicating deficiency is negated from Allah absolutely. The one indicating perfection is affirmed absolutely. And what is perfection in one state but not another is qualified; it is not affirmed absolutely and not negated absolutely. So if a questioner asks you: Is Allah (Mighty and Majestic) a Speaker? Yes. Yes, do you say anything? You say yes, always. Is Allah a Traitor? No. Is Allah a Trickster? Yes, of the hypocrites. Qualify it as it came. Now we are left with the attribute indicated by the name. The attributes indicated by the names are all attributes of perfection without exception. Because our first division was based on what? On the attributes that were not taken from the names. The attributes taken from the names are perfection in every case. And Allah (Mighty and Majestic) may have named Himself with them or with their meaning. For example, Hearing. Yes, I do not mean Hearing. Hearing is an attribute of perfection. Where is it taken from? From the All-Hearing. The All-Hearing indicated it. So every attribute indicated by the names is an attribute of perfection affirmed for Allah absolutely. And we make this a category by itself. Why? Because there is no detail in it. So we make it the first attribute: what the names indicated. These are all attributes of perfection. And the others are divided into the three categories you heard. So look, why did Allah not name Himself the Speaker, even though He speaks? Why? Because speech may be good, and it may be bad, and it may be neither good nor bad, or not? Yes, it may be good and bad, and not bad and good. So the bad is not attributed to Allah, and idle talk is not attributed to Allah, because it is foolishness. And the good is attributed to Him. That is why He did not name Himself the Speaker. Because the names, as Allah (Mighty and Majestic) described them: are names of superlative degree. They do not contain anything of deficiency. That is why they came as absolute names of superlative degree. Consider this benefit. And I think the Shaykh al-Islam spoke about it or something close to it in the Fatawa. In any case, it is clear, right? It is not clear. Okay, I said: Every attribute indicated by the names.
The student: Now you said he is a Speaker?

The Shaykh : Yes, but He is not named the Speaker. The name is not the attribute. Look, every attribute indicated by the names is perfection. That is why we do not divide them. The attributes that were not established through the names are the ones that are divided. Do you know? An attribute we negate from Allah absolutely, an attribute established for Allah absolutely, and an attribute established with a condition. The one established with a condition can be negated from one angle and affirmed from another angle, is that not so? Okay, this is what Allah described Himself with through affirmation. So the attributes that Allah affirmed, we said the first attribute is what the name indicated. And these are all established because they are perfection. Where did we take that they are perfection absolutely? From His saying: They do not indicate except what is most beautiful. Okay, what the names did not indicate of the attributes is divided into these three categories: what Allah is described with absolutely, what He is not described with absolutely, and what He is described with with a condition. And I presented to you three questions. I said, do we say that Allah is a Speaker? Yes, without a condition. Yes, without a condition, that Allah is a Speaker. Okay, do we say that Allah is Incompetent? No, without a condition. Or not? Do we say that Allah is a Deceiver? If you say yes absolutely, no. Deceiver, yes, of the deceivers, of the hypocrites, of those who lie about His messengers, and the like. Yes. Clear, everyone? Okay.