The Methodology of the People of the Sunnah Regarding the Verses and Hadiths of the Attributes

The questioner: He has a final question, in fact, and I do not know if this question and others like it take on the character of academic questions that perhaps require a detailed answer. We prefer in this program to send questions in the form of fatwas regarding acts of worship that benefit all people. As for specific academic questions, it would be better if they were sent to the scholars of virtue at their specific addresses so that the answer can be detailed in them. For example, the question of the brother who says—and I am presenting it to be a model, and I know that His Eminence the Shaykh will answer it, may Allah reward him with good and bless him—but I wanted to present this introduction so that people reduce such questions. He says: We heard from some scholars that the People of the Sunnah and the Community interpret some of the verses regarding—perhaps he means—regarding the attributes. Is it correct that interpretation is part of their methodology, or are they compelled to do so? Please inform us, may Allah reward you?
The answer: The correct position established by the scholars from the People of the Sunnah and the Community is that there is no figurative interpretation in the verses of the attributes or in their hadiths. Rather, those who interpret are the Jahmiyyah and the Mu'tazilah, and the Asha'irah in some of the attributes. As for the People of the Sunnah and the Community, who are known for their pure creed, they do not interpret. Rather, they pass over the verses of the attributes and their hadiths as they came, without distortion of a text's meaning, without denial of the divine attributes, without asking how an attribute is, and without comparing Allah to creation. They do not interpret the rising above the Throne, nor the fore, nor the hand, nor the fingers, nor the laughter, nor the pleasure, nor the anger. They pass over all of them as they came, with the belief that they are the truth, and that they are attributes of our Lord (Exalted and Majestic is He) that must be affirmed for Him (Glorified and Exalted is He), in the manner befitting Him, without distortion of a text's meaning, without denial of the divine attributes, without asking how an attribute is, and without comparing Allah to creation. Some people interpret the laughter as being pleasure, or interpret love as being the desire for reward or in the sense of such and such, and mercy likewise. This is all not acceptable to the People of the Sunnah and the Community. Rather, it is obligatory to pass over them as they came and that they are the truth. So He (Glorified and Exalted is He) loves with a true love befitting Him, in which He does not resemble the love of the created beings. He is pleased, He is angry, He dislikes. These are true attributes by which our Lord is described in the manner befitting Him (Glorified and Exalted is He), in which He does not resemble His creation. As He said (peace and blessings be upon him): [Surat al-Shura: 11]. And likewise, He laughs as the texts came, with a laugh befitting His majesty, in which He does not resemble His creation in any of His attributes. And likewise, His rising above His Throne is a rising befitting His majesty and greatness, in which He does not resemble His creation in any of His attributes.
Undoubtedly, if these questions are from scholars directly in writing so that the answer can be elaborated upon, that is appropriate. But if the speech is summarized in this program for the general benefit, there is nothing wrong with the summarization.
The point is that figurative interpretation is not permissible. Rather, it is obligatory to pass over the verses of the attributes and their hadiths as they came, but with the belief that they are the truth, and that they are attributes of Allah befitting Him. As for tafwid (delegating the meaning to Allah), it is not permissible. Ahmad said about those who delegate: "They are worse than the Jahmiyyah." So delegating is not permissible. Delegating is for them to say: "Allah knows best about their meaning, and that is all." This is not acceptable. Their meanings are known to the scholars. Malik (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "The rising is known, and the how is unknown." And this came likewise from Umm Salama and from Rabi'ah ibn Abi 'Abd al-Rahman, and from others of the scholars of knowledge. The meanings of the attributes are known; the People of the Sunnah and the Community know them. The meaning of pleasure, anger, love, rising, and laughter, and that they are meanings other than the other meanings. So laughter is not pleasure, pleasure is not anger, anger is not love, hearing is not seeing. All of these are known, but they do not resemble the attributes of the created beings. Our Lord says (Glorified and Exalted is He): [Surat al-Nahl: 74]. And He says (Glorified and Exalted is He): "There is nothing like Him, and He is the Hearing, the Seeing" [Surat al-Shura: 11]. And He said (peace and blessings be upon him): [Surat al-Ikhlas: 4]. This is the truth upon which the People of the Sunnah are, from the Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and their followers with excellence. And whoever interprets that has contradicted the People of the Sunnah in the attribute or in most of them. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you.