explanation of a summary of aqeedatul hamawiyyah of ibn taymiyyah

8/14/2019 Explanation of a Summary of Aqeedatul Hamawiyyah of Ibn Taymiyyah

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ExplanationofaSummaryofalAqeedatulHamawiyyahofibnTaymiyyah

ByImaamMuhammadibnSaalihalUthaymeen

(WeaskAllaahtoforgivehim,hisparentsandalltheMuslims,Aameen)

TranslatedbyAbooazZubayrAbdurRahmaanHarrison


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CHAPTER10:

THESENSEOFPOSITIONASITPERTAINSTOALLAAH

CHAPTER11:

THERISINGOFALLAAH(ISTIWAA)OVERHISTHRONE(ARSH)

PARTONE PARTTWO:THETHRONE(ARSH)

CHAPTER12:

THEMAIYYAHOFALLAAH(BEINGWITHHISCREATION)

CHAPTER13:

COMBININGBETWEENTHETEXTSOFTHEHIGHNESS(ULUWW)OF

ALLAAHABOVEHISCREATIONANDTHEMAIYYAHOFALLAAH

(BEINGWITHHISCREATION)

CHAPTER14:

ALLAAHSDESCENDINGTOTHEHEAVENOFTHEDUNYAA

PARTONE PARTTWO:COMBININGBETWEENTHETEXTSOFTHEULUWW

(HIGHNESS)OFALLAAH&HISDESCENDING

CHAPTER15:

AFFIRMINGTHE

ATTRIBUTE

OF

ALLAAH

S

FACE

CHAPTER16:

THETWOHANDSOFALLAAH

CHAPTER17:

THETWOEYESOFALLAAH

CHAPTER18:

THEFORMSINWHICHTHEATTRIBUTESOFALLAAHSTWOHANDS&

TWOEYESHAVEBEENREPORTED

CHAPTER19:

THESPEECHOFALLAAH

PARTONE PARTTWO:THEQURAANISTHESPEECHOFALLAAH PARTTHREE:OURRECITATIONOFTHEQURAAN


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CHAPTER20:

THEEMERGENCEOFTATEELANDITSORIGINS

CHAPTER21:

THEMETHODOLOGYOFTHOSEWHODENYALLAAHSATTRIBUTES

PARTONE PARTTWO:SOMEOFTHEFALSEALLEGATIONSOFTHIS

METHODOLOGY

PARTTHREE:THEDOUBTS&FABRICATIONSTHESEDENIERSRELYUPONASPROOF

CHAPTER22:

EACHOFTHETWOGROUPSOFTATEEL&TAMTHEELACTUALLY

COMBINEBETWEENBOTHTATEEL&TAMTHEEL

CHAPTER23:

THESALAFSWARNINGAGAINSTPHILOSOPHICALSPEECH(ILMAL

KALAAM

CHAPTER24:

THECATEGORIESOFDEVIANTPEOPLECONCERNINGTHEBELIEFIN

ALLAAH&THELASTDAY

PART

ONE

PARTTWO:THEMETHODOLOGYOFTHEPEOPLEOFTAWEELREGARDINGTHEAFTERLIFE

PARTTHREE:THEPEOPLEOFTAJHEEL PARTFOUR:THETAFSEEROFTHEQURAAN

CHAPTER25:

THEDIVISIONOFTHEPEOPLEOFTHEQIBLAHREGARDINGTHE

AAYAAT&AHAADEETHOFTHEATTRIBUTES

CHAPTER26:

THEEVILNAMESWITHWHICHTHEPEOPLEOFINNOVATIONREFERTO

THEPEOPLEOFTHESUNNAH

CHAPTER27:

ISLAAM&EEMAAN

PARTONE


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PART TWO: THE INCREASINGANDDECREASINGOFEEMAAN PARTTHREE:THEWAYSOFINCREASING&DECREASINGEEMAAN PARTFOUR:ISTITHNAAREGARDINGEEMAAN


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Introduction

AllpraiseandthanksareduetoAllaah.WepraiseHim,seekHishelpand

Hisforgiveness.WeseekrefugewithAllaahfromtheevilsofourownselvesand

from ourbad deeds. Whomever Allaah guides, none can misguide him and

whomever He misguides, there is no guide for him. I testify that nothing

deserves worship except Allaah alone, with no partner and I testify that

MuhammadisHisservantandMessenger mayAllaahsendprayersuponhim,

hisfamily,andhiscompanions.

Asforthefollowing:

Allaah has sent Muhammad ( ) with guidance and the true

religion.Hesenthimasamercytotheworld,asanexamplefortheworkers,and

asaproofagainstalltheservants.He(Muhammad)fulfilledthetrust,conveyedthemessage,advisedtheUmmah,andheclarifiedforthepeopleallofwhatthey

need regarding the foundations of their religion as well as its detailed matters.

Heleftno goodexceptthat heclarifieditand encouragedit,andheleftno evil

butthathewarnedtheUmmahfromitsomuchsothathelefthisUmmahupon

a clear, white path its night as clear as its day. His companions traversed this

path,shiningandradiant.Afterwards,thebestgenerationstookitfromthemin

thesamestateuntiloppressionfrowneduponthemwiththedarknessofvarious

innovationsby which the innovators conspired against Islaam and its people.

Thepeople

then

wandered

in

confusion

purposelessly,

and

they

began

building

their Aqeedahbeliefs upon a spiders web. However, the Lord upholds His

religionwithHisclosehelpersuponwhomHebestowsEemaan,knowledge,and

wisdombywhichtheypreventtheseenemies.Theyrepeltheirplotbackagainst

their own throats. So no one ever comes out with his innovation except that

Allaah andforthisdeservespraiseandthanks destinestosendsomeonefrom

AhlusSunnahwhorefutesanddisproveshisinnovationandextinguishesit.

There was from the foremost of those who stood up against these

innovators ShaykhulIslaam TaqiyyudDeen Ahmad ibn AbdulHaleem ibn

AbdusSalaam ibn Taymiyyah alHaraanee, adDimashqee. He was born inHaraan(in Iraaq)onMonday,the10thofRabee alAwwalintheHijrahyearof

661 and he died while imprisoned oppressively in the fortress of Damascus in

DhulQidahintheHijrahyear728 mayAllaahhavemercyonhim.

He has many works on the clarification and explanation of the Sunnah,

thereinforcementofitspillars,andthedestructionofinnovations.


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OneoftheworksonthissubjectishisalFatwaaalHamawiyyahwhich

he wrote as an answer to a question presented to him in the Hijrah year of 698

from Hamaah, a place in ashShaam. In it, he was asked what the scholars and

Imaams of the religion say concerning the Aayaat and the Ahaadeeth of the

Si/aat,ortheattributesandcharacteristicsofAllaah.Soheansweredinabout83

pages and due to which, he suffered trials and afflictions. May Allaah reward

himonbehalfofIslaamandtheMuslimswiththebestofrewards.

Due to the difficulty in understanding and comprehending this answer

from many readers, I wanted to summarize the most important points from it

along with some other needed additions. I have named it Fathu Rabbil

BariyyahbiTalkheesalHamawiyyah.

IfirstpublisheditintheHijrahyear1380.IamnowpublishingitasecondtimeandperhapschangingwhatIseebeneficialofadditionsordeletions.

IaskAllaahtomakeoureffortsincerelyforHisFaceandasabenefitto

Hisservants,forindeedHeisGenerousandKind.

TheAuthor

(MuhammadibnSaalihalUthaymeen)


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CHAPTER1

TheObligationupontheServantRegardingHisReligion

The obligation on the servant concerning his religion is following what

Allaah says and what His Messenger Muhammad ( ) says, as well

astheRightlyGuidedSuccessorsafterhimfromtheCompanions,andthosewho

followedtheminrighteousness.

ThisisbecauseAllaahsentMuhammad( )withclarifications

andguidanceandobligateduponallofthepeopletobelieveinhimandfollow

himoutwardlyandinwardly.He( )said:

Say: Oh mankind, indeed I am the Messenger of Allaah to you all,

[from Him] to whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the

earth. There is no god but Him; He gives life and causes death. So

believe in Allaah and His Messenger, the unlettered Prophet, who

believes in Allaah and His Words, and follow him that you may be

guided. [SooratulAraaf,7:158]

AndtheProphet( )said:

.

Itisincumbentuponyou(tofollow)mySunnahandtheSunnahofthe

RightlyGuidedSuccessorsafterme.Holdfasttoitandbiteontoitwith

your molars. And beware of the newlyinvented matters, for every

newlyinvented matter is an innovation and every innovation is

misguidance. 1

1 Recordedby atTirmidhee (2676) and he said it is Hasan Saheeh. Also recordedby Aboo

Daawood(4607),IbnMaajah(42),andAhmad(4/126).IbnHibbaanandalHaakimdeclareditto

beSaheeh.


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TheRightlyGuidedSuccessorsarethosewhocameafterandfollowedthe

Prophet( )inbeneficialknowledgeandrighteousaction.Themost

deserving of people of this description are the Companions. Allaah chose them

for the companionship of His Prophet ( ) and the establishment of

His Religion. And Allaah would not choose while He is the Most

Knowledgeable, the Most Wise for the companionship of His Prophet except

the most complete of people in Eemaan, the highest in intellect, the most

righteousinaction,themostdetermined, andtheclosestguidedtothe path. So

they are the most deserving of people to be followed after their Prophet

( ), and after them are the Imaams of the religion, those who are

knownfortheirguidanceandwellbeing.


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CHAPTER2

TheProphetsMessageIncludestheTrueExplanationoftheFoundationsof

theReligion&ItsDetailedMatters

The message of the Prophet ( ) is comprised of two things:

beneficialknowledge,andrighteousaction,justasAllaah( )said,

It is He who has sent His Messenger with (1) guidance and (2) the

religion of truth to manifest it over all religions, although the

Mushrikoonhateit. [SooratutTawbah,9:33]

Theguidanceisthebeneficialknowledge,whilethereligionoftruthisthe

righteous action that is based upon sincerity to Allaah and following His

Messenger( ).

Andbeneficialknowledgeincludesanyknowledgethatcontainsabenefit

totheUmmahforitslifeintheDunyaaandtheHereafter.Thefirstofknowledge

thatentersintothatistheknowledgeofAllaahsNames,HisCharacteristicsand

Attributes, and His Actions. Knowing this is the mostbeneficial of all sciences

anditisthemostsuperiorofthedivinemessage.Itisthesummarizationoftheprophetic Dawah. By it, the religion is established in statement, action and

belief.

For this reason, it is impossible to think the Prophet ( )

would neglect this knowledge and not completely explain it, leaving no doubts

regarding it and repelling all uncertainties. This is impossible from various

perspectives:

Firstly: The Prophets ( ) message contains light and

guidance. Allaah sent him as abringer of good news as well as a warner, as a

callertoAllaahbyHispermissionandashininglampsomuchsothathelefthis

Ummahuponaclear,whitepathitsnightasclearasitsday. Noonedeviates

from it except that hebecomes destroyed. And the greatest of lights and the

most significant is what the heart obtains from knowing Allaah, His Names,

Attributes and His Actions. Therefore, there is no way that the Prophet


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( ) did not explain this knowledge with the most important of

explanations.

Secondly:TheProphet( )taughthisUmmaheverythingthat

it needs from the affairs of the religion and the Dunyaa. He even taught the

manners of eating, drinking, sitting, sleeping, etc. Aboo Dharr ) ( said,

AllaahsMessenger ( ) died and there is no bird thatflaps its

wings except that he mentioned to us some knowledge about it. There is no

doubt that the knowledge of Allaah, His Names, Attributes, and Actions is

included under this general principle. Rather, it is the first and foremost due to

theextremeneedforitandnecessityofknowingit.

Thirdly:2 Eemaan in Allaah, His Names, Attributes, and Actions is the

basisofthewholereligionandthesummarizationofthecalloftheMessengers.

Itisthemostseriousofobligationsandthebestofwhattheheartsgain,andthebest of what the intellects perceive. So how would the Prophet ( )

neglect it without teaching and explaining it while he taught what was of less

importanceandvirtue?!

Fourthly:TheProphet( )wasthemostknowledgeable

personofhisLord.Hewasthemostsincereadvisertothecreationandthemost

eloquentinconveyingandexplainingthemessage.Therefore,itisnotpossible,

withthiscompleteconveyance,thathewouldleaveexplainingtheissueof

Eemaanin

Allaah,

His

Names

and

Attributes,

leaving

it

unclear

and

questionable.

Fifthly: The companions ) ( must have spoken correctlyconcerning this issue (Allaahs Names, Attributes, and Actions) because the

oppositeofthiswouldeitherbe(1) thattheyremainedsilentregardingitor(2)

thatthey spokefalselyconcerningit.Both oftheseareimpossible regardingthe

Companions.

1. Asfor thepoint thattheCompanionsremained silent on the matterof

the AqeedahofAllaahsNamesandAttributes,thenthisisimpossibleduetothefollowing reasons. Either, their silence was due to their own ignorance of what

Allaah obligated regarding the Names and Attributes, and what He has made

2 Here, Shaykh ibn alUthaymeen is still mentioning the various aspects that disprove the

assumptionthattheProphetdidnotcompletelyexplaintheissueofEemaaninAllaahsNames,

Attributes,andActions.(T.N.)


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permissibleandprohibited;ortheirsilencewasbaseduponacertainknowledge

they had regarding that, yet they concealed it. And both of these are also

impossible:

As for their remaining silent due to ignorance: Then there is no heart

withlife,awareness,asearchforknowledge,andadesireforworshipexceptthat

itsgreatestconcernwouldbethesearchforEemaaninAllaah,andknowingHis

Names and Attributes, and actualizing that with certain knowledge and

Aqeedah.Thereisnodoubtthatthebestgenerations thebestofthembeingthe

Companions werethemostcompleteofpeopleregardingthelifeofthehearts,

loving of good, and actualizing beneficial knowledge. For this, the Prophet

( )said,

The best of people are my generation, then those who follow after

them,andthenthosewhofollowafterthem.3

This preference is general encompassing their virtue in everything that

bringsoneclosertoAllaahfromstatements,actions,orbeliefs.

Inaddition,ifweassumethattheCompanionswereignorantofthetruth

regardingthismatter,thentheignoranceofthosewhocameafterthemwouldbe

evenmore

obvious.

This

is

because

knowing

what

is

affirmed

to

Allaah

of

the

NamesandAttributes,orwhatisnegatedfromHim thisisonlylearnedbyway

of Messengership and the Companions are the intermediary between the

Messenger ( ) and the Ummah. Sobased upon this assumption, it

meansthatnoonehasanyknowledgeregardingthismatterandthisisobviously

unreasonable.

As for their remaining silent due to concealing the truth: Every

intelligentandjustpersonwhoknowsthesituationoftheCompanions()andtheirconcernwithspreadingthebeneficialknowledgeandconveyingittothe Ummah, wouldnever accuse them ofconcealingthe truth,especially not

in the most serious and obligated of all matters knowing Allaah, His Names

andAttributes.

3RecordedbyalBukhaaree(2652)andMuslim(2533).


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In addition, there has already come from them many true statements

regardingthisissueandanyonewhoseeksthemandfollowsthemwouldknow

aboutthis.

2.AsforthepointthattheCompanionsspokeincorrectlyonthematterof

the AqeedahofAllaahsNamesandAttributes,thenthisisfalsefortworeasons.

First: Speaking falsely about an issue would mean that it would notbe

possible tobase any sound proof upon such statements. Moreover, it is known

thattheCompanions( )arethefarthestofpeopleinspeakingaboutamatteruponwhichnosoundproofcouldbebased,especiallyifthatmatterisin

regards to Eemaan in Allaah and the affairs of the unseen. As so, they are the

firstpeopletopracticeAllaahscommand,

Anddontpursue(say)thatofwhichyouhavenoknowledge(of).

[SooratulIsraa,17:36]

AndHisstatement:

Say: My Lord has indeed forbidden are immoralities whether

committed openly or secretly, sins (of all kinds), unrighteous

oppression, joining partners (in worship) with Allah for which He has

given no authority, and saying things about Allaah what you dont

know. [SooratulAraaf,7:33]

Second: Speaking falsely about any matter has its originbased either

upontrueignoranceofthetruth,oruponadesiretomisguidethecreation(while

actuallyknowingthetruth).Again,bothoftheseareimpossiblepertainingtothe

rightsoftheCompanions().

As for the impossibility of a true ignorance of the matter, then this has

alreadybeenexplained.


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As for the impossibility of a desire to misguide the creation, then this

wouldbeaveryevilobjective.Itisimpracticaltothinkthiswouldcomefromthe

Companions thosewho wereknownfor theirabsoluteadviceand concern for

thewellbeingandloveofgoodfortheUmmah.

In addition, if we hold that it is possible for them to have evil objectives

andintentionsregardingthismatter,thenwemustalsoholdthepossibilitythat

theywouldlikewisehaveevilintentionsinwhattheysaidregardingalltheother

subjects of knowledge and religion. In this case, placing trust upon their

statementsandinformationaboutthesesubjectswouldvanish.Ofcourse,thisis

oneofthefalsestofaccusationsbecauseitwouldconstituteaslanderagainstthe

wholeShareeah.

Therefore, if it is clear that the Companions ) ( must have

spoken truthfully and correctly, regarding this matter; then they were speakingeither simply from their intellects or by way of revelation. The first is not

probablebecausetheintellectcannotpossiblyperceiveallofthedetailsof what

Allaah has obligated regarding His Attributes of perfection. Therefore, the

secondoptionisleft,andthatisthattheylearnedthisknowledgebywayofthe

message of the Prophet ( ). If so, then that would necessitate that

the Prophet ( ) explained the truth regarding Allaahs Names and

Attributes andthisistherequiredbelief.


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CHAPTER3

TheWayofAhlusSunnahRegardingAllaahsNames&Attributes

AhlusSunnah wal]amaaah: They are the ones who have united upon

taking the Sunnah of the Prophet ( ) and working according to it

outwardlyandinwardlyinspeech,action,andbeliefs.Theirwayofdealingwith

theNamesandAttributesofAllaahisasfollows:

Firstly:RegardingIthbaat(Affirmation) AffirmingwhateverAllaahhas

affirmedforHimselfinHisBook,oruponthetongueoftheMessengerofAllaah

( )withoutmakingTahreef,Tateel,Takyeef,norTamtheel.4

Secondly: Regarding Nafee (Negation) Their approach is to negate

whatever Allaah has negated from Himself in His Book, or upon the tongue of

His Messenger( ),whileat the sametimeholdingthe AqeedahofaffirmingtheperfectionofitsoppositetoAllaah.

Thirdly: In those issues in which no negation nor affirmation hasbeen

reported, the issues that people have disputed about such as Allaahsbody, or

Allaahoccupyingacertainspace,orposition,etc.;AhlusSunnahwithholdfrom

speakingaboutit.Theyneitheraffirmnornegatetheseissuesduetothefactthat

nothinghascometousregardingthem.Asforthemeaningsofthese,thenthey

seek more details. For example, if these issues intend evil and falsehood, then

theyrefute

them

and

declare

Allaah

free

from

these

imperfections.

However,

if

they intend the truth and they do not contradict Allaah, then they may accept

them.

Thisapproachistherequiredpathtotake.Itisthemiddlecoursebetween

thePeopleofTateelandthePeopleofTamtheel.

Both the intellect and what hasbeen conveyed indicate the obligation of

thispathindealingwiththeNamesandAttributesofAllaah.

As for the intellect: The proof of this is the fact that detailed statementsregardingwhatisobligatory,permissible,andprohibitedregardingAllaahisnot

4 Shaykh Ibn alUthaymeen will explain all of these terms shortly. However, in order to fully

understandtheinformationprovidedbeforetheirexplanation,itmaybepreferabletoskipahead

to understand these terms and then come back to this point. This may help in a better

understandingofthepointsShaykhIbnalUthaymeenismaking,andAllaahknowsbest.(T.N.)


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perceived except through what has been conveyed (through revelation).

Therefore, it is then necessary to follow whatever has been conveyed by

affirmingwhateverhasbeenaffirmed,negatingwhateverhasbeennegated,and

remainingsilentonwhathasnotbeenmentioned.

Asforwhathasbeenconveyed:Fromtheseproofsisthestatementof

Allaah( ):

And to Allaah belong the best names, so call upon Him using them.

And leave those who deviate (make Ilhaad) concerning His Names.

They will be recompensed for what they have been doing. [Sooratul

Araaf,7:180]

AndHisstatement,

There is nothing like Him, and He is the Hearing, the Seeing.

[SooratushShooraa,42:11]

AndHisstatement,

Anddontpursue(say)thatofwhichyouhavenoknowledge(about).

[SooratulIsraa,17:36]

The First Aayah proves the obligation of Ithbaat (Affirmation) without

makingTahreeforTateelbecausebothoftheseareaformofIlhaad(Deviation).

The Second Aayah proves the obligation of negating any form of

Tamtheel.

The Third Aayah proves the negation of any formofTakyeef,aswellas

withholding and remaining silent in regards to whatever neither Ithbaat

(Affirmation)norNafee(Negation)hasbeenreported.


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Everything that hasbeen affirmed for Allaah of attributes, then they are

attributes and characteristics of perfection, upon which He is praised for and

there is no form of defect whatsoever with them. So all of the attributes of

perfectionareaffirmedforAllaahintheirmostcompleteforms.

Likewise,everythingthatAllaahhasnegatedfromHimselfisanimperfect

ordefectiveattributethatcontradictsHisperfection.Therefore,allattributesand

characteristics of imperfection are not tobe associated with Allaah due to His

absolute perfection. Additionally, whatever Allaah negates from Himself, then

what is required is to negate that attribute as well as to affirm the opposite

attribute with perfection. This is because negation alone does not indicate

complete perfection unless and until it includes affirming a praiseworthy

attribute.Negationalonecouldbeduetoareasonsuchasinabilityorweakness

andthereforebeadefect.

The reason for the negation of a certain characteristic could possiblybe

duetoalackofcapability(ofhavingthatcharacteristic).Inthatcase,itwouldnot

bepraiseworthy,suchassaying, Thewalldoesntprovideanyshade.

If this is clear, then we say that whenever Allaah negates from Himself

oppression and injustice,5 for example, then what is required is to negate that

particularattributeofoppressionandinjusticewhilealsoaffirmingthecomplete

opposite

to

Allaah,

which

is

perfectjustice

and

fairness.

Similarly,

when

He

negates fatigue and tiredness from Himself,6 then what is required is to, negate

the attribute of fatigue while also affirming its opposite, which is perfect

strength. This is the way in dealing with the rest of the attributes that Allaah

negatesfromHimself,andAllaahknowsbest.

5SuchastheAayah,AndsurelyAllaahisnotunjustto(His)servants. [SoorahAaliImraan,

3:182].(T.N.)6SuchastheAayah,AndindeedWecreatedtheheavensandtheearthandallbetweenthem

insixdaysandnothingoffatiguetouchedUs.[SooratulQaaf,50:38].(T.N.)


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3.Tahreefthatchangesthemeaningonly suchaschangingthemeaning

of a word from its apparent meaning with no proof. An example of this is

changingthemeaningoftheTwoHandswhentheyareassociatedwithAllaahto

mean strength or blessings andwhateverissimilartothis.

TheMeaningofTateel

Linguistically: Strippingaway,emptying

InIslaamicterminology: DenyingtheNamesandAttributesofAllaah,or

denyingsomeofthem.

Tateelisoftwotypes:

1.AbsoluteTateel suchastheTateelmadebytheJahmiyyahwhodeny

alloftheAttributeswhiletheextremelydeviantonesamongthemevendenythe

NamesofAllaahaswell.

2.PartialTateel suchastheTateelmadebytheAshariyyahwhodeny

some of the Attributes while affirming others. The first person tobe known for

makingTateelinthisUmmahwasalJadibnDirham.

TheMeaningofTakyeef

Takyeef is tospeak(orholdabelief) about how an attributeis, such as

saying, Allaahs Hands are like... or His descending to the heaven of the

Dunyaaislike...

TheMeaningofTamtheelandTashbeeh

Tamtheelistoacknowledgethatsomethingisequaltosomethingelse.

Tashbeehistoacknowledgethatsomethingissimilartosomethingelse.

Therefore, Tamtheel is to make a likeness between two things in all

perspectives,andTashbeehistomakealikenessbetweentheminmostoftheir


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characteristics.Sometimestheyareusedinterchangeably.Thedifferencebetween

them(TamtheelandTashbeeh)andTakyeefisfromtwoaspects:

1. Takyeef is to speak (hold abelief, or seek an understanding) about

how something is with or without affirming something tobe similar to it. As

for Tamtheel and Tashbeeh, they indicate a how something is while affirming

equalityorlikenesswithsomethingelse.

From this point of view, Takyeef is more generalbecause everyone who

makesTamtheelisalsomakingTakyeef,butnottheotherwayaround.

2.TakyeefisspecifictotheAttributesofAllaah.However,Tamtheelcould

be made concerning Qadr, the Attributes, and the Essence or Being (of Allaah).

From this point of view, Tamtheel is then more general due to its being

associatedwiththeSelforBeing,the&Attributes,orQadr.

Inaddition,Tashbeeh,whichhasledmanypeopleastray,isoftwotypes:

1. Making Tashbeehby acknowledging that the creation is similar to the

Creator.

2. Making Tashbeehby acknowledging that the Creator is similar to the

creation.

As for making Tashbeehby making the creation similar to the Creator,

then this means affirming that the creation possesses something which is only

specifictotheCreatorfromactions,rights,orattributes.

Tashbeeh in Action: An example of this wouldbe what someone does

whomakesShirkwithAllaahinHisRuboobiyyoh,suchasclaimingthatthereis

anothercreatoralongwithAllaah.

Tashbeeh in Rights: An example of this wouldbe what the Mushrikoon

dowiththeiridolsclaimingthattheyhavearighttobeworshipped.Therefore,theyworshippedthemalongwithAllaah.

TashbeehinAttributes:Anexampleofthiswouldbewhattheextremists

do concerning their praise of the Prophet ( ) or others such as the

verse of poetry by the famous poet alMutanabbee while he was praising


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Abdullaah ibn Yahyaa alBuhtaree, So be as you are, oh one who has no

equal...

As for making Tashbeehby making the Creator similar to the creation,

then this means affirming something of the Essence or Being of Allaah or His

Attributesfromwhatisspecifictothecreation.Anexamplewouldbesayingthat

theHandsofAllaaharelikethehandsofcreatedbeings,orthatHisrisingover

HisThroneislikethewayacreatedbeingwouldriseoversomething.

ItissaidthatthefirstpersontobeknownforthistypewasHishaamibn

alHakamtheRaafidhee(theextremistsoftheSheeah),andAllaahknowsbest.

TheMeaningofIlhaad

Linguistically: Deviating,incliningawayfrom

In Islaamic terminology: Deviating away from what is required of

Aqeedahoractions.

Itisoftwotypes:

Firstly:RegardingtheNamesofAllaah. Secondly:RegardingHisAayaat.

AsforIlhaadregardingtheNamesofAllaah,itistodeviatefromthetruth

thatisrequiredregardingthemanditisoffourtypes:

1. To deny something of the Names of Allaah, or denying something of

the Attributes that the Names indicate, as the Muattilah (those who make

Tateel)do.

2.TomaketheNamesindicateasimilitudeofAllaahwithHiscreation,astheMushabbihah(thosewhomakeTashbeeh)do.

3.TonameAllaahwithanamethatHehasnotnamedHimselfwith.This

is because the Names of Allaah are only known by way of revelation. An

example of this type is the naming of Him Father the Christians do or Cause

andDoer assomeoftheasphilosophersdo.


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4. To derive from His Names other names for idols such as deriving al

Laat fromalIlaah(TheGod)and alUzzaa fromalAzeez(TheMighty).

Asfor Ilhaad regardingAllaahsAayaat; it is inregards tothe legislative

Aayaat what the Messengersbrought of rules and information, as well as in

regardstotheuniversalAayaat anythingAllaah hascreatedintheheavensor

earth.

AsfortheIlhaadregardingthelegislativeAayaat;itistomakeTahreefof

them,denytheinformationcontainedwithinthem,ortodisobeytheirrulings.

As for Ilhaad regarding the universal Aayaat; it is to attribute and

associatethemtootherthanAllaahortobelievethereiswithAllaahapartneror

helperregardingthem.

In conclusion, Ilhaad in both its forms are forbidden due to Allaahs

statementthreateningthosewhomakeIlhaad:

And leave those who deviate (make Ilhaad) concerning His Names.

They will be recompensed for what they have been doing. [Sooratul

Araaf,

7:180]

AndHisStatement

Indeedthosewhodeviate(makeIlhaad)regardingOurAayaatarenot

hidden from Us. So is he who is thrown into the Fire better or he who

comes

safe

on

the

Day

of

Resurrection?

Do

what

you

want;

indeed

He

is

theAllSeerofwhatyoudo. [SooratulFussilat,41:40]

In addition, some types of Ilhaad are Kufr (Disbelief) depending on the

textsoftheQuraanandtheSunnah.


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CHAPTER4

TheTruthoftheMethodologyoftheSalafandtheFalsehoodofGiving

PrecedencetotheMethodologyoftheKhalafinKnowledgeWisdom

TheexplanationofthepathoftheSalafhasalreadyproceededashasthe

proofs of adhering to it. Here, would like to give the evidences that the

methodologyoftheSalafisindeedthecorrectmethodology.Thisisbasedupon

tworeasons:

Firstly: The methodology of the Salaf has its proofs within the Quraan

and the Sunnah. Therefore, whoever follows their way with knowledge and

honestywillnodoubtfindthatitisconsistentwiththeQuraanandSunnah,in

generalandindetail.ForAllaahrevealedtheQuraansothatthepeoplewould

reflect upon its Aayaat acting according to them if they were rulings, and

believinginthem,iftheywereinformation.Moreover,thereisnodoubtthattheclosest people to understanding them, believing in them, and acting in

accordance with them are the Salaf. These Aayaat came in their own language

and in their own timeperiod. Therefore, they are definitely the most

knowledgeableofpeopleincomprehendingthemandthemostuprightinacting

bythem.

Secondly: It canbe said that the truth in this matter (the way of dealing

withAllaahsNamesandAttributes)iseitherinwhattheSalafhavesaidorwhat

theKhalaf

(the

later

generations,

specifically

those

who

have

followed

other

than

the way of the Salaf) have said, second option is certainly untruebecause it

would then mean that Allaah, His Messenger, the first and foremost from the

Muhaajiroon and Ansaar all spoke untruthfully outwardly and publicly and

didntoncespeakcorrectlyregardingtherequiredAqeedah.Thiswouldthereby

makethe existenceoftheQuraanandSunnah nothingbutanabsoluteharmto

the foundation of the religion, and leaving the people without them wouldbe

betterforthemandmoreappropriate.Thisisclearlywrong.

Someofthestupidoneshaveevensaid, ThewayoftheSalafissafer,yet

thewayoftheKhalafismoreknowledgeableandwiser.8

Thisstatementoriginatesfromtwosources:

8 This is the famous false principle, TareeqatusSalaf aslam, wa tareeqatulKhalaf alam wa

ahkam!


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1.The Aqeedahofthespeaker,fromwhathehasofcorrupteddoubts,is

thatAllaahhasnorealattributesthatareindicatedbythetexts.

2.ThespeakersbeliefthatthewayoftheSalafistohaveEemaanonlyin

theactualwordsofthetextsabouttheattributeswithoutaffirminganymeanings

tothem. Therefore,theissue isanendless circlebetweenbelieving solelyinthe

useless, meaningless words and this is the way of the Salaf as they claim, and

betweenaffirmingrealmeanings tothetextsthatmaycontradict theirapparent

meanings, yet do affirm the Attributes of Allaah and this is the way of the

Khalaf. Undoubtedly, acknowledging the real meanings of the texts isbetter in

knowledgeandwisdomthanmerelyaffirminguseless,meaninglesswords.Asa

result, this stupid person preferred the way of the Khalaf in knowledge and

wisdomtothewayoftheSalaf,

This fools statement contains within it truth and falsehood. As for the

truth,itishisstatement, ThewayoftheSalafissafer. Andthefalsehoodishis

saying, ...yet the way of the Khalaf is more knowledgeable and wiser. This is

falseformanyreasons.

Firstly: It contradicts his first statement, The way of the Salaf is safer.

For if the way of the Salaf is in fact safer, then it mustbe more knowledgeable

and wiser because there is no safety except with knowledge and wisdom

knowledgeof

the

means

leading

to

this

safety,

and

the

wisdom

to

follow

those

means. Therefore, it is clear that the way of the Salaf is safer, more

knowledgeable,andwiser.Thereisnowayforthisfooltodenythis.

Secondly: The Aqeedah that Allaah has no real attributes that are

indicatedby the texts is a false Aqeedahbecause it isbased upon corrupted

doubts.9 The Attributes of perfection are affirmed for Allaah based on the

intellect,thesenses,theFitrah,andthelegislation(theShareeah).

As for the intellect proving the affirmation of Allaahs perfect

Attributes: Everything in existence has attributes and characteristics, eitherattributes of perfection or attributes of deficiency. The latter is not to be

associated with the perfect Lord who deserves all worship. For this reason,

Allaahhasproventhefallacyoftherightofidolstobeworshippedbydescribing

themwithattributesofimperfectionanddeficiencyinthattheydonothear,see,

9SeePart2ofthe20thchapter(page114).


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benefit,harm,norcreateanythingandtheycannotgrantanyvictory.Therefore,

if the latter is not true, then the first one must be the affirmation of the

AttributesofperfectiontoAllaah.

In addition, the senses and what we witness indicate that even the

creation possesses praiseworthy attributes. Allaah is the one who gave them to

the creation so the one who gives these praiseworthy attributes is more

deservingofbeingdescribedwiththem(intheirperfectform).

AsfortheFitrahprovingtheaffirmationofAllaahsperfectAttributes:

The sound, uncorrupted souls are naturally inclined to the love Allaah, the

glorifying of Him, and His worship. So would you love, glorify, and worship

anyone other than One you knew to be described with the attributes of

perfection?

As for the legislation (Shareeah) proving the affirmation of Allaahs

perfect Attributes: These proofs are too numerous to be counted, such as

Allaahsstatement:

He is Allaah, other than whom there is no god (worthy of worship),

Knoweroftheunseenandtheseen.HeistheMerciful,theBestowerof

Mercy. He is Allaah, other than whom there is no god (worthy of

worship), the King, the Holy, the Perfect, the Reassurer, the Overseer,

the Mighty, the Compeller, the Superior. Exalted is Allaah above

whatever they associate with him. He is 34 Allaah, the Creator, the

Originator,theFashioner;toHimbelongthebestnames.Everythingin

the heavens and earth exalt Him. And He is the Mighty, the Wise.10

[SooratulHashr,59:2224]

10InordertofullyunderstandthemeaningsoftheseNamesofAllaah,onecanrefertotheArabic

cassettes of Shaykh ibn alUthaymeen entitled Sharh Aqeedah AhlusSunnah waljamaaah,

cassette#2,sideB.Thisisalsoonlineat:http://www.binothaimeen.com/sound/snd/A0002/A0002

2B.rm.(T.N.)


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AndHisstatement,

AndtoHimbelongsthehighestdescription(Attribute)intheheavens

andearth. [SooraturRoom,30:27]

AndHis( )saying:

Allaah,there is nogod(worthy of worship) but Him, the EverLiving,

the SelfSustainer and Sustainer of all that exists. Neither drowsiness

norsleepovertakesHim.ToHimbelongswhateverisintheheavensor

and on the earth. Who can intercede with Him except with His

permission?Heknowswhatis(presently)beforethemandwhatisafter

them,andtheydonotencompassanythingofHisknowledgeexceptfor

what He wills. His Kursee extends over the heavens and earth, and

preserving

them

does

not

tire

Him.

And

He

is

the

Most

High,

the

Greatest. [SooratulBaqarah,2:255]

AndthestatementoftheMessenger( ):

Oh people, be easy on yourselves. For you are not calling upon one

whoisdeaforabsent.Indeed,youarecallinguponOnewhoisHearing,

Seeing,andNear.Indeed,theOneyouarecallinguponisclosertoone

ofyouthantheneckofhisridinganimal.11

Thirdly:12 The belief that the way of the Salaf is nothing but having

Eemaan in the words alone without affirming any meanings to them is a false

11RecordedbyalBukhaaree(2992)andMuslim(2704).12ShaykhIbnalUthaymeenisstillmentioningthereasonswhythesayingThewayoftheSalaf

issafer,yet...isafalseprinciple.Referbacktopage32.(T.N.)


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belief and a lie against the Salaf. The Salaf are the most knowledgeable of the

UmmahofthetextsabouttheAttributes, theirwordsandmeanings.Moreover,

they are thebest in affirming their meanings, whichbefit Allaah and arebased

upontheintendedmeaningofAllaahandHisMessenger.

Fourthly: The Salaf are the inheritors of the Prophets and Messengers.

Theylearnedtheirknowledge directly fromthespringofdivineMessengership

andtheactualitiesofEemaan.

AsforthoseKhalaf,theyhavelearnedwhatiswiththemfromtheMajoos

(FireWorshippers),theMushrikoon,andthemisguidedonesfromtheJewsand

Greeks. So how are the inheritors of the Majoos, Mushrikoon, theJews and

Greeks and those who have germinated from them more knowledgeable and

wiser regarding the Names and Attributes of Allaah, than the inheritors of the

ProphetsandMessengers?

Fifthly:ThoseoftheKhalaf whomthisstupidone(theonewhosaysthis

statement)preferstheirwayinknowledgeandwisdomoverthewayoftheSalaf

were confusedbecause of theirabandoning what Allaah has sent Muhammad

( ) with of clear teachings and guidance. They (the Khalaf) have

sought their knowledge of knowing Allaah from those who dont even know

Him themselvesbased upon what they have put forth themselves as well as

whattheUmmahhavewitnessedagainstthem.ArRaazee,oneoftheir leaders,

saidclarifying

what

all

their

knowledge

finally

leads

to:

The end result of giving precedence to the intellect is simply constraint

and most of the effort of the workers is nothingbut misguidance. The souls

within ourbodies are in emptiness and most of our Dunyaa is nothingbut

harmingandworry.Wehavenotbenefitedfromourlifelongresearchotherthan

wegatheredtogetherstatementsofmeaninglesstalk.13

I have pondered over the ways of the rhetorical speakers and the

methodologiesofthephilosophersinwhatIthoughtwouldhealthesickness,yet

didnotevenquenchthethirst.Ihave discoveredthatthe closestofpathsisthewayoftheQuraan.ReadabouttheIthbaat(Affirmation)(oftheAttributes):

13ArRaazeeactuallysaidthispartinpoetryform.(T.N.)


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TheMostMercifulroseovertheThrone [SoorahTaaHaa,20:5]

AndHissaying,

To Him ascends good speech, and righteous work raises it. [Sooratul

Faatir,35:10]

AndreadabouttheNafee(Negation),

There

is

nothing

like

Him.

[Sooratush

Shooraa,

42:11]

AndHissaying,

And they will never encompass what He knows. [Soorah Taa Haa,

20:110]

AndwhoeverexperienceswhatIdidwilllearnwhatIlearned.14

So would the way of these confused people, who have even confessed

againstthemselvesoftheirmisguidanceandconfusion,bemoreknowledgeable

andwiserthanthewayoftheSalaf,whoaretheflagbearersofguidanceandthe

lampswithindarkness?Allaahbestoweduponthemofknowledgeandwisdom

that surpassed even other followers of the Prophets. They comprehended the

actualities of Eemaan and knowledge and all of that which others gathered

would not even make them similar to those (the Salaf). So how would one

concludethatthese(theothersamongtheKhalaf)aresuperiortothem?

Withthis,itisclearthatthewayoftheSalafissafer,moreknowledgeable,

andwiser.

14AlMajmoo alFataawaa,(5/11).


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CHAPTER5

SomeStatementsofModernAuthorsAgainsttheMethodologyoftheSalaf

Some of the modern authors have said, The methodology of the Salaf

regardingtheAttributesistakingthetextsastheycome,yetbelievingthattheir

apparentmeaningsarenotactuallyintended.

Thisstatement,iftakenunconditionally,containsapointofscrutiny.The

wording, theirapparentmeanings issomewhatvagueandneedsclarification.

Ifwhatisintendedby theirapparentmeanings iswhatisevidentfromthetexts

of the attributesbefitting Allaah without making Tashbeeh, then this is exactly

whatisintended.Whoeversaysthatthisisnottheintendedmeaningthenheis

misguidedifheactuallybelievesthat,andheisaliarormistakenifheattributes

thismeaningtotheSalaf.

If what is intendedby their apparent meanings is what is evident to

someofthepeopleinthattheapparentmeaningistomakeTashbeehofAllaah

with His creation, then this is definitely not true and it is not the apparent

meaningofthetextsbecausethesimilarityofAllaahtoHiscreationissomething

impossible.And,theapparentmeaningoftheQuraanandSunnahwouldnever

be something impossible. Whoever thinks this is what is meant by their

apparentmeanings, thenhismistakeistobeclarifiedtohim.Itistobeclarified

that

the

apparent

meaning

as

well

as

the

detailed

meaning

is

to

affirm

the

AttributesinamannerthatbefitsAllaahandisspecifictoHim.

In this way, we wouldbe giving the texts their rights in wording and

meaning,andAllaahknowsbest.


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CHAPTER6

ConcealingtheTruthwithFalsehoodbySomeoftheModernAuthors

Some of the later authors have said, There is no differencebetween the

methodology of the Salaf and the methodology of those who misinterpret

regarding the texts of the Attributes. Both of them agree that the Aayaat and

Ahaadeeth do not actually confirm the Attributes of Allaah. However, the

misinterpreterssawabenefitbytheirinterpretationsandadireneedforthemso

they specified a certain meaning for them. As for the Salaf, they withhold from

specifying a certain meaning in order to leave the meaning open to other

interpretations.

ThisisaclearandplainlieagainsttheSalaf.Notoneofthemevernegated

that the texts confirm the Attributes of Allaah as theybefit Him. Rather, their

statementspointouttheacceptanceofthoseveryAttributes.Theyevendisprovethose who negate them or make Allaah similar to His creationby them. An

example of one such statement is the statement of Naeem ibn Hammaad al

Khuzaaee,15theShaykhofalBukhaaree:

WhoevermakesAllaahsimilartoHiscreationhasdisbelieved.Whoever

denies anything of what Allaah describes Himself with has disbelieved.

And there is no Tashbeeh in what Allaah or His Messenger describes

Himselfwith.

Theirstatementsregardingthisarenumerous.

AnotherpointthatprovesthattheSalafaffirmedtheAttributestoAllaah

andwerenotinagreementwiththosewhomisinterpretthetextsisthefactthat

those very ones who misinterpret were in constant opposition and arguments

with the Salaf. They used to accuse them of making Tashbeeh and Tajseem

(affirming abody for Allaah)because they (the Salaf) have always affirmed the

Attributes. If the Salaf were in agreement with them in that the Attributes of

Allaah are not confirmed by the texts, then there would not have occurred

betweenthemsuchoppositionandargumentsandaccusationsasitisclear,andallpraiseandthanksaretoAllaah.

15ReportedbyadhDhahabeeinSiyar AlaamanNubalaa(10/610)andhesaidin(13/299)thatits

chainofreportisSaheeh.


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CHAPTER7

TheReportedStatementsoftheSalafRegardingtheAttributes

The statements of the Salaf, some general and others more specific have

become widespread regarding the Aayaat and Ahaadeeth of the Attributes. An

exampleofthemoregeneralstatementsisthesaying, Acceptthemastheyhave

comewithoutasking How?16ThishasbeenreportedfromMakhool,azZuhree,

MaalikibnAnas,SufyaanathThawree,alLaythibnSad,andalAwzaaee.

This expression contains a refutation of the Muattilah (those who make

Tateel) and the Mushabbihah (those who make Tashbeeh). The statement,

Accept them as they have come refutes the Muattilah and, without asking

How? refutestheMushabbihah.

Also, in this statement is the proof that the Salaf have alwaysacknowledgedthatthetextsofAttributescontainedactualcorrectmeaningsthat

befitAllaah.Thisproofisfromtwoangles:

1.Theysaid, Acceptthemastheyhavecome... Itsmeaningistoleavethe

texts as they have come upon the intended meanings they indicate.

Undoubtedly, they have come confirming actual meanings thatbefit Allaah.

Otherwise,ifthey(theSalaf)didnotbelievethetextsconfirmedactualmeanings,

thentheywouldhavesaid, Accepttheirwordingsanddonotacknowledgeand

lookinto

their

meanings,

or

something

similar.

2. They said, ...without asking How? It is obvious that there is an

affirmation ofmeaningsto the textsbecauseifthey did notbelievein affirming

them,thentheywouldnothaveneededtoforbidasking How? theyare.Inthat

case,theforbiddingofseeking How? wouldbefutile.

It may thenbe asked: Then what is the response to the statement of

Imaam Ahmad pertaining to the Hadeeth of Allaahs descending when he said,

Webelieveinitandaffirmitwithoutseeking How itisoritsmeaning?

Wesay:TheresponsetothatisthatthemeaningthatImaamAhmadwas

negatinginhisstatementisthemisinterpretedmeaningthattheMuattilahfrom

16 See Itiqaad AhlusSunnahby alLaalakaaee (3/537,930) and Fath alBaaree (3/407) and other

references.


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theJahmiyyahandothershadcommitted.Theydistortedtheapparentmeanings

ofthetextsoftheQuraanandtheSunnahtomeansomethingcontradictory.

Ourresponseisindicatedbythefactthathenegatedthe(misinterpreted)

meaning and the asking How? in order for his statement to actually be a

refutation upon those two groups of innovators: the Muattilah and the

Mushabbihah.

This explanation is also indicatedby what he (Imaam Ahmad) said in

regardstothestatementofMuhammadibn alHasansstatement,Thescholars

have unanimously agreed all of them from the east to the west upon having

Eemaan in the Quraan and the authentic Ahaadeeth that have come from the

Messenger of Allaah ( ) pertaining to the Attributes of the Lord

withoutmakinganexplanation(Tafseer)ofthem,withoutdescribingthem,and

withoutmakingthemsimilartoanythingelse(Tashbeeh).

ImaamAhmadsaidregardingthisstatementthatthemeaningofmaking

an explanation of them or Tafseer, is the explanation of theJahmiyyah who

make Tateel. They innovated a distorted explanation of the Attributes in

opposition towhat the Companionsand their followers held regardingthemof

affirmingthem.17

ThisisalsoanindicationthatexplainingtheAayaatandAhaadeethofthe

Attributesis

of

two

types:

1. An acceptable explanation: It is what is in accordance with what the

Companions and their followers held of affirming their meanings in a manner

befitting to Allaah and that agree with what is apparent from the Quraan and

Sunnah.

2. A rejected explanations: It is whatever is in opposition to that

mentionedabove.

Therefore,therecouldbeanacceptablemeaningaswellasarejectedoneaccordingtowhathaspreceded.

Ifitisasked:Isthereasenseof How theAttributesofAllaahare?

17AlMajmoo alFataawaa,(5/50)andFathalBaaree(13/407)


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35/139

CHAPTER8

TheHighness(Uluww)ofAllaah&itsProofs

TheHighnessandExaltednessofAllaahaboveHiscreation,orUluww,is

fromHisPersonalAttributes.

Itisoftwotypes:

1.UluwwasSifaat TheHighnessofHisAttributes.

2.UluwwadhDhaat TheHighnessofHisSelf.

As for the Highness of His Attributes, it means that there is no

characteristic of perfection except that to Allaahbelongs what is more perfect

and more complete, whether it is an attribute such as that of honor oroverpowering,orattributessuchasbeautyorcapability.

As for the Highness of His Self, it means that Allaah is personally above

allofHiscreations.ThisisprovenbytheQuraan,theSunnah,consensus(ofthe

scholars),the intellect,andthe Fitrah,ornaturaldispositionupon whichAllaah

createseveryhuman.

AsfortheprooffromtheQuraanandSunnah:Theyarebothfilledwith

detailed

or

apparent

proofs

of

the

affirmation

of

the

Uluww

of

Allaahs

Self

aboveHiscreation.

Therearemanytypesofproofsofthis:

Sometimes,theymentiontheUluwwexplicitly,HisHighness,Hisrising

overtheThrone,orbeingovertheheavens,suchasHisstatements:

AndHeistheMostHigh,theGreatest. [SooratulBaqarah,2:255]

ExaltthenameofyourLord,theMostHigh. [SooratulAalaa,87:1]


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TheyfeartheirLordabovethem. [SooratunNahl,16:50]

TheMostMercifulroseovertheThrone. [SoorahTaaHaa,20:5]

Do you feel secure that He who is above the heaven would not cause

theearthtoswallowyou? [SooratulMulk,67:16]

AndthestatementsoftheProphet( ):

...andtheThroneisabovethat,andAllaahisabovetheThrone.18

Do you not trust me while I am trusted by the One above the

heaven?19

Sometimes, the proofs establish the Uluwwby mentioning that things

ascendorareraiseduptoHim,suchasHisstatements:

ToHimascendsgoodspeech. [SooratulFaatir,35:10]

18 See alLaalakaaee (3/395,659) and Mukhtasar alUluww (page 48) by alAlbaanee. Adh

Dhahabee and Ibn alQayyim authenticated it, and alAlbaanee declared it tobe acceptable. Its

chainisMawqoof.19RecordedbyalBukhaaree(4351)andMuslim(1064).


37/139

The angels and the Rooh Qibreel) ascend to Him. [SooratulMaaarij,

70:4]

Rather,Allaahraisedhim(Eesaa)toHimself. [SooratunNisaa,4:158]

AndthestatementsoftheProphet( ):

AndnothingbutthepurethingsascendtoAllaah.

...thensomeofthosewhospentthenightamongyouareraisedtoyour

Lord.

The deeds of the night are raised to Him before the deeds of the next

day,andthedeedsofthedaybeforethedeedsofthatevening.

Ahmadrecordedit.

Sometimes, the proofs mention the descent of things from Him, such as

Hisstatements:

A revelation sent down from the Lord of the worlds. [Sooratul

Waaqi

ah,

56:80]

Say: The pure Rooh Qibreel) has brought it down from your Lord.

[SooratunNahl,16:102]


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AndthestatementoftheProphet( )

Our

Lord

descends

to

the

heaven

of

the

Dunyaa

when

the

last

third

of

thenightremains.20

AndtherearemanyotherAayaatandAhaadeeththathavebeenreported

withmanychainsfromtheProphet( )pertainingtothe Uluwwof

Allaah over His creation. The chains of report are so numerous that they

necessitatehavingcertainknowledgethatthe

Prophet ( ) actually said them about His Lord and then the

Ummahlearnedthemfromhim.

As for the proof from the consensus: The Companions, those who

followed them in righteousness, and the Imaams of AhulusSunnah were all

unanimously united upon thebelief that Allaah is above His heavens on His

Throne.Theirstatementsarefilledwiththisbeliefeitherwordforword,orfrom

theevidentmeaning.AlAwzaaeesaid, Weusedto whilethefollowersofthe

Companions were many among us say that Allaah mentions Himselfbeing

aboveHisThrone.AndwebelievealsowhateverhascomeintheSunnahofthe

Attributes. AlAwzaaee said this after the appearance of the methodology of

Jahm(ibn

Safwaan)

who

used

to

deny

the

Attributes

of

Allaah

and

His

Uluww.

He(alAwzaaee)saidthissothatthepeoplewouldknowthatthemethodology

oftheSalafisincompleteoppositiontothatofJahm.

Moreover,notoneoftheSalafeversaidthatAllaahisnotovertheheaven,

orthatHeiseverywhere.Nordidtheysay, Allplacesarethesameinregardsto

Him, nor that He is not inside the world, nor outside of it, nor part of it, nor

separatefromit... Moreover,theydidnotsaythatitisimpermissibletoimagine

andindicatewhereHeis.Rather, themost knowledgeable of creationindicated

where He is during his Farewell Hajj on the Day of Arafah among a great

audience.Heraisedandpointedhisfingertotheskyandsaid:

OhAllaah,bearwitness.

20RecordedbyalBukhaareeandMuslim.Thedetailswillbegiveninchapter13,Page82.


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He was asking Allaah tobear witness to the acknowledgement of his

UmmahthatheindeedconveyedthemessageofhisProphethood.

Asfortheprooffromtheintellect:Everysoundintellectbearswitnessto

thefactthatAllaahishighaboveHiscreation.Thisisfromtwoperspectives:

Firstly: Uluwwisacharacteristicofperfectionandperfectionisattributed

toAllaahinallways.So UluwwmustbeaffirmedtoAllaah.

Secondly: Uluww is the opposite of being low and being low is a

characteristic of deficiency. Allaah is far above being described with any

characteristicsof deficiency soHemustbe free frombeing low.The opposite is

thenaffirmedtoHim,whichis Uluww.

AsfortheprooffromtheFitrah:Allaahhasmadeallofthecreations,the

ArabandnonArab,eventheanimals,uponthenaturaldispositionofbelieving

in Him and His Uluww. There is no servant that turns toward His Lord with

supplicationorworshipexceptthathefindswithinhimselfasenseofrequesting

fromOnehighabove.Heturnswithhishearttowardsthesky,nottotherightor

left. And no one deviates away from this reality except someone who hasbeen

corruptedbyShayateenanddesires.

Abooal

Ma

aalee

al

Juwaynee

used

to

say

in

his

gatherings,

21 First,

there

was Allaah and nothing else. And now He is upon what He is upon. He

sarcastically meansby this the denying of Allaahs rising over His Throne. So

AbooJafaralHamdaaneesaid:

Say we leave off mentioning of the Throne because it is establishedby

the legislation anyway and inform us about this sense that we find

within out hearts. No one with knowledge has ever called, saying, Oh

Allaah! except that he finds in his heart a natural sense of seeking from

Onehighabove.Hedoesnotturntotherightorleft.Sohowdowerepel

thisnaturalsenseinourhearts?

So, Aboo alMaaalee cried out struck his head and said, AlHamdaanee

hasconfusedme!AlHamdaaneehasconfusedme!

21SeeSiyar AlaamanNubalaa(18/475)byImaamadhDhahabee.


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Sothesearefiveproofs(theQuraan,Sunnah,consensus,intellect,andthe

Fitrah),eachconfirmingthatAllaah,Himself,isindeedaboveHiscreation.

AsforAllaahsstatements:

And He is Allaah in the heavens and in the earth. He knows your

secretsandwhatyoumakepublic.[SooratulAnaam,6:3]

AndHissaying,

ItisHewhois(theonly)Godintheheaven,andontheearth(theonly)

God.[SooratuzZukhruf,43:84]

Themeaningofboth of theseAayaat isnot thatAllaah ison theearth as

Heisabovetheheavens. Andwhoeverimaginesthisorreportsthisfromoneof

theSalaf,thenheismistakeninwhatheimaginesandlyinginwhathereports.

TheFirstAayahaffirmsAllaahsrightofbeingtheonlygodthatexistsin

the heavens and on earth. Everyone in them He is their only god and they

worshipHim.ItisalsosaidthatitmeansthatthefirstpartissayingthatAllaahis in (above) the heavens. The second part would thenbegin with And on the

earth, He knows your secrets and what you make public. Meaning, that His

UluwwabovetheheavensdoesnotpreventHimfromstillknowingyoursecrets

andwhatyoumakeknownontheearth.

TheSecondAayahmeansthatAllaahistheonlygodoftheheavensand

theonlygodoftheearth.Hisrightofbeingworshippedisadutyinboth,even

while He is above the heavens. Similar to this is the saying, So and so is the

governor of Makkah as well as Madeenah. Meaning, that his leadership is in

controloverbothcities,evenifhehappenstobeinonlyoneofthem.

This way of speaking is correct,both linguistically as well as culturally

(Arabic),andAllaahknowsbest.


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CHAPTER9

TheSenseof Position asitPertainstoAllaah

Wewouldlike,withthischapter,toestablishwhetherasenseofposition

shouldbeascribedtoAllaahornot.

Thecorrectstanceisthatitisincorrecttounconditionallyascribe asense

of position to Allaah, neither negating it nor affirming it. Rather, we mustbe

specific.

If what is intended is the position of lowliness, then this rejected and

impossibletobeassociatedwithAllaahbecauseHehasdescribed Himselfwith

theUluwwofHimselfaswellasofHisAttributes.

If what is intended is the position ofbeing high and exalted whilebeingencompassedandwithin(theheavens),thenthisisalsorejectedandimpossible

tobe associated with Allaah. For He is greater and more honorable than tobe

encompassedbyandwithinsomethingofHiscreation.Howcouldthisbewhen

HisKurseealoneextendsoverthewholeheavensandearth?22

Theearthentirelywillbe(within)HisgripontheDayofResurrection,and the heavens will be folded in His right Hand. Exalted is He and

highabovewhattheyassociatewithhim. [SooratuzZumar,39:67]

Ifwhatisintendedisthepositionof Uluww,orHighness,thatbefitsHis

greatness and majesty without encompassing Him, then this is the truth and

affirmed to Allaah. The Shaykh Aboo Muhammad AbdulQaadir alJeelaanee

said in hisbook, alGhaniyyah,23 And he is in the position of Uluww, having

risenabovetheThrone,encompassingcompleteauthorityoverthekingdom.

If it is asked: If you deny that something of Allaahs creation can

encompassHim,thenwhatistheresponsetothefactthatAllaahisintheheaven

22AsisprovenbytheAayah:

HisKurseeextendsovertheheavensandearth. [SooratulBaqarah,2:2551(T.N.)23SeealGhaniyyahliTaalibeeTareeqalHaqqfeeMarifahalAadaabashShareeah,page94.


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asHehasaffirmedforHimselfinHisBookanduponthetongueofHisProphet

( ),andastheMuslimshaveagreedupon?

Theresponseis:ThefactthatAllaahisintheheavendoesnotnecessitate

that the heaven is encompassing and surrounding Him. Whoever says that is

astray if he says that from himself; he is a liar or mistaken if he attributes that

statementtosomeoneelse.AnyonewhoisawareofthegreatnessofAllaahand

thatHeencompasseseverything,andthattheHewillgripthewholeearthonthe

Day of Resurrection, and that He will roll up the heavens like the rolling of a

scroll; whoever knows this, then it would not be imaginable to him that

somethingofHiscreationcouldlikewiseencompassorsurroundHim.

Thisbeingunderstood,thefactthatHeisintheheavenistakenupontwo

meanings:

Firstly: That what is meantby the heavens is Uluww, meaning in the

position of highness and exaltedness. Moreover, the fact that heaven (as

Samaa)couldmean UluwwisconfirmedintheQuraan.Allaahsays,

And He sent down upon you rain from the heaven (asSamaa).

[SooratulAnfaal,8:11]

Meaning from high above, not actually from the heaven itselfbecause

theraindescendsfromtheclouds.

Secondly: That the meaning of in (fee) is taken to mean on or over

(alaa) thereby making the meaning, Allaah is over the heaven. And in (fee)

has come upon the meaning of on (alaa) in many places in the Quraan and

othertexts.Allaahsays,

Sotravelon(fee)theearth. [SooratutTawbah,9:2]

Meaning travel on theearth,not in it.


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CHAPTER10

{PART1}

TheRisingofAllaah(Istiwaa)OverHisThrone(Arsh)

The word Istiwaa linguistically is used to express different meanings, all

ofthemhavingtodowithasenseof completion or conclusion.

ItisusedintheQuraaninthreedifferentways:

1.Thewordusedalone:asintheAayah,

AndwhenheattainedhisfullstrengthandIstawaa... [SooratulQasas,

28:14]

Meaning:tobecomecomplete,matured.

2.Thewordusedwith ilaa (to):asinAllaahsstatement,

ThenHeIstawaailaa(to)theheaven. [SooratulBaqarah,2:29]

Meaning:togivefullattentionto.

3.Thewordusedwithalaa(upon,over):asinthestatement,

...that you may Istawaa alaa (upon) their (riding animals) backs.

[SooratuzZukhruf,43:13]

Meaning:thenthemeaningistoriseuponorover,tosettle.

SothemeaningoftheIstiwaaofAllaahuponHisThrone:Hisrisingover

itandsettlinguponitinawaythatbefitsHisGreatnessandMajesty.Itisoneof

His Attributes of action that is provenby the Quraan, the Sunnah, and the

consensus(ofthescholars).FromtheproofsoftheQuraanisAllaahsstatement,


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The Most Merciful Istawaa (rose over) the Throne. [Soorah Taa Haa,

20:5]

FromtheproofsoftheSunnahiswhathasbeenreportedbyalKhalaalin

his book, asSunnah, with an authentic chain of narration according to al

BukhaareethatQataadahibnanNumaansaid:IheardAllaahsMessengersay,

When Allaah finished with His creation, He Istawaa (rose over) His

Throne.24

Shaykh AbdulQaadir alJeelaanee said, It is mentioned in everybook

thatAllaaheverrevealeduponaProphet.25

AhlusSunnahhaveallunanimouslyagreeduponthebeliefthatAllaahis

over His Throne, and not one of them ever said otherwise. It is impossible for

anyonetoreportthatfromthem,neitherinwordingnorinapparentmeaning.

AmanoncesaidtoImaamMaalik, OhAbooAbdullaah,

The Most Merciful Istawaa (rose over) the Throne. [Soorah Taa Haa,

20:5]

So how did He Istawaa (rise over)? So, Maalikbowed his head until he

begantosweat,thensaid,

The

Istiwaa

is

not

unknown,

the

How

of

it

is

not

comprehendible,

believinginit isrequired,andaskingaboutitisaninnovation,andIsee

youonlyasaninnovator.

24 Ibn alQayyim mentioned it in Ijtimaa alJuyoosh allslaamiyyah (page 34). AdhDhahabee

said, Its narrators are trustworthy. And Shaykh alAlbaanee relied upon their statements in

MukhtasaralUluww(page38).25SeealGhaniyyah(page96).


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Hethenorderedthatthequestionerbekickedout.26

Similar to this was reported from Rabeeah ibn Abi AbdurRahmaan,

MaaliksShaykh.27

His statement, The Istiwaa is not unknown means that the meaning is

notunknowninthelanguage;itsmeaningis risingover,settlingupon.

His statement, The How of it is not comprehendible means that we

cannotperceivehowAllaahsIstiwaaoverHisThroneiswithourintellects.The

onlywayisbyrevelationandtherevelationhasnotreportedthe How ofit.Soif

both, the intellect and the revelation do not indicate it, then it is required to

refrainfromspeakingaboutit.

His statement, Believing in it is required means that it is obligatory to

have Eemaan that Allaah rose over His Throne in abefitting mannerbecause

AllaahhasinformedthisaboutHimself,sobelievingitandhavingEemaaninit

isrequired.

Hisstatement, ...andaskingaboutitisaninnovation meansthatasking

about how the Istiwaa is an innovationbecause it was not known even in the

timeoftheProphet( )andtheCompanions.

This statement that Imaam Maalik mentioned regarding the Istiwaa is a

conclusivemeasurementofalloftheAttributesthatAllaahaffirmsforHimselfin

His Book, or upon the tongue of His Messenger. Their meanings are known to

us,althoughhowtheyareisunknownbecauseAllaahinformedusaboutthem,

yet did not inform us about how they are.28 Additionally, speaking about the

Attributes(ofAllaah)isa formofspeakingaboutAllaah Himself.Sojustas we

affirm that Allaahs Self is without Takyeef (seeking How), we likewise affirm

HisAttributeswithoutTakyeef.

Some of the people of knowledge have said that if aJahmee asks you,

Allaah descends to the heaven of the Dunyaa, so how does He descend? then

26SeeSiyar AlaamanNubalaa,(8/100101),alAsmaawasSifaatbyalBayhaqee(Page515)and

alHaafidh(IbnHajr)declaredittobeacceptableinFathalBaaree(13/407).27SeealAsmaawasSifaat(page516).28Seeforanexplanationofthewaysthatthe How couldpossiblybeknown.


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reply, Allaah informed us that He descends and did not inform us how He

descends!

Another said that if a Jahmee asks you about anyone of Allaahs

Attributes, How is it? then reply, How is Allaah, Himself? For it is not

possible to seek to understand how Allaah is. So tell him that if Takyeef is not

possible regarding His Self, then likewise it is not possible regarding His

Attributes,becauseattributesarepartoftheonedescribed!

If someone says, If the Istiwaa of Allaah over His Throne means to rise

overit,thenthatmeansHeiseitherbiggerthantheThrone,smaller,orequalin

size.This,therefore,suggeststhatHemusthaveabody,yetthatisimpossible!?

The answer is that, no doubt, Allaah is greater than the Throne and

greaterthananythingelseis.However,thisdoesnotimplyanythingofthefalseimplicationsofwhichAllaahisfarabove.

AsforsayingthatitisimpossibleforAllaahtohaveabody,thenitmust

be known that speaking about abody and associating it with Allaah, eitherby

negating it or affirming it, is an innovation that has notbeen reported in the

Quraan,theSunnah,orfromthestatementsoftheSalaf.Itisabroadstatement,

whichrequiresmoredetails.

If

what

is

meantby

a

body

is

something

that

is

composed,

each

part

needing and supporting the other, then this is rejected from Allaah, the Ever

Living,theSelfSustainerandSustainerofallthatexists.

IfwhatismeantbyabodyisthatwhichHehastobeSelfsufficientandis

describedwithwhatbefitsHim,thenthisisnotdeniedfromAllaah,forAllaahis

SelfsufficientandisdescribedwithattributesofperfectionwhichbefitHim.

However,sincetheword body canincludeatruemeaningaswellasafalse

oneasitrelatestoAllaah,associatingittoAllaah,eitherbyabsolutelynegatingit

oraffirmingit,isnotpermissible.

`Thisisoneofthestatements(Ifthisisso,thenthatmustmeanthis!)that

the people of innovation use to eventually come to the final conclusion of

negating what Allaah has affirmed for Himself of the Attributes of complete

perfection.Thistypeofreasoningisoftwotypes:


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1. The correct reasoning is that which does not contradict the perfection,

whichisnecessarilyduetoAllaah.Thisistrueanditisarequirementtoclarify

thisandexplainthatit(thistypeofreasoning)isnotrejectedfromAllaah.

2. The corrupted reasoning is that which does contradict the perfection

thatisduetoAllaah.Thisisfalseanditisrequiredtorejectitandclarifythatitis

not a suitable reasoning of the Quraan and Sunnah,because the Quraan and

Sunnaharetrueandsoaretheirmeanings.Anditisneverpossibleforthetruth

tobereasonedouttomeansomethingfalse.

Ifitissaid, IfyouexplainAllaahsIstiwaaoverHisThroneasrisingover

it, then that gives the impression that He needs it to lift Himself or support

Himself!

The response is that anyone aware of the greatness of Allaah, theperfection of His Capability, His Strength, and His lack of needing anything,

thenitwouldnotoccurtohimthatAllaahneedstheThronetosupportHimself.

HowisthiswhentheThroneitselfandeveryothercreatedthingisinneedofHis

supportandsubjectedtoHim?ThereisnosupportorsustenanceexceptbyHim.

And of His signs is that the heaven and earth only exist by His

command.

[SooraturRoom,

30:25]

If it is asked, Is it permissible to explain the Istiwaa of Allaah over His

Throne to mean that He conquered (Isteelaa) it, as the Muattilah explain as a

resultoftryingtoavoidafalsetypeofreasoning?

Theansweristhatitisnotpermissibleandthatisduetovariousreasons:

Firstly: If these types of reasoning are true, then they do not prevent

explainingtheIstiwaawithitsreal,actualmeaning(whichisrisingover).Ifthey

are false, then it is not possible that theybe suitable types of reasoning derived

from the Quraan and Sunnah. Whoever thinks they are necessarybased upon

somethingelseinthem(theQuraanorSunnah)thenheisastray.

Secondly: Interpreting it as Isteelaa (conquering) is based upon false

reasoning.ItisnotpossiblebecauseitcontradictstheconsensusoftheSalafand


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it would thenbe permissible to say such things as Allaah Istawaa on the earth

(He conquered it), and other statements of which Allaah is far above. If He

conquered the Throne, it would also mean that He was,before that, not in

possessionofitwhenHecreatedtheheavensandearth.

Thirdly: The interpretation of Istiwaa (rising over) as Isteelaa

(conquering)isunknownlinguistically.Itisalieagainstit(theArabiclanguage)

and the Quraan was revealed in the language of the Arabs. Therefore, it is not

possibleforustointerpretitwithameaningthattheArabsdonotknowintheir

ownlanguage.

Fourthly:ThosewhointerpreteditasIsteelaa(conquering)heldthebelief

that it was a metaphorical meaning and a metaphorical meaning is not

acceptableunlessanduntilitmeetsfourconditions:

1. An authentic evidence that calls for the statement to be taken

metaphorically,notuponitsapparent,actualmeaning.

2.Thepossibilityofametaphoricalmeaningbaseduponthelanguage.

3. The possibility of a metaphorical meaning as it may pertain to that

specificcontext.Apossibilityofanoverallmetaphoricalmeaningdoesnotmean

that it is acceptable in every context. The context of different, specific wordings

andcircumstances

could

prevent

some

meanings,

which

the

wordings

may

mean

iftakengenerally.

4.Theproofwhichindicatesametaphoricalmeaningmustbegivenand

explained. This is because it may also be that the meaning is actually not

metaphorical,rathertobetakenastheapparent,actualmeaning.Therefore,itis

incumbenttoprovidetheproofthatspecifiesoneortheother,andAllaahknows

best.


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CHAPTER10

{PARTTwo}

TheThrone(Arsh)

TheRisingofAllaah(Istiwaa)OverHisThrone(Arsh)

The word Arsh linguistically means the throne of a king. Allaah said

aboutYoosuf,

And he raised his parents upon the Arsh (throne). [Soorah Yoosuf,

12:100]

AndHesaidabouttheQueenofSaba,

AndshehasagreatArsh(throne). [SooratunNaml,27:23]

Asforthe ArshoftheMostMercifuluponwhichHeIstawaa(roseover),

it is a great Throne which extends over all the creations. He is above it and

greater than it as in the Hadeeth of Aboo Dharr ) ( that the Prophet

( )said,

.

The seven heavens and seven earths compared to the Kursee are only

likearingthatisthrowninadesert,andindeedthe Arshcomparedto

theKurseeislikethedesertcomparedtothatring.29

The author, the Shaykh of Islaam, Ibn Taymiyyah, said in arRisaalah aIArshi;y;yah, And the Hadeeth, has different chains of narration. Aboo Haatim

29 Recordedby Ibn Hibbaan (page 94 in alMawaarid) andby Aboo Naeem in alHilyah(1/167)

andinalAthmah(2/569,649).ItisalsorecordedbyIbnMardawayhasisinTafseeribnKatheer

(1/310311). AlHaafidh (Ibn Hajr) said in Fath alBaaree, Ibn Hibaan declared it tobe Saheeh

andithasasupportingchainfromMujaahid SaeedibnMansoorrecordeditinatTafseerwitha

Saheehchainfromhim.


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narratedit,asdidIbnHibaaninhisSaheehcollection,AhmadinalMusnad,and

others.

ThewordKurseelinguisticallymeans, Achair,whateverissatupon.

As for the Kursee that Allaah associates with Himself, it is the place of

AllaahstwoFeet.Ibn Abbaas()said,

The Kursee is the place of the Two Feet, and the Arsh, no one can

perceiveitsproportionexceptAllaah,theMightyandHonorable.

AlHaakim recorded it in alMustadrak and said, It is according to the

conditionsofthetwoShaykhs(alBukhaaree&Muslim). Ithasbeenrecordedas

beingMarfoo(raisedtotheProphet),butitisactuallyMawqoof(stoppedatthe

leveloftheCompanion).

ThismeaningthatIbn AbbaasmentionedabouttheKurseeiswellknown

to AhlusSunnah. It hasbeen preserved from him and memorized. As for what

hasbeen said that it means knowledge then this has notbeen preserved, nor

memorized (from anyone of AhlusSunnah). Likewise, what hasbeen reported

from alHasan that he said it is the Arsh, this is weak and inauthentic as Ibn

Katheermentioned.30

30InhisatTafseer(1/311).ComparebetweenthisandFathalBaaree(8/199).


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CHAPTER11

TheMaiyyahofAllaah(BeingWithHisCreation)

Allaah has affirmed in His Book, and upon the tongue of His Messenger

( )thatHeisma (with)Hiscreation.

FromtheproofsoftheQuraanarethestatementsofAllaah( ):

AndHeisma(with)youwhereveryouare. [SooratulHadeed,57:4]

AndAllaahisma(with)thebelievers. [SooratulAnfaal,8:19]

Indeed I am ma(with) you both; I hear and see. [Soorah Taa Haa,

20:46]

From the proofs of the Sunnah are the statements of the Prophet

( ):

.

ThebestofEemaanisthatyouknowthatAllaahiswithyouwherever

youare.31

Inaddition,hesaidtohiscompanion,AbooBakr,whentheywereinthe

cave,

Donotgrieve;indeedAllaahisma(with)us. [SooratutTawbah,9:40]

31 Recordedby atTabaraanee in alKabeer and alAwsat as is in Mujamma azZawaaid (1/60),

andbyalBayhaqeeinalAsmaawasSifaat(907),andbyAbooNaeeminalHilyah(6/124).


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AndtheSalafoftheUmmahhaveunanimouslyagreeduponthataswell

astheImaams.

Maiyyahor Withness islinguisticallyusedtomean accompaniment or

companionship. However, what it means and necessitates differs due to the

differencesinwhatitisattributedto,aswellasthecontextandcircumstancesin

whichisitused.

Sometimesitcouldmeantobe mixedwith suchasthesaying, Iputthe

waterma (with)themilk.

Sometimes it could mean a threat or warning as in the saying of a

disciplinertoacriminal(asisusedinArabic), Go,butIamma (with)you.

Sometimesitmeans victory or assistance likeonesayswhentoanotherwho seeks his help, I am ma (with) you. Similarly, its meanings differ due to

thedifferencesinwhatitisattributedtoasthecontextinwhichisitused.

It is not uncommon that a word maybe in agreement as to its original

meaning, yet differs in its ruling and what it necessitates based upon the

differenceofwhatitisassociatedwithanditscontext.

This being clear, it also becomes evident that the Maiyyah, when

associatedto

Allaah,

is

taken

upon

the

actual

meaning,

not

a

metaphorical

one.

Still,AllaahbeingwithHiscreationisinamannerthatbefitsHim.Itisinnoway

likeoneofthecreationbeingwithanotherofthecreation.Rather,itishigherand

moreperfectandisnotconnectedtoanyspecificmeaningsofwhatthecreation

beingwiththecreationwouldnecessitate.

Some of the Salaf have explained the Maiyyah Allaahbeing with His

creation tomeanHis Knowledge ofthem.This is onlyan explanation of what

the Maiyyah includes. Their purpose of this explanation was to refute the

JahmiyyahwhosaidthatAllaahispersonallyeverywhere.They(theJahmiyyah)

then used as proof the texts of the Maiyyah (some of which are mentionedabove)tosupporttheirmisinterpretation.Therefore,thoseoftheSalafexplained

that what is meantby this Maiyyah is not that Allaah is personally with the

creationHimself.Thisisimpossibleaccordingtotheintellectandthelegislation

because itcontradictsHis Uluww (being high abovethecreation)and it would

necessitate that His creation encompasses and surrounds Him which is

impossible.


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TheCategoriesofAllaahBeingWithHisCreation:

The Maiyyah of Allaah with His creation is of two types, a general type

andaspecific.

As for the generalMaiyyah, itisthe encompassment ofall the creation,

thebelieveranddisbeliever,therighteousandwicked,withKnowledge,Power,

arranging of affairs, Authority, and other that that from the meanings of

Ruboobiyyah(AllaahsLordship).

This type of Maiyyah compels the one whobelieves in it tobe always

concernedandwatchfuloverhisrelationshipwithAllaah.

Forthis,theProphet( )said,

.

ThebestofEemaanisthatyouknowthatAllaahiswithyouwherever

youare.32

SomeexamplesofthistypeofgeneralMaiyyahareAllaahsstatements:

AndHeiswithyouwhereveryouare. [SooratulHadeed,57:4]

ThereisnoprivateconversationofthreeexceptthatHeisthefourthof

them, nor are there five but that He is the sixth of them and no less

thanthat

and

no

more

except

that

He

is

with

them

wherever

they

are.

[SooratulMujaadilah,58:7]

32ThedetailsoftheHadeethhaveproceededinfootnoteno.31


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AsforthespecificMaiyyah,itimpliesAllaahgivingvictoryorassistance

towhomeveritisassociatedwith.Itisspecifictothosewhodeserveitfromthe

Messengersandtheirfollowers.

This type of Maiyyah compels the one whobelieves in it to maintain

constantsteadfastnessandstrength.

Some examples of this type of specific Maiyyah are the statements of

Allaah:

AndAllaahiswiththebelievers. [SooratulAnfaal,8:19]

Indeed Allaah is with those who fear Him (have Taqwaa) and those

whodogood. [SooratunNahl,16:128]

AndHisstatementconcerningMoosaaandHaaroon,

IndeedIamwithyouboth;Ihearandsee. [SoorahTaaHaa,20:46]

AndHisstatementconcerningHisProphetMuhammad( ),

Donotgrieve;indeedAllaahiswithus. [SooratutTawbah,9:40]

Ifitisasked, IstheMaiyyahfromtheAttributesofAllaahsPersonalSelf

orfrom

the

Attributes

of

(His)

actions?

The answer is that thegeneral typeof Maiyyah isfrom the Attributesof

AllaahsPersonalSelfbecauseitisacharacteristicthatisconstantlyandforever

affirmedtoHim.AsforthespecifictypeofMaiyyah,itisfromtheAttributesof

actionbecauseitisaccordingtoitsconditions iftheyarefulfilled,itisaffirmed,

andotherwiseitisnot.


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CHAPTER12

CombiningBetweentheTextsoftheHighness(Uluww)ofAllaahAboveHis

CreationandtheMaiyyahofAllaah(BeingWith,HisCreation)

Beforewediscusshowtocombinebetweenthesetwo,Iwouldfirstliketo

introduce a very valuable rule that the author, the Shaykh of Islaam, Ibn

Taymiyyah,haspointedtoinhisbook,alAqlwalNaql(1/4344).Insummary,it

states:

Ifitiseversaidthatthereisacontradictionbetweentwoevidences,then

they are eitherboth certain and convincing orbothbased upon assumption, or

one is certain, and the other isbased upon assumption. So these are the three

categories:

1.Bothevidencesbeingcertain:Theyaretwoevidencesthattheintellectcan positively affirm what they prove. Any type of contradiction is, therefore,

impossiblebecausetosaythiswouldmeanthateither:oneoftheproofsmustbe

cancelledandthisisimpossiblebecauseanycertainproofmustbeaffirmed;orit

meansthatweshouldaffirmbothofthemwhilestillbelievingthecontradiction

exists,andthisisimpossibleaswellbecausethatwouldbeacombinationoftwo

seeminglycontrastingthings.

So the assumption that they are contradictory either means that they are

notboth

certain

and

authentically

established

proofs,

or

that

there

is

really

no

contradiction at allbetween them in that one of them is taken upon a certain

perspective and the other upon a different perspective.And of course, if one of

them hasbeen abrogated, then it is not takenbecause a proofbased upon an

abrogatedevidenceisnotupheld,asthereisnocontradictionbetweenabrogated

evidences.

2. Bothevidencesarebaseduponassumptions: Eithertheevidencesare

only assumed based upon the proofs themselves or based upon their

authenticity. In that case, the more correct evidence is sought out and given

precedence.

3.Oneevidenceiscertainandtheotherisonlyassumed:Inthiscase,the

certainandpositivelyestablishedevidenceisgivenprecedencebecausecertainty

isnevercancelledoutbymereassumption.


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If this is clear, then we say that, no doubt, the texts have already

establishedandaffirmedthe UluwwofAllaah,beingpersonallyhighaboveHis

creationandthefactthatHeisalsowiththem.Alloftheseevidencesarecertain

andpositivelyestablishedintheirproofsandauthenticity.Allaahevencombined

betweentheminHisstatement:

It is He who created the heavens and earth in six days and then rose

over the Throne. He knows what enters the earth and what emerges

fromit,and what descendsfrom theheaven and what ascends therein;

and He is with you wherever you are. And Allaah sees what you do.

[SooratulHadeed,57:4]

InthisAayah,AllaahaffirmsHisIstiwaa(risingover)theThronewhichis

the highest of all creations. He also affirms that He is with us. There is no

contradictionasitispossibletocombinebetweenthem.

ReasonsforthePossibilityofCombiningbetweentheTwo

Firstly: The texts themselves combine between them so combining

between them is definitely not impossiblebecause the texts would not provesomethingthatisimpossible.Whoeverthinksthis,thenheismistakenandmust

think again, seeking Allaahs help and asking Him for guidance and success,

while striving his utmost to know the truth. If the truth thenbecomes clear to

him, then praise and thanks are due to Allaah for that, otherwise he should

entrustthemattertotheOnewhoknowsitbetterandsay, Webelieve.Allofit

is from our Lord.33 Exalted are You; we have no knowledge except what You

havetaughtus.Indeed,itisYouwhoistheKnowing,theWise.34

33AsintheAayah:

Butthosefirminknowledgesay,Webelieve.AllofitisfromourLord.[SoorahAaliImraan,

3:7].(T.N.)34AsintheAayah:

Exalted are You; we have no knowledge except what You have taught us. Indeed, it is You

whoistheKnowing,theWise.[SooratulBaqarah,2:32].(T.N.)


57/139

Secondly: There is no contradictionbetween the meaning of the Uluww

(AllaahbeinghighaboveHiscreation)andtheMaiyyah(AllaahbeingwithHis

creation). For the Maiyyah does not mean that He is mixed among them or

within a place, ashas previouslybeenexplained.Itis possibleforsomething to

be itself high above, yetbe described asbeing with something else like in the

saying, Wecontinuedtotravelwhilethemoonwaswithus, althoughthemoon

isinthesky.Thisisnotconsideredacontradiction,notinwordingnormeaning,

because the onebeing spoken to understands the meaning of Maiyyah in this

sense;heknowsitdoesntmeanthatthemoonisactuallyontheearth.Soifitis

permissible to combine between Uluww and Maiyyah as it pertains to the

creation,thenitisevenmoresoa

explanation of a summary of aqeedatul hamawiyyah of ibn taymiyyah

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