Series of Benefits of the Greatness of Allaah’s Attributes
Part 2
Translated by Abbas Abu Yahya
The General Madhab of the People of Truth regarding the Sifaat of Allaah Ta’ala
Shaykh ul Islaam Ibn Taymeeyah (d.728 A.H.) -Rahimahullaah- said:
‘Then the comprehensive statement of all these matters is:
that Allaah is described by that which He describes Himself with, or with what His Messenger -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam- described Him with, and with what the Sabiqoon al-Awaloon (the foremost of the Muslims) described Him with, and they would not surpass the Qur’aan and Hadeeth.
Imam Ahmad -RadhiAllaahu anhu- said: ‘Allaah is not described except by that which He described Himself with, or with what His Messenger -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam- described Him with, and not surpassing the Qur’aan and Hadeeth.’
The Madhab of the Salaf is that they describe Allaah with that which He describes Himself with, or with what His Messenger -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam- described Him with, without Tahreef (alteration and distortion of the textual wording) and without Ta’ateel (negation of Sifaat) and without Takyeef (enquiring to how Allaah’s Attributes are) or Tamtheel (to liken Allaah or His Characteristics to that of the creation).
We know that with which Allaah described Himself with is the truth it is not a puzzle nor an argumentation, but in fact, the meanings of the Sifaat are known whereby the aim of the one speaking is known, especially since the speaker is the most knowledgeable of the creation of what to say, and the most eloquent of the creation in clarifying knowledge, and the most sincere of the creation in explaining and familiarising and evidence and teaching.
Along with this, there is nothing like unto Allaah Subhanahu, not in His Pure and Divine Essence which is mentioned by His Names and His Attributes.
Nor in His Actions, so just as it is a certainty that Allaah Has a real Essence, likewise He has real Actions, therefore, just like He has real Attributes and there is nothing like unto Him, not in His Essence, nor His Attributes and His Actions.
Every matter which obligates deficiency or adversity then indeed Allaah is in reality far and free from that.’
[From Fatawa al-Hamaweeyah p.271]
Arabic Reference
[ابن تيمية]
[مجمل مذهب أهل الحق في صفات الله تعالى] :
ثم القول الشامل في جميع هذا الباب أن يوصف الله بما وصف به نفسه، أو بما وصفه به رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وبما وصفه به السابقون الأولون لا يتجاوز القرآن والحديث.
قال الإمام أحمد رضي الله عنه: «لا يُوصف الله إلا بما وصف به نفسه، أو بما وصفه به رسوله صلى الله عليه وسلم لا يتجاوز القرآن والحديث» .
ومذهب السلف أنهم يصفون الله بما وصف به نفسه وبما وصفه به رسوله صلى الله عليه وسلم من غير تحريف ولا تعطيل، ومن غير تكييف ولا تمثيل
ونعلم أن ما وصف الله به من ذلك فهو حق ليس فيه لغز ولا أحاجي، بل معناه يُعرف من حيث يعرف مقصود المتكلم بكلامه، [لا سيما إذا كان المتكلم أعلم الخلق بما يقول وأفصح الخلق في بيان العلم وأنصح الخلق في البيان والتعريف والدلالة والإرشاد] .
وهو سبحانه مع ذلك ليس كمثله شيء لا في نفسه المقدسة المذكورة بأسمائه وصفاته، ولا في أفعاله، فكما يتيقن أن الله سبحانه له ذات حقيقة، وله أفعال حقيقية، فكذلك له صفات حقيقية، وهو ليس كمثله شيء لا في ذاته، ولا في صفاته، ولا في أفعاله، وكل ما أوجب نقصًا أو حدوثًا فإن الله منزه عنه حقيقة.
[كتاب الفتوى الحموية الكبرى 271]