Methodology of Those who Deny Attributes

The Methodology of Those Who Deny Allaah’s Attributes

The methodology of those who deny Allaah’s Attributes indicate and necessitate many false allegations against the sources of Islaam and its people. From these allegations are the following:

Firstly: This methodology alleges that the Qur’an and Sunnah both have explicitly come with kufr (disbelief) and openly call to it. This is because they are both full of affirmations and proof of Allaah’s Attributes-those very attributes that these people claim that by affirming them, one is making Tashbeeh (declaring that Allah is similar to something else) and kufr.

Secondly: Their methodology alleges that neither the Qur’aan nor the Sunnah clarified the truth because the truth, as they understand it, is the negation of the attributes and there is no text or apparent meaning withing the Qur’aan or sunnah that negates the Attributes of perfection from Allah.

Most of those who pretend to have knowledge from these people derive and reason out their claim based upon proofs such as Allaah’s statement,

“Do you know any similarity to Him?” (19:65)

And His Statement (Subhanahu wa ta ala)
“And there is nothing equal to Him” (112:4)

And it is well-known to anyone with an intellect that what is meant by the likes of these texts is the affirmation of the perfection of Allaah, and there is nothing similar to Him regarding His Attributes. And there is no way they could indicate a negation of His Attributes. No doubt, that whoever tries to prove to people the negation of Allaah’s Attributes with the likeness of this speech; then it is either, vague, deceitful, or incapable of clarifying the true meaning. All of these are impossible regarding the speech of Allah (aza wa jal) or the Messenger (Salalahu alayhi wa salam). Both of their speech is comprised of the most eloquent of clarity and intention. There is no agenda within it to misguide the creation and confuse them with obscurities.

Thirdly: This methodology also alleges that the first and foremost predec essors from the Muhaajiroon, Ansaar, and those who followed them in righteousness all used to propagate falsehood while concealing the truth, or they were all ignorant of the truth. This is because so many chains have reported the belief of affirming the Attributes of perfection to Allaah from them. It is this very belief that these deniers claim to be falsehood. None of them (the salaf) have ever said a single statement in support of negating the attributes- the very belief these deniers claim to be the truth. This allegation is unthinkable regarding the best generation and the best of this Ummah.

Fourthly: Another false allegation of these deniers is that if Allaah is not described with attributes of perfection, then He must be described with those deficiency, for everything present must have charactersitics. Therefore, the matter is turned against these deniers as they fall into a greater evil than that which they flee from.
(Explanation of a Summary of Al-‘Aqeedatul-Hamawiyyah of Ibn taymiyah rahimahullah by Imaam Muhammad ibn Saalih al-Uthaymeen rahimahullah