Affirming The Attributes Of Allah (عز و جل)

By Imām ‘Abdul-Azīz Bin Bāz [d.1420H/1999 C.E.], May Allāh have Mercy upon him.

Translated by Abū Qaylah Rashīd ibn Estes Barbī.

Ahlus-Sunnah believe in all of His Names and Attributes which appear in the Mighty Book or in the pure Sunnah. And they believe Allāh has no likeness, no similitude, and no rival —meaning there is nothing like Him— and no comparison between Him and His creation. To him belong beautiful names and lofty attributes. His attributes are not like the attributes of the creation and He does not resemble the creation.

Allāhu ta’ala said:

{هل تعلم له سميا}

“Do you know of any similarity to Him?” [Sūrah Maryam 19:65]

And His statement:

{و لم يكن له كفوا احد}

“And there is none equal or comparable to Him” [Sūratul-Ikhlās 112:4]

And His statement:

{فلا تجعلوا لله اندادا و انتم تعلمون}

“So do not attribute to Allāh, equals while you know (nothing is equal to Him)! [Sūratul-Baqarah 2:22]

Therefore Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamā’ah affirm the attributes and names of Allāh in a manner which is befitting to Him. They do not negate His attributes, they do not change His words from their proper places; rather, they believe in everything which comes in the Book and Sunnah from His names and attributes in a manner which is befitting to Allāhu ta’ala without distortion.

Tahrīf (distortion): is to alter the speech with addition or subtraction, or to negate the attributes, either by outright negation or improper interpretation of the meaning.

Takyīf (saying how the name/attribute is): They do not say He rose over the Throne like this, and He descends like this, or He becomes angry like this or that. They do not say how His names or attributes are.

Tamthīl (likeness/resemblance): They do not say His Anger is like this, or He Descends like that, or His Hearing resembles this, or His Sight is similar to that.

They affirm the attributes and names of Allāh in the manner which is befitting to His Majesty.

They do not distort or alter the meanings, they do not make a similitude or likeness for Him, they do not deny His names and attributes, nor do they say how His names and attributes are. Their foundational principle in this matter is:

{ليس كمثله شيء و هو السميع البصير}

“There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer. [Sūratush-Shūrā 42:11]

When Imām Malik (رحمه الله) and other than him from the Salaf were asked about this he said,  “The Istawā (ascension) is known, the how is unknown, belief in it is obligatory and questioning it is an innovation.”

Allāh ta’ala is described by His names and attributes as they appear in the text without any addition or subtraction. And they are real attributes: the Ascension is reality, the Hearing is reality, the Pleasure is reality, the Anger is reality; they are not allegorical, rather they are in the manner which befits His Majesty.

Therefore we do not make takyīf, nor do we make tamthīl, nor do we make tashbīh (similitude), nor do we make tahrīf; rather we accept them upon their apparent meanings. We accept everything which appears in the text as it appears in the text.

As the Salaf said:

امروها كما جاءت

“Believe in them as they have appeared”.

[Al-Ājurrī, ash-Sharī’ah #720]

And we do not make ta’wīl (interpretation). We have faith in them, believing they are the truth and attributes affirmed for Allāh. And Allāh is described with these attributes in the true sense without tashbīh, tamthīl, takyīf or ta’tīl (negation). This is what Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamā’ah say.

[Source: “The Explanation of al-Aqīdah al-Wasitiyyah” pg. 17-20 ©1436H/2015 C.E. Authentic Statements Publications]

Note: Knowledge of Allāh’s Name’s & Attributes is the greatest form Allāh revealed, For precious details refer to“The Exemplary Principles Concerning Allāh’s Name’s & Attributes” by Shaikh Muhammad bin Sālih al-‘Uthaymeen (رحمه الله) and translated by Abul-‘Abbās Moosaa Richardson, student of Shaikh Rabi’ al-Madkhali.