In his first article, after the introduction he said , "You should not put them referring to AlAsha`irah and Al Maturidiyyah in the same boat with AlRawafid, AlMu`tazilah and AlKhawarij, who dissented from (the path of) Ahl u lSunnah walJama`ah (those adhering to the Sunnah and the Muslim main body). The utmost of this matter is that we judge them as being mistaken in their Ta'weel because it is more appropriate to leave the issue of Attributes to Allah's care, from Whom no secret is hidden". End of quote.
A: The sects that differ from AhlulSunnah vary in their mistakes; the mistake of AlAsha`irah, is not like like that of AlKhawarij, A lMu`tazilah, or AlJahmiyyah. Yet, this does not preclude exposing the mistake of AlAsha`irah as regards their disagreement with AhlulSunnah, in the way he exposed the mistakes of other sects, for the sake of revealing the truth and unveiling the falsehood of other claims to convey the Message of Allah (Exalted be He) and of His Messenger (peace be upon him) and escape the warning mentioned in Allah's (Exalted be He) saying,
Verily, those who conceal the clear proofs, evidence and the guidance, which We have sent down, after We have made it clear for the people in the Book, they are the ones cursed by Allâh and cursed by the cursers. Except those who repent and do righteous deeds, and openly declare (the truth which they concealed). These, I will accept their repentance. And I am the One Who accepts repentance, the Most Merciful.
Then, it should be said that it is better to leave the issue of Attributes to the AllKnower of the Unseen, since He (Exalted be He) has illustrated it to His slaves and made it clear in His Glorious Qur'an and through His trustworthy Prophet (peace be upon him). However, Allah did not explain its nature. So, it is obligatory to leave the knowledge of the nature, not the knowledge of the meanings, to Allah. Tafweed of the meanings of the Attributes to Allah is not the Madhhab of the Salaf. Rather, it is an innovated Madhhab which contradicts that of the righteous Salaf.
In addition, AlImam Ahmad (may Allah be merciful with him) and other Imams of Salaf condemned those who call for leaving the issue of the Attributes to Allah and branded them as innovators in religion, because the prerequisite of their Madhhab is that Allah (Exalted be He) has informed His slaves of things, whose meaning is imperceptible, and which purpose is incomprehensible, for them. Indeed, Allah (Exalted be He) is far above such claim, and AhlulSunnah know Allah's intention through His Words, describe Him according to His Names and Attributes, and consider Him far above all that does not befit Him (Glorified and Exalted be He). Through His Words (Exalted be He) and those of His Messenger (peace be upon him), they know that to Him (Exalted be He) is attributed Absolute Perfection in all that He has informed about Himself or what His Prophet (peace be upon him) conveyed. Here, I quote some important statements from the righteous Salaf, in this regard, so that the truth of what we have mentioned may become manifest for the reader.
ShaykhulIslam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah be merciful with him) stated in Risalat AlFatwa AlHamawiyyah: Abu Bakr AlBayhaqy reported on (Allah's) Names and Attributes, through an authentic chain of narrators, from Al Awza`y who said, "During the age when the Tabi`un (Followers, the generation after the Companions of the Prophet) were many, we said that Allah (Exalted be He) is over His Throne and believed in what the Sunnah mentioned of the Attributes. It was recounted that AlAwza`y who was one of the Four Imams at the time of the generation next to the Tabi`un, namely Malik, the Imam of the people of Hijaz, AlAwza`y, the Imam of the people of AlSham (the Levant), AlLayth, the Imam of the people of Egypt, and AlThawry, the Imam of the people of Iraq reported that the belief that Allah (Exalted be He) is over
the Throne and the belief in His Attributes were famous. Indeed, AlAwza`y said so after the emergence of the Madhhab of Jahm, which denied Allah's being over His Throne and repudiated His Attributes so that the people would know that the Madhhab of the Salaf contradicted that claim.
Moreover, Abu Bakr AlKhallal reported in KitabulSunnah from AlAwza`y who said, "Makhul and AlZuhry were asked about the interpretation of the Hadiths (about the Attributes), and they replied, 'Pass them as they are mentioned'". It is also reported from AlWalid ibn Muslim who said, "I asked Malik ibn Anas, Sufyan AlThawry, AlLayth ibn Sa`d and AlAwza`y about the reports mentioned about the Attributes, they said, 'Pass them just as they are mentioned'". In another narration, however, they said, "Pass them just as they are mentioned without (questioning) how". Their (may Allah be pleased with them all) saying, "Pass them just as they are mentioned" is a confutation of the claim of AlMu`attilah [who denied Allah's Attributes], while their saying, "without (questioning) how" is a confutation of the claim of AlMumaththilah [who likened Allah's Attributes to those of His Creation].
Moreover, AlZuhry and Makhul were the most knowledgeable of the Tabi`un in their own time, while the other four scholars were the leading imams of the world at the the time of the followers of the Tabi`un, whose category also includes Hammad ibn Zayd, and Hammad ibn Salamah.
Abu Al-Qasim Al-Azjy narrated through his chain of narrators from Mutarraf ibn `Abdullah who said, "I heard Malik ibn Anas say - when someone denies the Hadiths on (Allah's) Attributes before him -, '`Umar ibn `Abdul-`Aziz said: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and the rulers after him enacted certain practices, their adoption is the belief in Allah's Book, fulfillment of obedience to Allah and unswerving perseverance in Allah's religion. Thus, no one has the right to change it or to assume anything that contradicts it. Whoever seeks guidance through it is rightly-guided and whoever seeks help through it is well-supported. Yet, whoever opposes it and follows other than the believers' way, Allah will keep him in the path he has chosen, and burn him in Hell; what an evil destination!
In addition, Al-Khallal reported through a chain of trustworthy narrators from Sufyan ibn `Uyaynah who said, Rabi`ah ibn Abu `Abdul-Rahman was asked about Allah's (Exalted be He) saying, The Most Gracious (Allâh) rose over (Istawâ) the (Mighty) Throne (in a manner that suits His Majesty). and the meaning of 'Istawâ', and he replied, 'Istiwa' (Allah's rising over the Throne in a manner that befits Him) is not unknown and its nature is imperceptible. The Message is from Allah, the Messenger is charged with clearly convening the Message, while we are required to believe it'". This saying is reported from Malik ibn Anas, the disciple of Rabi`ah ibn Abu `Abdul-Rahman through different ways of narrations.
For example, Abu Al-Shaykh Al-Asbahany and Abu Bakr Al-Bayhaqy reported from Yahya ibn Yahya, who said, "We were in the company of Malik ibn Anas when a man came and addressed him, 'O Abu `Abdullah, [Allah says]: The Most Gracious (Allâh) rose over (Istawâ) the (Mighty) Throne (in a manner that suits His Majesty). How did He rise over (the Throne)? Malik bowed his head until it was covered with sweatand then said, 'Istawâ is not unknown, its nature is imperceptible, belief in it is obligatory and questioning about it is an innovation (in religion), and I deem that you are nothing but an innovator'. Thus, he [Malik] ordered him to be driven out."
Thus, Rabi`ah's and Malik's saying that "Istawâ is not unknown, its nature is imperceptible, belief in it is obligatory" is in line with the saying of the rest of the scholars, "Pass them just as they are mentioned without (questioning) how". Indeed, they denied knowing how, but they did not deny the reality of the Attributes. Had the people believed in the abstract term without understanding its meaning in a way that befits Allah, they would not have said "Istawâ is not unknown and its nature is imperceptible", or said "Pass them just as they are mentioned without (questioning) how". For, then, Istawâ would not be known but would rather be unknown, exactly like the incomprehensible letters (at the beginnings of some Qur'anic Surahs). Besides, there would be no need to deny the perception of the nature in case the meaning of the term is not perceived. However, there would be a need to deny the perception of the nature when the Attributes are established.
On the other hand, those who deny the predicative Attributes or the Attributes at all do not need to say, "without (questioning) how", for those who say, "Allah is not over the Throne" are in no need to say, "without (questioning) how". Besides, if the Madh-hab of the Salaf were to deny the Attributes in the same issue, they would not have said, "without (questioning) how".
Their saying, "Pass them just as they are mentioned" retains the denotation as it is. This is because the terms mentioned had certain meanings and if their denotations were nonexistent, it would have been a requisite to say, "Pass their words, and believe that their meanings are not intended" or "Pass their words, and believe that Allah is not to be described by their real meanings". In this way, they would be acknowledged as they are. However, it should not then be said, "without how", for the denial of the manner of nonexistence is nonsensical speech." (Quoted from Shaykh-ul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah be merciful with him).
He reported in the mentioned article that Hasan Al-Banna (may Allah be merciful with him) stated, "We unite on what we have agreed upon and excuse one another in what we have differed".
A: Yes, we should cooperate in what we have agreed upon to maintain the truth and call for it and to warn against what Allah (Exalted be He) and His Messenger (peace be upon him) forbade. Yet, excusing one another in what we have differed should not be generally applied. Rather, it is a point that requires detail; we should not condemn one another on the issues that are subject to Ijtihad whose evidence is abstruse while it is obligatory to criticize whoever opposes the text of the Qur'an and the Sunnah with wisdom and fair preaching and through arguing in a way that is better, in accordance with Allah's (Exalted be He) saying, Help you one another in Al-Birr and At-Taqwâ (virtue, righteousness and piety); but do not help one another in sin and transgression. Allah (Glorified be He) also says: The believers, men and women, are Auliyâ' (helpers, supporters, friends, protectors) of one another; they enjoin (on the people) Al-Ma'rûf (i.e. Islâmic Monotheism and all that Islâm orders one to do), and forbid (people) from Al-Munkar (i.e. polytheism and disbelief of all kinds, and all that Islâm has forbidden) Allah (Glorified be He) also says: Invite (mankind, O Muhammad ﺻﻠﻰ ﺍﷲ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭ ﺳﻠﻢ) to the Way of your Lord (i.e. Islâm) with wisdom (i.e. with the Divine Revelation and the Qur'ân) and fair preaching, and argue with them in a way that is better. The Prophet's (peace be upon him) also says, He who amongst you sees something abominable
should change it with (the help of) his hand; and if he does not have enough strength to do it, then he should do it with his tongue, and if he does not have enough strength to do it (even), then he should (abhor it) from his heart, and that is the least of faith. The Prophet (peace be upon him) also said, The one who guides to something good will have a reward similar to that of its doer. Both