On many occasions the question concerning the position of ALLAH is brought up

by those who claim to be following the Salaf to try and commence an

arguement concerning the issue. Many wish to establish the fact that the sifaat of
ALLAH are on their apparent meaning which in itself is close to making tashbeeh.
They go to the extent of claiming that ALLAH has two hands , two eyes, a
face,feet etc and some have went to the extent to claim that the hand is literal
because it consists of a palm and finger that grasp which are the qualities of a
hand as was mentioned in the sharh of waasitiyyah by Harras(p79). Concerning
the matter on istiwaa , the likes of Dr Saalih almunajjid and Dr salih aluthaymien
r/a were of the opinion that ALLAH is seated upon his throne Aaathanallahu min
thaalik.
In response to the normal question that is so commonly ask about istiwaa by this
sect , Do they not ponder on the answer of Imaam maalik bin anas rahimahullaah
regarding it?
Normally the statement of Imaam maalik rahimahullaah is used by them to that
the meaning of istiwaa is known but they seem to forget that imaam maalik r.a.
had said that to ask about it is a bidah!!! In fact imaam maalik ordered the person
to be removed from the gathering as he said you an evil mubtadi.(baihaqi)Now
to bring forward the proof that the issue is not what they claim but rather opposite
to their claims.
The true salafus saalih never ever believed that the sifaat were to be taken on its
apparent meaning but rather be regarded as mutashaabihaat and interpretation
left to ALLAH and his Rasul salallaahu alayhi wasallam.
In the book of asmaa wa sifaat imaam Baihaqi rahimahullah firstly brought various
narrations to prove that many of the salaf took the meaning of istiwaa to be
istaqarra- established or placed upon.
Thereafter he prooved all these narrations to be weak and then said, as for the
meaning of istiwaa, most of the mutaqaddimoon (the earlier) amongst the salaf
would neither make tafseer of it nor discuss it as was their belief about all similar
matters (sifaat). :

Imaam Baihaqi r.a further states :- :
: .


Imaam baihaqi has narrated from ibn uyayna rahimahullaah with his sanad that
He said whatever ALLAH has attributed to himself in the quraan (about the
sifaat) , its tafseer is its recital and silence about it.
Imam baihaqi r.a then mentions , the narrations of the salaf concerning this issue
are many and upon this method is the math hab of imaam shafiee rahimahullaah,
the math hab of imaam ahmed bin hanbaal rahimahullaah. alhassan bin fadhal
albajali and aby sulaiman alkhattaabi rahimahumullaah from the muta akhireen.
Imaam baghawi rahimahullah mentions:-


The ahlus sunnah mention that Alistiwaa is the sifat of ALLAH without any detailed
know-how , imaan on it being compulsory and leaving its knowledge to ALLAH
azza wa jal.In tafseer bahrul muheet by abu hay yaan alandalusi rahimahullaah,
He mentions :-


The Jumhoor(majority) of the salaf like imaam sufyaan imaam maalik, imaam
awzaai, imaam laith and ibn mubaraak rahimahullaah etc were of the opinion that
imaan on the sifaat is necessary and leaving its interpretation to ALLAH WITHOUT
SPECIFYING ITS MEANING.
These proofs are sufficient to proove to people of sound mind and intellect that
the claims of the pseudo-salafi level against those who do not follow their creed
are based on hate rather then proof. ALLAH save us from such hatred and
enimorsity. AMEEN
compiled by :- Moulana Muhammed Hussain Adam