There is nothing like Him (Allaah) – Shaykh Fawzan | Dawud Burbank [Audio|En]

Aqeedah Tahaawiyyah : Lesson 03

[3] ولا شيء مثله‏‏

[3]  And there is nothing like Him. 

—

The Explanation – Point [3]

This is taken from the saying of Allaah, the Most High,

There is nothing like Him (Allaah) (Sooratush–Shooraa (42), aayah 11)

And also, the saying of Allaah, the Most High,

And there is none equal or comparable to Him (Allaah) (Sooratul-Ikhlaas (112), aayah 4)

And His saying, the Most High,

So do not set up any rivals for Allaah (Sooratul-Baqarah (2), aayah 22)

Meaning: those who are alike or similar to Him.

And His saying, He the Most High,

Do you know of any namesake for Him (Allaah)? [1] (Soorah Maryam (19), aayah 65)

Meaning: anyone like Him – one who can share His Name, He the Perfect and Most High. So at-tamtheel (التمثيل – there being anyone like Him) and at-tashbeeh (التشبيه – there being anyone resembling Him), both of these are negated for Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic.

So, no one from His creation resembles Him. So this is what is obligatory – that we affirm whatever Allaah has affirmed for Himself and we hold that as our creed. However, we do not hold that He resembles anyone from His creation nor do we hold that He is like his creation, He, the Perfect and Most High. So this contains a refutation of the mushabbihah – who believe that Allaah is like His creation and (they) do not differentiate between the Creator and the creation; and this is a false and futile position.

And opposite to this position, is the position of the mu`attilah (المعطلة – those who negate/deny Allaah’s attributes) – those who go beyond limits in declaring Allaah free to such an extent that they deny for Allaah that which He has affirmed for Himself with regards to Names and Attributes. Doing so, as they claim, to flee away from declaring Him to be like His creation.

So, both of these two groups go beyond the limits. The mu`attilah (those who deny His attributes) go beyond limits in tanzeeh (تنزيه – declaring Him free) and denying any likeness. Whereas, the mushabbihah (المشبهة – those who declare Allaah’s Attributes to be like those of the creation) go beyond the limit in affirmation. Whereas, the Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamaa`ah take the moderate and middle position. So, they affirm for Allaah whatever He affirms for Himself in accordance with what befits His Majesty, without tashbeeh (declaring His attributes to be like the attributes of the creation) and without ta`teel (تعطيل – denying His attributes), doing so in accordance with the saying of Allaah, the Most High,

There is nothing like Him, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. (Sooratush–Shooraa (42), aayah 11)

So His saying, “There is nothing like Him” negates and denies any tashbeeh (resemblance with the creation) and His saying, “And He (Allaah) is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing” is a negation of ta`teel (denying His attributes). So this is the position which the people of the Sunnah and the Jamaa`ah proceed upon.

So therefore, it is said,

الْمُعَطِّلُ يَعْبُدُ عَدَمًا، وَالْمُشَبِّهُ يَعْبُدُ صَنَمًا، وَالْمُوَحِّدُ يَعْبُدُ إِلَـٰهًا وَاحِدًا فَرْدًا صَمَدًا

The mu`attil (one who negates Allaah’s attributes) worships something which does not exist;

And the mushabbih (one who declares Allaah’s attributes to be like those of the creation) worships an idol;

And the muwahhid (person upon true tawheed) worships the sole One who deserves worship, the One who is Single, the Independent Lord and Master.

End of explanation of point [3][3]

Footnotes:

[1] Translator’s side point: Shaykh `Abdur-Rahmaan ibn Naasir As-Sa`dee rahimahullaah said in the tafseer of this aayah that the aayah is in the form of a question and what is meant is a denial i.e. there is no namesake for Allaah.

[3] Translator’s Side Point: Shaykh Al-Albaanee rahimahullaah says regarding this point: “And there is nothing like Him”: This is one of the fundamentals from the fundamental principles of tawheed; which is, that with regard to Allaah the Most High: there is nothing like Him – neither in His Self, His Attributes and His Actions. However, the innovators and the people of ta.weel (تأويل – those who twist Allaah’s Attributes) take it as a principle by which they deny many of Allaah’s Attributes, He, the Exalted and Most High. So whenever their hearts are too constricted to believe in one of His Attributes, He, the Mighty and Majestic, then they perform ta.weel (twist that Attribute) and try and destroy it and deny it. So they deny an Attribute and they use as an evidence for what they are doing His saying,

There is nothing like Him …

Pretending to be ignorant of the end of the aayah:

… and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. (Sooratush–Shooraa (42), aayah 11)

So, this aayah gathers between declaring Him free, along with affirming His Attributes. So whoever wishes to be safe and sound in his creed then he should declare Allaah, the Most High, to be free from any resemblance to the creation, without explaining His Attributes away, and without denying His Attributes. Rather, he should affirm for Allaah the Mighty and Majestic, with regard to Attributes, everything which He has affirmed for Himself in His Book or in a hadeeth of His Prophet, without declaring that the Creator resembles the creation. This is the position of the Salaf; and the author rahimahullaah, was upon it following on from Abu Haneefah and the rest of imaams. [Source: Shaykh Al-Albaanee’s العقيدة الطحاوية – شرح وتعليق – explanation of point 3]

At-Ta`leeqaat Al-Mukhtasarah `alaa Matn Al-`Aqeedah At–Tahaawiyyah
By Shaykh Saalih ibn Fawzaan al-Fawzaan hafizahullaah
Translated by Aboo Talhah Daawood Burbank, rahimahullaah

Transcribed by Sideeqa Ali

Posted with kind permission from Dawud Burbank rahimahullaah

Listen to the Full Audio Series of Aqeedah Tahaawiyyah:
Explanation of Aqeedah at-Tahaawiyyah – Dawud Burbank [Audio|En]