Asmaa was-Sifaat |
The Decisive Testimony of Imam at-Tirmidhee |
Author: Imam at-Tirmidhee |
Source: Sunan at-Tirmidhee |
Article ID : AQD030002 [33106] |

Speaking about those ahaadeeth which mention the attributes of Allah, Imaam at-Tirmidhee(d.279H)- (rha) said in his Sunan(1/128-129)
"It has been stated by more than one person from the People of Knowledge about such ahaadeeth, that there is no tashbeeh (resemblance) to the Attributes of Allaah, and our Lord - the Blessed and Most High - descends to the lowest heaven every night. So they say: "Affirm these narrations, have eemaan (faith) in them, do not deny them, nor ask how." The likes of this has been related from Maalik ibn Anas, Sufyaan ath-Thawree, Ibn Uyainah and Abdullaah ibn al-Mubaarak, who all said about such ahaadeeth: "Leave them as they are, without asking how." Such is the saying of the People of Knowledge from the Ahl us-Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah. However, the Jahmiyyah oppose these narrations and say: This is tashbeeh! However, Allaah the Most High, has mentioned in various places in His Book, the Attribute of al-Yad (Hand), as-Sama’ (Hearing), and al-Basr (Seeing) - but the Jahmiyyah make ta’weel of these aayaat, explaining them in a way, other than how they are explained by the People of Knowledge. They say: Indeed, Allaah did not create Aadam with His own Hand - they say that Hand means the Power of Allaah."
Ishaaq ibn Ibraheem ar-Raahawaih said:
"Tashbeeh is if it is said:Hand like my hand,or similar to my hand,it is said:Hearing like my Hearing,or similar to my hearing ,then this is tashbeeh.But if what is being said is what Allah has said:Hand, Hearing Seeing ,and it is not asked how,nor is it said:like my hearing ,or similar to my hearing --then it is not tashbeeh. Allaah --the Most Blessed,Most High--said in His Book:"There is none like Unto Him,and he is the all-hearing,the all-Seeing"(Soorah ash-Shooraa 42:11) [End of his words]