The ‘aqeedah of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah and the praise of the imams for him and Ibn Hajar’s attitude towards him
Question

                Please answer my question about the aqeedah of Shaykh ibn Taymiyah in which I have read that he deviated from the correct aqeedah and was a anthropomorphist. Also, I have read that scholars such as ibn Hajar al-asqalani do not look up to him. Can you please make this issue more clear?.
Praise be to Allah.
    Firstly: 

    Shaykh al-Islam Ahmad ibn ‘Abd al-Haleem ibn Taymiyah is 
    regarded as one of the prominent mujaddids (renewers and revivers) of Islam. 
    He was born in 661 AH and died in 728 AH (may Allaah have mercy on him). If 
    the efforts of a mujaddid bear fruit in his own time and generation, the 
    efforts of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah began to bear fruit in his own time 
    and have continued to do so until the present, affecting scholars and 
    seekers of knowledge and Islamic groups that belong to Ahl al-Sunnah 
    wa’l-Jamaa’ah. Scholars still refer to his books to refute the enemies of 
    Islam among the Jews and Christians and sects that claim to belong to Islam 
    such as the Raafidis, Huloolis and Jahamis, and innovated sects such as the 
    Ash’aris and Murji’is. 

    His achievements in the fields of fiqh, hadeeth, tafseer and 
    sulook (ways of drawing close to Allaah) are too well known for us to need 
    to give any examples here. His books and writings bear witness to that and 
    he does not need anyone like us to praise him, rather his knowledge and fiqh 
    are extant and bear witness that no one can deny except one who is ignorant 
    or stubborn. 

    Secondly: 

    The testimony of the imams of his own and subsequent eras 
    makes clear to any fair-minded person the falseness of the claims that have 
    been fabricated by the enemies of Islam and the enemies of the Sunnah 
    against this prominent imam, and highlight his knowledge, understanding and 
    strength of argument. Hence we may know the reason why the people of kufr 
    and innovation fought against him, which was because he demolished their 
    principles and “and then the roof fell down upon them, from above them” 
    (cf. al-Nahl 16:26). We will quote some of the testimony to the soundness of 
    the belief of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah, and his support for the Sunnah, 
    and his refutation of those who followed innovation and myths. 

    These words of praise and testimony in favour of this imam 
    did not come only from his students and supporters, but even his opponents 
    testified that he surpassed others in knowledge and understanding, and they 
    even bore witness to his courage, generosity and jihad for the sake of 
    Allaah in support of Islam. There follow some of these words of praise and 
    testimony: 

    1 – Imam al-Dhahabi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said, 
    listing his Shaykhs: 

    He is our Shaykh, the Shaykh of Islam, unrivalled in our time 
    in terms of knowledge, courage, intelligence, spiritual enlightenment, 
    generosity, sincerity towards the ummah, enjoining what is good and 
    forbidding what is evil, and learning hadeeth – he put a great deal of 
    effort into seeking it and writing it down, and he examined the different 
    categories of narrators and acquired knowledge that no one else acquired. 

    He excelled in Qur’aanic commentary (tafseer) and delved 
    deeply into its subtle meanings. He derived meanings from it that no one 
    else managed to do before him. He also excelled in hadeeth and in the 
    memorization thereof; very few have memorized as much hadeeth as he 
    memorized. He attributed ahaadeeth to their proper sources and narrators, 
    and he was able to quote readily whatever he needed to establish proof. He 
    surpassed all people in knowledge of fiqh and the views of different 
    madhhabs, and the fatwas of the Sahaabah and Taabi’een, so much so that when 
    he issued a fatwa he did not adhere to the view of a madhhab, rather he 
    based his fatwa on whichever view was supported by the stronger evidence. He 
    excelled in knowledge of Arabic language, and studied issues on the basis of 
    rationality and reason. He studied the views of the philosophers and refuted 
    their arguments and pointed out their mistakes and warned against them. He 
    supported the Sunnah with the strongest evidence and proofs. He was harmed 
    for the sake of Allaah by his opponents and persecuted for his support of 
    the pure Sunnah, until Allaah caused him to prevail and caused the pious to 
    unite in loving him and praying for him, and suppressed his enemies and 
    guided men of other groups and sects through him. Allaah made kings and 
    commanders inclined to follow him and obey him, and he revived Syria – and 
    indeed Islam – through his efforts, when it was almost defeated, by urging 
    the rulers to resist the Tatars, when people were harbouring doubts about 
    Allaah and the believers were tried and shaken with a mighty shaking (cf. 
    al-Ahzaab 33:10-11), and hypocrisy grew strong. 

    His good qualities are many, and he is too great for a man 
    like me to talk about his life. If I were to swear an oath between the 
    Corner and the Maqaam I would swear that I have never seen anyone like him, 
    and that he has never seen anyone like himself. 

    See: Dhayl Tabaqaat al-Hanaabilah by Ibn Rajab 
    al-Hanbali (4/390). 

    2 – al-Haafiz ‘Imaad al-Deen al-Waasiti (may Allaah have 
    mercy on him) said: 

    By Allaah, there was never seen under the canopy of heaven 
    anyone like your Shaykh Ibn Taymiyah in knowledge, righteous deeds, 
    attitude, manner, adherence to the Sunnah, generosity, forbearance and 
    carrying out duties to Allaah when His sacred limits were transgressed; he 
    was the most sincere of people, the most sound in knowledge, the most 
    effective, the most serious in supporting the truth, the most generous, the 
    most perfect in following the Sunnah of Muhammad  (peace and blessings 
    of Allaah be upon him). We have never seen anyone in our own time who 
    demonstrates the example of the Prophet Muhammad  (peace and blessings 
    of Allaah be upon him) and his Sunnahs in word and deed like this man; a 
    sound heart will bear witness that this is following the Sunnah in the true 
    sense of the word. 

    Al-‘Uqood al-Durriyyah (p. 
    311). 

    3 – al-Haafiz Jalaal al-Deen al-Suyooti (may Allaah have 
    mercy on him) said: 

    Ibn Taymiyah, the Shaykh, the imam, the ‘allaamah (great 
    scholar), the hafiz, the critic, the faqeeh, the mujtahid, the brilliant 
    mufassir, the Shaykh of Islam, the leader of ascetics, the unrivalled in our 
    time, Taqiy al-Deen Abu’l-Abbaas Ahmad al-Mufti Shihaab al-Deen ‘Abd 
    al-Haleem, the son of the imam and mujtahid Shaykh al-Islam Majd al-Deen 
    ‘Abd al-Salaam ibn ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Abi’l-Qaasim al-Haraani. 

    One of the prominent figures, he was born in Rabee’ al-Awwal 
    661 AH, and he learned from Ibn Abi’l-Yasar, Ibn ‘Abd al-Daa’im, and some 
    others. 

    He took an interest in hadeeth, and narrated and selected 
    (sound ahaadeeth); he excelled in the study of narrators’ biographies, 
    defects in ahaadeeth, fiqh, the sciences of Islam, ‘ilm al-kalaam and other 
    fields. 

    He was a man of vast learning, one of the few brilliant 
    scholars, ascetics and unique individuals. He wrote three hundred books, and 
    he was tested and persecuted many times. 

    He died in the latter part of Dhu’l-Qa’dah 628 AH. 

    Tabaqaat al-Huffaaz (p. 516, 
    517. 

    Ibn Hajar al-Haytami [one of the greatest Shaafa’i fuqaha’, 
    who died in 974 AH and who is someone other than Ibn Hajar al-‘Asqallaani, 
    the author of Fath al-Baari, who died in 852 AH] criticized the two 
    Shaykhs of Islam, Ibn Taymiyah and his student Ibn al-Qayyim, a great deal 
    and accused them of describing Allaah in physical terms, likening Him to His 
    creation, and other abhorrent beliefs. But he was refuted by many, who 
    explained the falseness of what he said and demonstrated that the two imams 
    were innocent of any belief that goes against the Qur’aan and Sunnah. One of 
    these scholars was: 

    4 – al-Mulla ‘Ali Qaari (may Allaah have mercy on him), who 
    said, after quoting Ibn Hajar’s accusations against them and his criticism 
    of their ‘aqeedah: 

    I say: Allaah protected them – i.e., Ibn al-Qayyim and his 
    Shaykh Ibn Taymiyah – from this abhorrent accusation. The one who studies 
    Sharh Manaazil al-Saa’ireen by Nadeem al-Baari al-Shaykh ‘Abd-Allaah 
    al-Ansaari, who is the Shaykh of Islam according to the Sufis, will clearly 
    see that they were among Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah and are indeed among 
    the awliya’ (close friends of Allaah) of this ummah. Among what he said in 
    the book mentioned was the following: 

    “These words of Shaykh al-Islam highlight his position as a 
    prominent scholar of Ahl al-Sunnah, and his status among scholars, and it 
    demonstrates that he is innocent of what his Jahami enemies accused him of, 
    that he likened Allaah to His creation, as they usually accused the scholars 
    of hadeeth and Sunnah, just as the Raafidis accuse them of being Naasibis, 
    and the Naasibis accuse them of being Raafidis,, and the Mu’tazilah accuse 
    them of being anthropomorphists. That is a legacy of the enemies of the 
    Messenger of Allaah  (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) who 
    accused him and his companions of having invented a new religion. And this 
    is a legacy of the scholars of hadeeth and Sunnah from their Prophet, that 
    the people of falsehood give them offensive labels. 

    May Allaah sanctify the soul of al-Shaafa’i, who said when he 
    was accused of being a Raafidi: 

    If being a Raafidi means loving the family of Muhammad, then 
    let the two races (of mankind and jinn) bear witness that I am a Raafidi. 

    May Allaah be pleased with our Shaykh Abu’l-‘Abbaas ibn 
    Taymiyah when he said: 

    If being a Naasibi means loving the family of Muhammad, then 
    let the two races (of mankind and jinn) bear witness that I am a Naasibi. 

    May Allaah forgive the third – Ibn al-Qayyim – when he said: 

    If being an anthropomorphist means affirming the divine 
    attributes and regarding them as being above the interpretation of a liar,

    Then praise be to Allaah, I am an anthropomorphist; bring 
    your witnesses.” 

    Mirqaah al-Mafaateeh by al-Mulla 
    ‘Ali Qaari (8/146, 147). 

    The words between the quotation marks “” were quoted by 
    al-Mulla ‘Ali Qaari from Imam Ibn al-Qayyim, from his book Madaarij 
    al-Saalikeen bayna Manaazil Iyyaaka Na’budu wa Iyyaaka Nasta’een (2/87, 
    88). 

    The scholars of the Standing Committee were asked: 

    People say that Ibn Taymiyah was not one of Ahl al-Sunnah 
    wa’l-Jamaa’ah, and that he was misled and misled others, and that this is 
    the view of Ibn Hajar and others. Is what they say true or not? 

    They replied: 

    Shaykh Ahmad ibn ‘Abd al-Haleem Ibn Taymiyah is one of the 
    imams of Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah, who called people to the truth and to 
    the straight path. Allaah supported the Sunnah by means of him and 
    suppressed the followers of innovation and deviation. The one who regards 
    him as something other than that is the one who is an innovator and is 
    misled and is misleading others. They heard wrong things about him, and they 
    thought that truth was falsehood and falsehood was truth. That is known by 
    the one whom Allaah guides and who reads his books and the books of his 
    opponents, and compares his biography with theirs. This is the best and most 
    decisive testimony between the two parties. 

    Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz, Shaykh ‘Abd al-Razzaaq 
    ‘Afeefi, Shaykh ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Ghadyaan, Shaykh ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Qa’ood. 

    Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah 
    (2/451, 254). 

    Thirdly: 

    Comments of Imam al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar al-‘Asqallaani (may 
    Allaah have mercy on him) concerning Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah: 

    Al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar al-‘Asqallaani is a well known imam who 
    died in 852 AH; he is the author of beneficial books such as Fath 
    al-Baari Sharh Saheeh al-Bukhaari, al-Talkhees al-Habeer, 
    Tahdheeb al-Tahdheeb and others. Al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar said a few things 
    in different places about Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah, in which he 
    testified that he was a man of knowledge and virtue who defended the Sunnah. 
    The points on which al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allaah have mercy on him) 
    criticized Shaykh al-Islam can be refuted, and there are those who criticize 
    Ibn Hajar himself on some points of ‘aqeedah, but that does not concern us 
    and there is no need to discuss it here. Rather we will quote what he said 
    in praise of Shaykh al-Islam, in order to highlight the error of those who 
    say that al-Haafiz (may Allaah have mercy on him) did not respect Shaykh 
    al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah. 

    There follows a glimpse of what al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar (may 
    Allaah have mercy on him) said about Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may 
    Allaah have mercy on him). 

    1.

    Shaykh Ibn Naasir al-Deen al-Dimashqi wrote a book called 
    al-Radd al-Waafir ‘ala man za’ama anna man sammaa Ibn Taymiyah Shaykh 
    al-Islam kaafir, in which he refuted one of the fanatical Hanafis who 
    claimed that it was not permissible to call Ibn Taymiyah “Shaykh al-Islam”, 
    and that the one who did that was a kaafir. In it he mentioned eighty five 
    imams, all of whom described Ibn Taymiyah as Shaykh al-Islam, and he quoted 
    their words from their books to that effect. When al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar (may 
    Allaah have mercy on him) read this book – al-Radd al-Waafir – he 
    wrote an introduction to it, in which he said: 
, and peace be upon His slaves whom He has 
    chosen. 
    
    I came across this beneficial book and I realized what deep 
    knowledge the imam who wrote it has, and how prominent he is in many 
    branches of knowledge, to such an extent that he became greatly respected 
    and honoured by the scholars. The fame and position of Shaykh Taqiy al-Deen 
    as an imam is brighter than the sun, and his title as the Shaykh al-Islam of 
    his own era has lasted until today and will continue tomorrow. Nobody 
    rejects that except one who is ignorant of his position, or is unfair. How 
    wrong is the one who thinks that way and how mistaken he is. Allaah is the 
    One Whom we ask to protect us from the evil of our own souls and of our 
    tongues by His blessing and grace. If there were not other evidence of the 
    greatness of this man apart from that which was pointed out by al-Haafiz 
    al-Shaheer ‘Ilm al-Deen al-Barzaali in his Tareekh, (where he says): 
    There was no one in the history of Islam for whose funeral people gathered 
    as they did for the funeral of Shaykh Taqiy al-Deen. He pointed out that the 
    funeral of Imam Ahmad was attended by hundreds of thousands, but if the 
    population of Damascus was like that of Baghdad, or many times greater, no 
    one would have stayed away from his funeral. Moreover, all of those who were 
    in Baghdad, except a very few, believed in the leadership of Imam Ahmad. The 
    ruler and caliph of Baghdad at that time had a great deal of love and 
    respect for him. This is unlike the case of Ibn Taymiyah, for the ruler of 
    the city when he died was absent, and most of the fuqaha’ in the city had 
    ganged up against him, and he died imprisoned in the citadel. But despite 
    that none of them stayed away from his funeral or failed to pray for mercy 
    for him and mourn for him, except three individuals, who stayed away for 
    fear of the anger of the masses.  

    Although these huge numbers attended his funeral, there was 
    no motive for that except their belief that he was a great imam and their 
    desire to seek blessing from attending his funeral. They did not gather on 
    the orders of the authorities or for any other reason. It is narrated in a 
    saheeh report that the Prophet  (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon 
    him) said: “You are the witnesses of Allaah on earth” – narrated by 
    al-Bukhaari and Muslim. 

    A number of scholars opposed Shaykh Taqiy al-Deen many times, 
    because of reasons for which they criticized him that had to do with 
    fundamental and minor issues. Many hearings were held against him in Cairo 
    and Damascus, but there is no report that any of them said he was a heretic 
    and there was no ruling that he should be executed, even though there were 
    many people in government at that time who were strongly opposed to him, and 
    he was imprisoned in Cairo, then in Alexandria. Despite that, they all 
    recognized his vast knowledge and his deep piety and asceticism, and they 
    described him as generous and courageous, as well as supporting Islam and 
    calling people to Allaah in secret and openly. Why shouldn’t we denounce the 
    one who says that he was a kaafir or that the one who calls him Shaykh 
    al-Islam is a kaafir, when there is nothing to imply kufr in calling him 
    that? He was undoubtedly a Shaykh of Islam, and the issues for which he was 
    opposed were not things that he said on the basis of whims and desires, and 
    he did not persist in saying them after proof was established against him 
    out of stubbornness. His books are filled with refutations of those who 
    promoted anthropomorphism and his disavowal thereof. But nevertheless he 
    was a human being who made mistakes and got things right. That in which he 
    was correct – which was most of it – may be benefited from, and we may pray 
    for mercy for him because of that, and that which he got wrong should not be 
    followed, but he may be excused for it, because the imams of his era bore 
    witness that he was fully qualified to engage in ijtihaad; even the one who 
    was most strongly opposed to him and strove to harm him, namely Shaykh 
    Kamaal al-Deen al-Zamalkaani, bore witness to that, as did Shaykh Sadr 
    al-Deen ibn al-Wakeel, who was the only one who was able to hold a debate 
    with Ibn Taymiyah. 

    It is most amazing that this man was the staunchest opponent 
    of the innovators such as the  Raafidis, Huloolis and Ittihaadis, whose 
    writings on that are many and well known, whose fatwas concerning them are 
    too numerous to count. How happy they would be to realize that there are 
    people who accuse him of kufr and say that the one who does not regard him 
    as a kaafir is a kaafir. The one who claims to have knowledge, if he has any 
    reason or sense, should ponder the man’s words in his famous books, or hear 
    them from honest and trustworthy narrators, so that he will put aside what 
    he finds objectionable and warn others by way of sincerity, and praise him 
    for the matters he got right, as the attitude of other scholars should be. 
    If there was no good quality in him except the fact that his student was 
    Shaykh Shams al-Deen ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah, the author of so many 
    beneficial books,  from which everyone has benefited, both those who agree 
    with him and those who oppose him, that would be sufficient indication of 
    his great status, so how about when his prominence in various fields of 
    knowledge and his distinction in the study of the texts was affirmed by the 
    prominent Shaafa’is of his time and others, in addition to the Hanbalis? No 
    attention should be paid to the one who calls him a kaafir despite all these 
    achievements, or who describes the one who calls him “Shaykh al-Islam” as a 
    kaafir, and he should be ignored with regard to this matter; indeed he 
    should be rebuked for saying that, until he comes back to the truth. Allaah 
    speaks the truth and He guides to the right way; Allaah is sufficient for us 
    and He is the best disposer of affairs. 

    Said and written by Ahmad ibn ‘Ali ibn Muhammad ibn Hajar 
    al-Shaafa’i, may Allaah forgive him, on Friday 9 Rabee’ al-Awwal, 835 AH. 
, and may Allaah send blessings and peace upon His 
    Messenger Muhammad and his family. 

    Al-Radd al-Waafir by Imam Ibn 
    Naasir al-Deen al-Dimashqi (p. 145, 146), al-Haafiz al-Sakhaawi – the 
    student of Ibn Hajar – quoted the words of his Shaykh in his book 
    al-Jawaahir wa’l-Durar (2/734-736). 

    2.

    al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar wrote a lengthy biography of Shaykh 
    al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on them both) in his book 
    al-Durar al-Kaaminah, at the beginning of which he said: 

    His father took him with him from Harraan in 667 AH, and he 
    learned from Ibn ‘Abd al-Daa’im, al-Qaasim al-Arbili, Muslim ibn ‘Allaan, 
    Ibn Abi ‘Umar and al-Fakhr, among others. He read by himself and copied 
    Sunan Abi Dawood, and he studied al-rijaal (narrators of hadeeth) and 
    al-‘ilal (faults in hadeeth). He acquired deep knowledge, and he 
    distinguished himself and went ahead of others. He wrote books, taught and 
    issued fatwas, and he surpassed his peers. He had an amazing ability to 
    recollect quickly; he was courageous; he had a deep knowledge of textual and 
    rational matters; and he was able to discuss matters in detail on the basis 
    of the views of earlier and later scholars. End quote. 

    Al-Durar al-Kaaminah fi A’yaan al-Mi’ah al-Thaaminah 
    (1/168). 

    In his biography he quoted many texts of the imams which 
    praised Shaykh al-Islam (may Allaah have mercy on him) and affirmed his 
    scholarship in rational and textual fields of knowledge. For example, he 
    said: 

    3.

    I read in the handwriting of al-Haafiz Salaah al-Deen 
    al-‘Alaa’i, when he wrote the biography of the Shaykh of our shaykhs, 
    al-Haafiz Baha’ al-Deen ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Muhammad ibn Khaleel, the following: 
    This Baha’ al-Deen learned from the two Shaykhs, our Shaykh, master and 
    leader in the way of Allaah, the prominent Shaykh, the one who leads his 
    followers to the best way, the one who has numerous virtues and the 
    strongest evidence, which all the nations affirm that they are unable to 
    list all this evidence; may Allaah enable us to learn from his great 
    knowledge and benefit us by means of his knowledge in this world and in the 
    Hereafter. He is the Shaykh, imam, scholar, teacher and bright star, the 
    imam of imams, the blessing of the ummah, the leader of scholars, the 
    example for people to follow, the light for the learners, the suppressor of 
    innovators, the sea of knowledge, the treasure of those who seek benefit, 
    the interpreter of the Qur’aan, the wonder of our age, the unrivalled one of 
    our era, Taqiy al-Deen, the imam of the Muslims, the proof of Allaah against 
    the world, the one who will join the righteous, the follower of the 
    predecessors, the supporter of the truth, the sign of guidance, the 
    prominent hafiz, the most eloquent of speech, the pillar of sharee’ah, the 
    possessor of brilliant knowledge, Abu’l-‘Abbaas Ibn Taymiyah. 

    Al-Durar al-Kaaminah (186-187). 

    Fourthly: 

    Although the texts that we have quoted or referred to, which 
    contain the words of al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allaah have mercy on him) or 
    which were quoted by al-Haafiz from others, speak of respect for Shaykh 
    al-Islam and highlight his status in the field of religious knowledge, that 
    does not mean that al-Haafiz did not differ with Shaykh al-Islam at all in 
    some fields of knowledge, or that he never criticized him, because it 
    usually happens that scholars refute one another, without that necessarily 
    meaning that the one who refutes another does not respect or appreciate the 
    status of the latter, let alone accuse him of innovation or misguidance. 
    Long ago, Imam Maalik (may Allaah have mercy on him) spoke his famous words: 
    “Anyone’s opinion may be accepted or rejected, except the occupant of this 
    grave” or words to that effect – meaning the Messenger of Allaah  (peace 
    and blessings of Allaah be upon him). 

    Regardless of who was right in any given issue, whether it 
    was Shaykh al-Islam or the one who differed with him or tried to refute him, 
    al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar or someone else, how about if the one who was right in 
    most of the cases where they objected to him, was Shaykh al-Islam? May 
    Allaah have mercy on them all. 

    You may refer to many of the issues for which Shaykh al-Islam 
    was criticized, especially by Ibn Hajar al-Haytami, to whom we referred 
    above, in what was written by Shaykh Nu’maan Khayr al-Deen ibn al-Aloosi 
    (may Allaah have mercy on him) in his beneficial book Jala’ al-‘Aynayn fi 
    Muhaakamah al-Ahmadayn, meaning Ahmad ibn Taymiyah and Ahmad ibn Hajar 
    al-Haytami (may Allaah have mercy on them). 

    You may also see the book Da’aawa al-Munaawi’een li Shaykh 
    al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah, which is an academic research by Dr. ‘Abd-Allaah 
    ibn Saalih al-Ghusun. 

    Fifthly: 

    What is mentioned in the question about Shaykh al-Islam 
    having deviated from sound ‘aqeedah and ascribed to Allaah, may He be 
    exalted, the attributes of His creation, is an utter fabrication and a 
    blatant lie against Shaykh al-Islam and his methodology and ‘aqeedah. Anyone 
    who reads any of his major or minor books will realize that. Among these 
    texts and rules which it would be too difficult to refer to all of them, let 
    alone quote them, are his words:    

    The early generation of this ummah and its imams are 
    unanimously agreed that there is nothing like unto Allaah, either in His 
    essence or His attributes or His actions. One of the imams said: Whoever 
    likens Allaah to His creation is a kaafir, and whoever denies that which 
    Allaah has ascribed to Himself is a kaafir; there is nothing like unto that 
    which Allaah has ascribed to Himself or His Messenger has ascribed to Him. 
    End quote. 

    Fataawa Shaykh al-Islam 
    (2/126). 

    And he (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:  

    The comprehensive statement concerning all of this matter is 
    that Allaah is to be described as He has described Himself or His Messenger 
    has described Him, and as the early generation have described Him, and we 
    are not to go beyond what the Qur’aan and hadeeth say. 

    Imam Ahmad (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: Allaah is 
    not to be described except as He has described Himself or His Messenger has 
    described Him, and one is not to go beyond the  Qur’aan and hadeeth. 

    The approach of the salaf was to describe Allaah as He 
    described Himself and as His Messenger described Him, without distorting or 
    denying, and without asking how or likening Him to His creation. We know 
    that what Allaah has ascribed to Himself is true, and there is nothing 
    mysterious or puzzling in it, rather its meaning is to be understood as the 
    One Who said it meant it to be understood, especially when the one who said 
    it is more knowledgeable of what he says than all other people and the most 
    eloquent and most able to explain what he wanted to explain, and the most 
    fluent in explaining, defining and guiding. 

    In addition to all of this, there is nothing like unto 
    Allaah, either in His holy essence or His names and attributes or actions. 
    We believe firmly that He has a real essence and that He has real actions, 
    and real attributes. There is nothing like unto Him, in his essence, 
    attributes or actions. If there is anything that implies shortcomings or 
    that He has a beginning, He is far above that in a real sense, and He is to 
    be thought of as perfect in such a way that there is no perfection above it. 
    He has no beginning and He cannot have been created, because there was never 
    a time when He did not exist. For anything to be created implies that there 
    was a time when it did not exist, and that creation would require a creator, 
    but He has always existed from eternity.  

    The view of the salaf is one of moderation, neither denying 
    the divine attributes nor likening Allaah to His creation. They do not liken 
    the attributes of Allaah to the attributes of His creation, as they do not 
    liken His essence to the essence of His creation. They do not deny that 
    which He ascribes to Himself or that His Messenger ascribes to Him, which 
    leads to denying His beautiful names and sublime attributes, and to 
    displacing words from (their) right places (cf. al-Nisa’ 4:46) and turning 
    away from (Fussilat 41:40) the names and signs of Allaah. 

    Both those who deny Allaah’s attributes and those who liken 
    Him to His creation are guilty of both errors. Those who deny His attributes 
    failed to understand the names and attributes of Allaah except in a manner 
    that is befitting to created beings, so they denied these concepts and thus 
    they have combined both errors; first of all they likened Him to His 
    creation, then they denied His attributes as a result. That is likening the 
    names and attributes to what may be understood from the names and attributes 
    of His creation, then they denied the attributes that He deserves to have 
    that are befitting to Allaah, may He be glorified and exalted. 

    Fataawa Shaykh al-Islam 
    (5/26-27) 

    The texts of Shaykh al-Islam concerning this issue are very 
    many, as we have indicated, but what we have quoted is sufficient, in sha 
    Allaah. 

    And Allaah is the Source of strength.