anthropomorphism?

[Abdul1234]

In answer to tls, without claiming to be knowledgeable, anthropomorphism is the big sin of attributing human qualities or form to Allah.

In the universally respected Aqeedah Tahawiyyah it states of Allah...

There is nothing like Him 3

No imagination can conceive of Him and no understanding can comprehend him 8

He is different from any created being 9

Anyone who describes Allah as being in any way the same as a human being is an unbeliever... 34

He is beyond having limits placed upon Him, or being restricted, or having parts or limbs, Nor is He contained by the six directions as all created things are 38

[Abdul1234]

Looking on the internet it is sometimes hard to escape the attacks of the anthropomorphists and crypto-anthropomorphists upon the Asharis and Maturidis but a simple question for any anthropomorphist or others who wrongly limit Allah in their imaginations to a space within the creation...

If we hold as some people do that Allah is physically limited to a space on the Divine Throne for most of the time but that He (SWT) physically comes closer to the earth during the last portion of the night to favorably answer the supplications of the worshipers of that time (as is taught by a certain group)...

...how do we cope with the fact that the last portion of the night is occurring constantly somewhere on earth (24 hours a day)?

do we A. say that there are "two Allah's" one who remains on the Throne and one who stays close to answer the supplications of the latter portion of the night (which is of course kufr, may Allah protect us from such wrong beliefs)

or do we B. say that Allah is physically present at two places at the same time with one form ?

...of course we know neither of these suggestions are correct because Allah is not limited to a space or form within the creation, He is everywhere with His awareness and He is not limited to physicality because physicality is part of the creation - He is the Creator.

Just a little thought shows how athropomorphism and crypto-anthropomorphism are silly

As Imam Tahawi (ra) explains, Allah is beyond having limits placed upon Him, or being restricted, or having parts or limbs, Nor is He contained by the six directions as all created things are.

and from these things we know that He (SWT) is far beyond being limited to a shape or spatial location within the creation, never mind an anthropomorphic form.

as we know the People of the Garden will indeed see Allah, but Imam Tahawi (ra) and other scholars of this field point out that their vision of Allah will not be 'all encompassing'. To try and imagine Allah's appearance at that time is a futile task as it is something beyond our abilities and understanding in this life.

[maneatinglizard]

Looking on the internet it is sometimes hard to escape the attacks of the anthropomorphists and crypto-anthropomorphists upon the Asharis and Maturidis but a simple question for any anthropomorphist or others who wrongly limit Allah in their imaginations to a space within the creation...

If we hold as some people do that Allah is physically limited to a space on the Divine Throne for most of the time but that He (SWT) physically comes closer to the earth during the last portion of the night to favorably answer the supplications of the worshipers of that time (as is taught by a certain group)...

...how do we cope with the fact that the last portion of the night is occurring constantly somewhere on earth (24 hours a day)?

do we A. say that there are "two Allah's" one who remains on the Throne and one who stays close to answer the supplications of the latter portion of the night (which is of course kufr, may Allah protect us from such wrong beliefs)

or do we B. say that Allah is physically present at two places at the same time with one form ?

...of course we know neither of these suggestions are correct because Allah is not limited to a space or form within the creation, He is everywhere with His awareness and He is not limited to physicality because physicality is part of the creation - He is the Creator.

Just a little thought shows how athropomorphism and crypto-anthropomorphism are silly

As Imam Tahawi (ra) explains, Allah is beyond having limits placed upon Him, or being restricted, or having parts or limbs, Nor is He contained by the six directions as all created things are.

and from these things we know that He (SWT) is far beyond being limited to a shape or spatial location within the creation, never mind an anthropomorphic form.

as we know the People of the Garden will indeed see Allah, but Imam Tahawi (ra) and other scholars of this field point out that their vision of Allah will not be 'all encompassing'. To try and imagine Allah's appearance at that time is a futile task as it is something beyond our abilities and understanding in this life.

They very clearly ascribe impossibilities to Allah (like the Christians do), so I'm sure they have some alternate nonsensical explanation to that issue.

[zahed73]

I like to know more on this issue from the Ahle Sunnah views
of Hanafi , shafi and Maliki . What are the Maturidi and Ashari view ?
Could any of the brothers please contribute.
After reading the entire thread I have a feeling its the blind leading the
blind whose trying to lead the deaf.
Only thing they have in common is they all talk.

[Salafi-Muslim]

In the universally respected Aqeedah Tahawiyyah it states of Allah...

Since when is Aqeedah Tahawiyyah universally respected?

[Sulaiman84]

Since when is Aqeedah Tahawiyyah universally respected?

Since when was it not universally accepted and respected by ulama?

[Salafi-Muslim]

Since when was it not universally accepted and respected by ulama?

First answer my question then I will answer yours.

[At Tayyib]

Since when was it not universally accepted and respected by ulama?

When the Salafis came to the scene. They spoiled the whole plot

[Abdul1234]

I like to know more on this issue from the Ahle Sunnah views
of Hanafi , shafi and Maliki . What are the Maturidi and Ashari view ?
Could any of the brothers please contribute.
After reading the entire thread I have a feeling its the blind leading the
blind whose trying to lead the deaf.
Only thing they have in common is they all talk.

The Ulema of the Hanafi, Shafii, Maliki schools of fiqh (and Hanbalee until recently) are almost unanimously united in following the Ashari or Maturidi schools of theology, both of which are essentially represented in a basic way through the creed of Imam Tahawi (ra), although obviously they themselves go into much greater detail in some areas.

The great majority of the scholars of the Ummah follow either the Ashari or Maturidi schools of theology, they are the mainstream schools of thought in Ahlus Sunnah wal Jamaat.

The Salafis are still a small minority of the Muslims (less than 10%) some of them too follow the Ashari or Maturidi schools of theology, even those who do not still mostly accept the creed of Imam Tahawi (ra) as did Bin Baz (ra), although their interpretation of it may be different.

Salafis are best to stick to the true original Athari/Salafi way of neither negating nor interpreting the scriptural descriptions of the things that may be interpreted anthropomorphically - this is safest for them, sadly some go beyond not negating and start interpreting by implication, which is like anthropomorphism by the back door.

I hope this simplifies things for you.

[zahed73]

Thank you Abdul1234

Been doing some fact finding myself and came across some useful short clips and documents. These are the kind of things best explained by learned people and not on threads , so planning on meeting someone on this.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_6rJNTPVgs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cO8zLNmyrM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-AcRFShY2I