All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
Indeed, the soundness of a Muslim's belief is a fundamental and essential objective of Islamic law, in order to preserve the religion. Therefore, Islam has surrounded it with the highest care and utmost attention. Allah the Almighty says {what means}: 'And whoever invokes another deity along with Allah, for which he has no proof, then his reckoning is only with his Lord. Indeed, the disbelievers will not succeed.' [Al-Mu'minun, 117].
As for the "doctrine of anthropomorphism," its adherents believe that Allah is a body and that He has organs and limbs, but they claim that Allah is greater than all other bodies. They use the apparent meanings of ambiguous texts that include terms like "hand," "eye," "face," and "rising (for Istiwa`)" as evidence for their doctrine, which is a false argument. This is because the meanings of these linguistic expressions are not intended by the Lawgiver (Allah); rather, they follow the eloquent style of the Arabs in their speech. Ibn al-Jawzi, the Hanbali scholar, criticized the anthropomorphists and those who ascribe bodily attributes to Allah, stating: "They have taken the apparent meanings of the names and attributes, labeling them as attributes in an innovative way for which they have no evidence from either the texts of Sharia (The Quran and the Sunnah) or reason. They have not paid attention to the texts that divert these apparent meanings to the necessary meanings of Allah The Almighty, nor have they disregarded what the apparent meanings imply regarding the attributes of creation. "Any term among the ambiguous texts of the Qur'an and Sunnah that indicates anthropomorphism or its implications, such as occupying space, location, direction, or physical elevation, must not be believed in its apparent sense according to Islamic law. Rather, Allah should be exalted above such false meanings, as they are impossible both rationally and from the perspective of Sharia. Allah The Almighty says {What means}: “There is nothing like Him, and He is the Hearing, the Seeing.” [Ash-Shura, 11]. If it were true that Allah is a body, His divinity would cease to exist; exalted is Allah above such a claim.
The methodology of Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah regarding these ambiguous matters is to affirm Allah's transcendence beyond anything unworthy of Him, such as corporealism or resemblance to creation. This has been consistently affirmed by the leading scholars of Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah. Here are some statements from prominent scholars on this issue. Imam al-Tahawi stated in his creed: "Our Lord, Glorified and Exalted, is described with the attributes of oneness, characterized by the traits of uniqueness. No one from creation shares His meaning. He is exalted beyond limits, boundaries, sides, limbs, and instruments, and is not encompassed by the six directions as is the case with all created beings." Al-Hafiz Ibn Hibban said: "Praise be to Allah, who has no defined limit that could encompass Him, nor a finite term that would lead to His end. Space does not contain Him, nor does the continuity of time encompass Him. His blessings are not perceived by external senses, nor are His attributes comparable to those of human beings. " Imam al-Khattabi, the hadith scholar, stated: "Allah, Glorified and Exalted, is described by His attributes, and any attributes unsuitable for Him, resembling human traits, are negated. He has no organs or parts and is not composed of separate elements. There is nothing like Him, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. " In the book entiltled "Al-Asma' wa al-Sifat, " it is mentioned: "When the name 'Allah' is affirmed, any attribute that would invalidate this concept must be negated. Resemblance to creation is among these negated concepts because, if He had a likeness in His creation, then it would be possible for Him to share in the qualities of that likeness. If that were possible, then He would not deserve the name 'Allah,' just as His creation that resembles Him does not deserve it. Thus, it becomes clear that the name 'Allah' and any form of resemblance cannot coexist, just as the name 'Allah' cannot coexist with negating His absolute originality. And all success is from Allah only."
In clarifying the approach of the Ash'aris and Imam al-Ash'ari on affirming Allah's transcendence and rejecting anthropomorphism, Al-Hafiz Ibn Asakir said: "Praise be to Allah, they [the Ash'aris] are neither Mu'tazilites nor deniers who negate Allah’s attributes, thus rendering Him without attributes. Rather, they affirm for Him the attributes He has affirmed for Himself and describe Him with the attributes mentioned in the clear verses of the Qur'an and the authentic reports of the Prophet, peace be upon him. They declare Him free from any traits of deficiency or flaws. When they encounter someone who speaks of embodiment or comparison to creation, such as the proponents of anthropomorphism, or those who describe Him with the attributes of created beings, like those who believe in limits and spatial direction, they then follow the path of figurative interpretation. They uphold His transcendence with the clearest proofs and emphasize the sanctity and exaltation of Allah, out of fear that those without knowledge may mistakenly fall into the injustice of likening Him to His creation. "
In summary, Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama'ah have two approaches regarding ambiguous texts, after agreeing on the necessity of declaring Allah's transcendence above any imperfection or resemblance to His creation. These approaches are:
1. Interpretation (Ta'wil): This involves rejecting the literal meaning of the text while clarifying the intended meaning of Allah.
2. Delegation (Tafwid): This involves rejecting the literal meaning but refraining from specifying the intended meaning, leaving it to Allah.
Both methods fulfill the required task of affirming Allah’s transcendence. Imam Fakhr al-Din al-Razi explained, "The essence of this approach is that we must be certain that Allah’s intention in these ambiguous verses is something other than their apparent meanings. Then, we must delegate their meanings to Allah, avoiding delving into their interpretation. However, the majority of theologians hold that it is obligatory to interpret these ambiguous texts. " Imam al-Nawawi said, "This hadith is among those related to Allah’s attributes, and there are two approaches, which have been mentioned several times in the Book of Faith. The first is to believe in it without delving into its meaning, with the conviction that nothing is like Allah and that He is above the attributes of created beings. The second is to interpret it in a way that is appropriate to Him. " Al-Liqani, in his famous poem "Jawharat al-Tawhid", stated, "And any text that implies resemblance, interpret it or delegate it, and adhere to transcendence."
Thus, the sects of the anthropomorphists (Mujassima) are diverse and divided, although they have always been a minority in the history of Islam. They hold abominable and grave beliefs regarding the nature of Allah, attributing to Him deficiencies and physical features such as body parts, sleep, and forgetfulness—matters that are too vile to mention in detail. In "Maqalat al-Islamiyyin, " it is recorded: "The anthropomorphists themselves differ in their views on anthropomorphism, and whether Allah has a specific measure. There are sixteen different opinions on His dimensions. Hisham ibn al-Hakam, for example, stated that Allah is a limited body with width, depth, and length… It has been reported that some anthropomorphists affirmed that the Creator has a color but denied that He has taste, smell, or other attributes. Other proponents said that the Creator is a body but denied that He could be described with color, taste, smell, texture, or any of the descriptions given by Hisham. However, they did claim He is positioned on the throne, in contact with it, but not with anything else."
Among the anthropomorphists, there are groups that explicitly affirm anthropomorphism, saying that Allah is a body like other bodies. Other groups, however, do not state it explicitly but instead claim that Allah is a body unlike other bodies. Both of these views are incorrect, as Allah is not a body in any sense and is transcendent above what these individuals claim.
In conclusion, the doctrine of anthropomorphism (Tajsim) is invalid according to Islamic belief, and it is impermissible to follow because it contradicts the methodology of Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama'ah. No reliable textual evidence (From the Quran and the Prophetic Sunnah) supports this doctrine, and both rational and textual proofs consistently refute it and the statements of its proponents. None of the Salaf or Khalaf (early or later scholars) endorsed such beliefs. Any reports that appear contrary to the doctrine of transcendence (Tanzih) are either unauthentic or have valid interpretations consistent with the correct creed. Only a small number of people have adopted anthropomorphism ; however, their views should not be heeded or relied upon. And Allah The Almighty knows best.
