Then Ibn al-Qayyim said: “Seventh: One may say: Suppose that the Quran does indicate the affirmation of a side as an attribute …” This was a concession for the sake of argument, intended to hold his opponent to the implications of his own position in debate. The writer confined himself to quoting these words of Ibn al-Qayyim, omitting the preceding passage, which clarifies his meaning and explains his intent.

I say: O Allah, how alike these people’s hearts are, and how closely their desires align! Al-Dārimī—may Allah have mercy on him—addresses the Jahmī opponent who alleged that certain people interpreted “towards Allah” as referring to a bodily side. He says to him: “How lightly you regard lying, and how readily it slips off your tongue! If your claim is true, point to a single human being who has said this. Otherwise, why do you malign with lies people who know this interpretation better than you?” He then explains the meaning of the verse according to the scholars: that what is meant is their neglect of faith and the virtues. He says: “This meaning is familiar even to many ordinary Muslims, let alone their scholars.” He then cites reports from the early generations warning against lying: that it is incompatible with faith, that it is a trait of hypocrites, and that it is not permissible either in earnest or in jest.

All of this was stated by al-Dārimī and quoted in full by Ibn al-Qayyim, who affirmed it and cited it as evidence. It appears on the very same page from which the writer quoted. Yet he deliberately turns a blind eye to all of it and claims that Ibn al-Qayyim affirms a side as an attribute of Allah and takes the Muslim community back to ancient idolatry.

So we say to him what Imam al-Dārimī said to his predecessor: “How lightly you regard lying, and how readily it slips off your tongue!” For His words, “towards Allah,” mean “with regard to Allah’s religion” or “with regard to what is due to Allah.” This meaning is familiar even to many ordinary Muslims, let alone the Imam and erudite, meticulous scholar Ibn al-Qayyim—may Allah Most High have mercy on him.

And we say to the writer: Did what you read on that very page not deter you from lying—the words of Abū Bakr—may Allah be pleased with him—“Lying is incompatible with faith”; the words of Ibn Mas‘ūd—may Allah be pleased with him—“Lying is not permissible, whether in earnest or in jest”; and the words of al-Sha‘bī, “Whoever is a liar is a hypocrite”? Did all this not deter you from lying, when it contains the strongest deterrent? Or does nature prevail?