Sharḥ Riyāḍ al-Ṣāliḥīn - Ibn al-'Uthaymin - (5/535)

Allah is modest and Generous. The Almighty has also said, “Allah is not shy of [declaring] the truth.”

Allah is indeed described with this attribute, yet not in a manner resembling created beings, for He says in the Quran, “There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.” Whenever you come across one of Allah’s attributes that, in wording, resembles an attribute of the creation, understand that the two are not alike in reality, because “There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.”

Thus, when you read, for example, that Allah “rose over the Throne,” do not imagine that His rising over the Throne is like your mounting the back of a camel of which He said, “when you have seated yourselves upon it.” And when the Almighty says, “Rather, both His hands are outstretched,” do not suppose that the hands of Allah—glorified and exalted is He—are like your hands, for “There is nothing like unto Him.” All of His attributes are unique to Him. Just as we affirm His oneness in His essence and single Him out in worship, we must likewise single Him out in His attributes: “There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.”

1450 – It is narrated from Abū Saʿīd al-Khudrī (may Allah be pleased with him) that Muʿāwiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) once came upon a circle in the mosque and asked, “What has made you sit here?” They replied, “We are sitting to remember Allah.” He said, “By Allah, is it only that which has made you sit?” They answered, “Nothing else has made us sit.” He said, “I have not made you swear out of any suspicion concerning you; and among those who held a rank like mine with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, no one reported fewer ḥadith from him than I. Indeed, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ came out to a circle of his Companions and said, ‘What has made you sit?’ They said, ‘We are sitting to remember Allah and to praise Him for guiding us to Islam and for the favours He has bestowed upon us.’ He said, ‘By Allah, is it only that which has made you sit?’ ”

الله حيي كريم وقال الله تعالى والله لا يستحي من الحق والله ﷾ يوصف بهذه الصفة لكن ليس مثل المخلوقين لأن الله ﷾ يقول في القرآن ﴿ليس كمثله شيء وهو السميع البصير﴾ فكلما مر عليك صفة من صفات الله مشابهة لصفات المخلوقين في اللفظ فاعلم أنهما لا يستويان في المعنى لأن الله ﴿ليس كمثله شيء وهو السميع البصير﴾ فإذا مر بك مثلا أن الله استوى على العرش فلا تظن أن استواءه على العرش كاستوائك أنت على ظهر البعير الذي قال فيه ﴿إذا استويتم عليه﴾ وإذا قال الله تعالى ﴿بل يداه مبسوطتان﴾ فلا تظن أن يدي الله جل وعلا مثل يديك لأن الله ليس كمثله شيء فجميع صفاته هو منفرد بها وكما أننا نوحده في ذاته ونوحده في العبادة كذلك نوحده في صفاته ﴿ليس كمثله شيء وهو السميع البصير﴾ . ١٤٥٠ - وعن أبي سعيد الخدري ﵁ قال خرج معاوية ﵁ على حلقة في المسجد فقال ما أجلسكم قالوا جلسنا نذكر الله قال آلله ما أجلسكم إلا ذاك قالوا ما أجلسنا إلا ذاك قال أما إني لم أستحلفكم تهمة لكم وما كان أحد بمنزلتي من رسول الله ﷺ أقل عنه حديثا مني إن رسول الله ﷺ خرج على حلقة من أصحابه فقال ما أجلسكم قالوا جلسنا نذكر الله ونحمده على ما هدانا للإسلام ومن به علينا قال آلله ما أجلسكم إلا ذاك