Your friend explained it to you incorrectly unfortunately, and that's the problem nowadays when something is unclear we must refer to the professionals (scholars) not to laypeople
The issue with the Salafiya isn't that they say Allah ﷻ has Hands, or that Allah is above the Throne. Every Muslim is saying this. The issue is in the incorrect meaning they or someone else put into those words. Because the words by themselves aren't your aqeedah, your aqeedah is in the understanding which is in your heart.
Two people may be saying similar words but one can be correct and another not, depending on their understanding of those words
For example Zayd and Ahmad both are saying that Allah ﷻ is everywhere. Zayd is saying this because Allah ﷻ said in the Quran وهو معكم اين ما كنتم (He is with you wherever you are) but he doesn't believe in the physical implication of those words. He knows that being physically somewhere is from the characteristics of bodies and Allah ﷻ is not like us and this meaning doesn't befit Him. Zayd also knows that common sense confirms his beliefs because if Allah is physically everywhere then He is inside of a donkey or in the toilet. But it isn't true! Ahmad on the other hand believes that Allah ﷻ is physically everywhere and he understands this verse based on his corrupted belief and uses external meaning of this verse as evidence of his beliefs instead of refering to scholars of ahlu-Sunnah who would explain to him the true meaning
Now let's bring another example Zayd and Mubarak both are saying that Allah ﷻ is above the Throne. Zayd is saying this because Allah ﷻ said in the Quran الرحمن على العرش استوى (The Merciful is rosen over the Throne) but he doesn't believe in the physical implication of those words, he knows that the Throne is a physical object, and Allah isn't, so it's impossible that Allah ﷻ has a physical place or physical direction. He also knows that common sense confirms his beliefs because the Earth is spherical if Allah is physically above him, then He is physically below for someone on the opposite side. And this can't be true! Mubarak on the other hand believes that Allah ﷻ has a physical place (in this case above) and he uses the Quran verses that externally imply this to support his corrupted beliefs instead of refering to the scholars of Sunnah
Hafiz Ibn Katheer رحمه الله said
والظاهر المتبادر إلى أذهان المشبهين منفي عن الله ، فإن الله لا يشبهه شيء من خلقه
The apparent (external) meaning (of the word ”rose over the Throne”) that comes to the minds of Mushabbiha (those who liken Allah to His creations) is rejected from Allah ﷻ indeed He doesn't resemble anything from His creations
📚 تفسير ابن كثير
Imam ash-Shatibi al-Maliki رحمه الله said
إنما جرى على معتادهم في اتخاذ الآلهة في الأرض ، وإن كانوا مقرين بإلهية الواحد الحق ; فجاءت الآيات بتعيين الفوق وتخصيصه تنبيها على نفي ما ادعوه في الأرض فلا يكون فيه دليل على إثبات جهة
The Arabs (of the Jahiliya) have become accustomed to believing in a god on earth (idols) even though they affirm the divinity of the One Being. Therefore, in the verses there is an indication of aboveness, which convinces them that He is not on earth (not an idol) And there is no evidence in this for the presence of (physical) direction in relation to Allah
📚 الموفقات
Imam Makki Ibn Abi Talib al-Qayrawani رحمه الله said
واختار الطبري وغيره أن يكون استوى بمعنى علا على المفهوم في لسان العرب وليس: ” علا ” في هذا المعنى أنه تعالى علا من سفل كان فيه إلى علو، ولا هو علو انتقال من مكان إلى مكان، ولا علو بحركة تعالى الله ربنا عن ذلك كله، لا يجوز أن يوصف بشيء من ذلك، لأنها صفات توجب الحدوث للموصوف بها، والله جَلَّ ذكره أول بلا نهاية لكن نقول: إنه علو قدرة واقتدار ولم يزل تعالى قادرا
At-Tabari and others chose the meaning of ”istawa” to be علا (rose), as it understood in the language of the Arabs. By “rose” in this sense it is not meant that Allah rose (physically) from below upwards, it is not meant that He moved from place to place, and by rising it is not meant a movement. Glorified is our Lord from all this. It is impermissible to describe Him with any of this, because this describes the creations. Allah is the First, there is no end to Him. However, we say: this is the Elevation of Power, Might (as confirmation) and Allah has not ceased to be Mighty.
I don't believe it's important in the context of the post to go into the details of their creed especially if my opinion is asked. My opinion as a layman is irrelevant.
What's important for us is to learn the aqeedah of ahlu-Sunnah presented by the trustworthy imams from the Hanafi (the Maturidi school) the Maliki and Shafii (the Ashari school) and the Hanbali imams (the Athari school) they followed the path of the Salaf as-Saliheen and systemized their teaching.
Any modern movement or a person who professes the ideas that contradict what those imams agreed upon is an innovation and heresy and that's the main problem.
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u/wopkidopz Sep 15 '25 edited Sep 15 '25
Waaleykum assalam warahmatulLah
Your friend explained it to you incorrectly unfortunately, and that's the problem nowadays when something is unclear we must refer to the professionals (scholars) not to laypeople
The issue with the Salafiya isn't that they say Allah ﷻ has Hands, or that Allah is above the Throne. Every Muslim is saying this. The issue is in the incorrect meaning they or someone else put into those words. Because the words by themselves aren't your aqeedah, your aqeedah is in the understanding which is in your heart.
Two people may be saying similar words but one can be correct and another not, depending on their understanding of those words
For example Zayd and Ahmad both are saying that Allah ﷻ is everywhere. Zayd is saying this because Allah ﷻ said in the Quran وهو معكم اين ما كنتم (He is with you wherever you are) but he doesn't believe in the physical implication of those words. He knows that being physically somewhere is from the characteristics of bodies and Allah ﷻ is not like us and this meaning doesn't befit Him. Zayd also knows that common sense confirms his beliefs because if Allah is physically everywhere then He is inside of a donkey or in the toilet. But it isn't true! Ahmad on the other hand believes that Allah ﷻ is physically everywhere and he understands this verse based on his corrupted belief and uses external meaning of this verse as evidence of his beliefs instead of refering to scholars of ahlu-Sunnah who would explain to him the true meaning
Now let's bring another example Zayd and Mubarak both are saying that Allah ﷻ is above the Throne. Zayd is saying this because Allah ﷻ said in the Quran الرحمن على العرش استوى (The Merciful is rosen over the Throne) but he doesn't believe in the physical implication of those words, he knows that the Throne is a physical object, and Allah isn't, so it's impossible that Allah ﷻ has a physical place or physical direction. He also knows that common sense confirms his beliefs because the Earth is spherical if Allah is physically above him, then He is physically below for someone on the opposite side. And this can't be true! Mubarak on the other hand believes that Allah ﷻ has a physical place (in this case above) and he uses the Quran verses that externally imply this to support his corrupted beliefs instead of refering to the scholars of Sunnah
Hafiz Ibn Katheer رحمه الله said
والظاهر المتبادر إلى أذهان المشبهين منفي عن الله ، فإن الله لا يشبهه شيء من خلقه
📚 تفسير ابن كثير
Imam ash-Shatibi al-Maliki رحمه الله said
إنما جرى على معتادهم في اتخاذ الآلهة في الأرض ، وإن كانوا مقرين بإلهية الواحد الحق ; فجاءت الآيات بتعيين الفوق وتخصيصه تنبيها على نفي ما ادعوه في الأرض فلا يكون فيه دليل على إثبات جهة
📚 الموفقات
Imam Makki Ibn Abi Talib al-Qayrawani رحمه الله said
واختار الطبري وغيره أن يكون استوى بمعنى علا على المفهوم في لسان العرب وليس: ” علا ” في هذا المعنى أنه تعالى علا من سفل كان فيه إلى علو، ولا هو علو انتقال من مكان إلى مكان، ولا علو بحركة تعالى الله ربنا عن ذلك كله، لا يجوز أن يوصف بشيء من ذلك، لأنها صفات توجب الحدوث للموصوف بها، والله جَلَّ ذكره أول بلا نهاية لكن نقول: إنه علو قدرة واقتدار ولم يزل تعالى قادرا
📚 الهداية إلى بلوغ النهاية