Question:
Asalamalykum,
Does AhluSunnah Wal Jamat agree with the following quotes:
Imam Ahmad Bin Hanbal (RadiAllahuTa’alaAnh):
So Yoosuf bin Moosaa al-Qattaan, the Shaykh of Abu Bakr al-Khallaal, said: It was said to Abu Abdullah (Ahmad bin Hanbal)(RadiAllahuTa’alaAnh): “Allaah is above the seventh heaven, over His Throne, separate and distinct (baa’in) from His creation, and His power and knowledge are in every place?” He said:
Yes, He is over His Throne, and nothing escapes His knowledge.
Note: This al-Qattaan is thiqah (trustworthy) from the Shaykhs of Imam Bukhaaree. He died in 253H, al-Khallaal heard from him, and the isnaad is saheeh.
Source: Adh-Dhahabi’s “Mukhtasar al-Uluww” (p. 189)
Answer:
Alaykum as-Salam,
This is not in al-Khallal’s Kitab al-Sunna so its chain is existent contrary to Nasir Albani’s claim that it is sahih; and Allah knows best.
Moreover, supposing it is authentic then it is an example of Imam Ahmad’s ta’wil (figurative interpretation) which that sect (Wahhabis) deny, so it is a proof against them because they claim the Imams of the Salaf took everything literally, whereas al-Lalaka’i says Imam Ahmad gave this reply regarding the verses: “And He is with you wherever you are”, and “There is no private conference of three except He is the fourth one,” which he interpreted both to refer not to Allah Himself but to His Attribute of Knowledge. And this is related from greater than Imam Ahmad, namely, al-Dahhak.
As for the website it is unreliable and it is enough proof against them that they keep to their anonymity whereas Ibn al-Mubarak said: “Identifying the isnad (source of transmission) is part of the Religion, otherwise anyone can say anything.” As narrated in Sahih Muslim, Muqaddima.
Hajj Gibril Haddad
