Question:
Assalamu Alaykum,
Respected Shaykh,
I read the following regarding Imam Ahmed (Rahimahullah), written by a Sunni scholar:
“But, know that the belief that Allah has direction is also attributed to Imam Ahmad, and Sunnis accommodate him as one of their own. Imam al-Ghazali points out this issue in his Qanun al-Ta’wil about Ahmad, and further highlights that Sunnis accommodated this view, though it is unpopular. Furthermore, mainstream Sunnis are of the view that it is permissible for believers to believe in the outward meanings of the verses of the Qur’an as relate to Allah as long as they do not anthropomorphize Him. Ibn Khaldun states this, while presenting the hadith of the slave girl as a proof of this acceptance. ”
http://www.lamppostproductions.com/is-it-valid-to-follow-the-salafi-madhhab/
and also read that Hafiz Ibn Taymiyyah used statements attributed to Imam Ahmed to support the position that Allah Ta’ala has directional limits and therefore a size:
My question is, are these statements authentically traced back to Imam Ahmed (Rahimahullah)? What were his views, and why do those who attribute direction and physical size to Allah Ta’ala use his name in support of their beliefs?
JazakAllahu Khairun
Answer:
Alaykum Salam,
To my knowledge no such position is attributed to Imam Ahmad in Ghazali’s Qanun al-Ta’wil.
As for Ibn Taymiyya’s attribution, it is inauthentic as I showed in my translation of Ibn Jahbal’s refutation of him. It is well-known that Imam Ahmad literally said Allah has no hadd like the rest of Ahl al-Sunna.
Wassalam.
Hajj Gibril Haddad