Salafi/Athari aqidah

Quran – created or gods words ?

Atharis firmly believe that the Qur’an is the uncreated speech of Allah. Imam Ahmad ibn
Hanbal stated:

“The Qur’an is God’s Speech, which He expressed; it is uncreated. He who claims the opposite is
a Jahmite, an infidel.”

Where is Allah ?

Atharī (Salafī) creed believe, Allah is above the heavens, over His Throne (ʿArsh), distinct from
His creation, and this is affirmed by the Qur’an, the Sunnah, and the consensus of the Salaf.
Allah says: “The Most Merciful rose above the Throne (al-ʿArsh)” (Surah Ṭāhā 20:5) — and
this verse and others like it appear seven times in the Qur’an. He also says: “Do you feel secure
that He who is above the heaven will not cause the earth to swallow you?” (Surah al-Mulk
67:16). The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), when asked by a slave girl, “Where is
Allah?”, she replied: “Above the heavens”, and the Prophet said: “Free her, for she is a believer.”
(Sahih Muslim). This hadith is a clear proof that the Prophet affirmed Allah’s highness (ʿulūw)
in the literal, real sense — without interpretation or metaphor.

The Imām of Ahl al-Sunnah, Ahmad ibn Hanbal, said: “Allah is above the Throne, and His
knowledge is in every place.”(Ṭabaqāt al-Ḥanābilah) — affirming Allah’s exaltedness while
maintaining His awareness of all things.

Ibn Taymiyyah also said: “All the early generations of Muslims agreed that Allah is above His
heavens, over His Throne, and that He is separate from His creation.”(Majmūʿ al-Fatāwā)

And so Atharīs affirm Allah’s real, actual ‘ʿulūw’ (highness) — without tashbīh (likening) or
ta’wīl (reinterpretation) — and they hold that belief in Allah’s transcendence is a matter of
textual evidence and consensus, not subject to philosophical reasoning.

Allah’s names !

Atharis accept all of Allah’s names mentioned in the Qur’an and sunnah

Atharīs (Salafis) say: “We name Allah with whatever He named Himself or His Prophet named
Him — without adding, removing, or interpreting.”

What is the Ashari / maturidi (misguided aqidah’s) view ?

They don’t accept all of Allah’s names

Such as Al-Mākin – “The Planner” or “Plotter” as they believe it has human like quality’s
Allah’s attributes!

Atharis affirm all attributes mentioned in the Qur’an and Sunnah, believing in them as they
are, without:

Tashbih (likening to creation): They avoid any comparison between Allah’s attributes and
those of His creation.

Ta’til (denial): They reject any denial or negation of Allah’s attributes.

Some of Allah’s attributes include his –

Face (al-wajh)

Qur’an:“Everything will perish except His Face.”Surah al-Qasas (28:88)

Explanation: Imam Ahmad and Ibn Taymiyyah affirm this attribute literally, without likening
Allah’s Face to anything in creation. His Face is affirmed as a real attribute, befitting His
majesty.

Hands (Al-yadayn)

Qur’an:“Rather, both His hands are extended…”Surah al-Ma’idah (5:64)

“What prevented you [Iblis] from prostrating to what I created with My own Hands?”Surah
Ṣād (38:75)

Hadith: “The hearts of the children of Adam are between two fingers of the Most Merciful.”

[Sahih Muslim, 2654]

Scholars explanation -Imam Ahmad said: “We affirm that Allah has two hands, as He has
described Himself, without asking how.”....Ibn al-Qayyim and Ibn Taymiyyah also affirm Allah
has hands, real and true, but not like ours, as “There is nothing like unto Him” (42:11).

Eyes (Al -Ayn)

Qur’an:“So that you may be brought up under My Eye.”surah Ṭā-Hā (20:39)

“And construct the ship under Our Eyes…”Surah Hūd (11:37)

Scholars: Ibn ʿUthaymīn says: “Allah has eyes in a manner that befits His majesty. We affirm
them without asking how or likening them to creation.”

Istiwaʾ (Rising above the Throne)

Qur’an:“The Most Merciful rose over the Throne (istawā ʿala al-ʿArsh).”Surah Taha (20:5)

This phrase appears in 7 places in the Qur’an. The Athari view is that Allah rose over His
Throne in a manner befitting Him — not like created beings, and not metaphorically.
Speech (Al-Kalām)

Qur’an: “And Allah spoke to Musa directly.”Surah an-Nisāʾ (4:164)

Scholars:Imam Ahmad: “Allah speaks with real speech, and the Qur’an is His uncreated
speech.”

Nuzūl (Descending)

Hadith: “Our Lord descends to the lowest heaven every last third of the night…”

[Sahih al-Bukhari, 1145; Muslim, 758]

Athari Position:Affirmed as a real descent, in a way that befits His majesty. As Imam Malik
said about attributes: “The how is unknown, but the meaning is understood.”

Meaning we accept his attributes but we don’t ask “how” .

What is the Ashari /maturidi (misguided aqidah’s )view ?

Face

Most interpret “Face” metaphorically to mean Allah’s Essence (dhāt), not a physical face.so
Denys this to be an attribute if Allah

Hands

Interpret it figuratively — “Hands” represent power or generosity.Imam al-Nasafī (Māturīdī):

Eyes

Ashʿarī/Māturīdī View:Again, figurative interpretation: “Eye” means divine care and

Rising over his throne

Ashʿarī/Māturīdī View:majority say it means istiwlāʾ (dominion or control), not a literal

Speech

Ashʿarī View:Say Allah’s speech is an eternal attribute of His essence (kalām nafsī) — not
letters or sound.Qur’an is an expression of that eternal speech.
Māturīdī View:Agree with the eternal speech, but also affirm a temporal aspect — Allah
speaks with letters and sounds, but it’s not created.

Decending

Ashʿarī/Māturīdī View:Interpreted metaphorically — His mercy descends, or His command is

Tawhid -rububiyah , uloohiyah and asma wa sifat

Athari/Salafi theology emphasizes the oneness of Allah (Tawheed) and categorizes it into
three parts:

Tawheed al-Ruboobiyyah (Lordship): Affirming that Allah is the sole Creator, Sustainer,
and Controller of the universe.

Tawheed al-Uloohiyyah (Worship): Affirming that only Allah deserves to be worshipped,

Tawheed al-Asma wa al-Sifaat (Names and Attributes): Affirming all of Allah’s names and
attributes as mentioned in the Qur’an and Sunnah without distortion, denial, or likening them
to creation.

Tafwid Vs tawil

Tafwid (Consigning the meaning): Atharis accept the apparent wording of the texts regarding
Allah’s attributes without delving into their exact meaning and nature, leaving the knowledge
of ‘how’ to Allah.

Ta’wil (Interpretation): Atharis reject metaphorical interpretations that deviate from the
apparent meanings, considering them innovations.

Proof for tafwid

“But none knows its [true] interpretation except Allah.”Surah Āl-ʿImrān (3:7)

Imam Mālik was asked about istiwaʾ (Allah rising over the Throne). He said: “Al-istiwaʾ is
known, how (kayf) is unknown, belief in it is obligatory, and asking about it is an
innovation.”[Reported by al-Bayhaqī and others]

Al-Imam Ahmad (d. 241H):“We believe in them and affirm them, without kayf and without
interpretation.”
Ibn Taymiyyah:“The Salaf did not perform tafwīḍ of the meaning. They knew what the words
meant. They only left the how to Allah.”

Proof for not doing tawil (interpretation )

“Our Lord descends to the lowest heaven…”

(Sahih Bukhari & Muslim)

The Prophet (peace be upon him) narrated this without explaining it metaphorically. Atharīs
say: this silence is proof that the companions took it as it is, without reinterpretation.

“There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.”(Surah ash-Shūrā
42:11)

Explanation (by Salaf/Atharīs):Allah negates similarity and then affirms His attributes.This
proves that we can affirm the real meanings (like hearing, seeing) — without falling into
tashbīh (likening to creation).Therefore, no need for ta’wīl — the balance is affirmation with
no likeness.

“He is the one who sent down the Book to you. In it are verses that are clear... and others
ambiguous. But no one knows its interpretation except Allah...”(Surah Āl ʿImrān 3:7)

Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (d. 241H):“We believe in the verses and hadiths of the attributes
**without how (kayf), without meaning distortion (taḥrīf), and without interpretation
(ta’wīl).”(Reported in his Usūl and in Ibn Qudāmah’s Lumʿah al-Iʿtiqād)

Ibn Taymiyyah (d. 728H):“The Salaf affirmed the meanings of the attributes and left the how
to Allah. They did not say the meanings are unknown, nor did they resort to ta’wīl.”(Majmūʿ
al-Fatāwā)

Ibn Qudāmah al-Maqdisī – “We do not do ta’wīl of the Attributes. We believe in them as they
came, according to their apparent meanings, without how.”(Lumʿah al-Iʿtiqād)
Aql Vs naql

Atharis prioritize revelation (naql) over reason (aql) in matters of creed. They accept that
while reason has its place, it should not override clear textual evidence.

Proofs for naql over reasoning (aql)

“The only statement of the believers when they are called to Allah and His Messenger... is that
they say: ‘We hear and we obey.’(Qur’an 24:51)... This shows there is no need for reasoning
and interpretation we simply hear and obey !

“It is not for a believing man or woman to have any choice in their affair when Allah and His
Messenger have decided a matter.(Qur’an 33:36)... Shows the importance of naql

“Whoever introduces into this religion something that is not from it — it is rejected.”(Bukhārī,
Muslim)....Reason alone is not a source of religious truth. Revelation is.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) ascended to the heavens and came back — some
disbelievers mocked it as irrational. Abu Bakr said: “If he said it, then I believe him.”

Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (d. 241H): “Do not use opinion in the religion. Follow and do not
innovate. Accept what has come from the Prophet and his companions.”(Usūl al-Sunnah)

Ibn Taymiyyah -He wrote a full book: “Darʾ Taʿāruḍ al-ʿAql wa al-Naql” (Repelling the
contradiction between reason and revelation)

Key quote:“Authentic reason does not contradict authentic revelation. When there is a clash,
the fault lies in one’s reasoning — not in revelation.”

Ibn al-Qayyim: “The intellect is like sight, and revelation is like light. Without both, one is in
darkness.”(Miftāḥ Dār al-Saʿādah)

Ijma of the salaf(early generations)

Atharis uphold the Qur’an and authentic Sunnah as primary sources of guidance. They also
consider the consensus (ijma’) of the Salaf (early generations) as authoritative, emphasizing
adherence to their understanding to maintain purity in belief and practice.
How did the Athari creed develop in contrast to other schools, such as the Mu’tazilah,
Jahmiyyah, Ash’ariyyah, etc.?

The Athari creed emerged as a response to theological innovations introduced by groups like:

Mu’tazilah: which Emphasized rationalism, denying some of Allah’s attributes and asserting
the createdness of the Qur’an.

Jahmiyyah: Denied many of Allah’s attributes, leading to accusations of extreme negation

Ash’ariyyah: Sought a middle path but still employed metaphorical interpretations for certain
attributes.

Atharis maintained a strict adherence to the texts, rejecting speculative theology (kalām) and
emphasizing the understanding of the Salaf.

Taqlid

The Salafī/Atharī view on taqlīd (blind following) is that it is permissible under certain
circumstances but blameworthy when it leads to following scholars or madhhabs in
opposition to clear evidence from the Qur’an and Sunnah. Taqlīd is allowed for those who lack
the ability to derive rulings themselves, such as laypeople, but once clear proof from
revelation becomes apparent, one must follow that evidence rather than a scholar’s opinion.
The Qur’an emphasizes the need to follow divine revelation over human opinion, as Allah says:
“Follow what has been revealed to you from your Lord, and do not follow besides Him any
allies.” (Qur’an 7:3), and also condemns blind following: “When it is said to them: ‘Follow what
Allah has revealed,’ they say: ‘Rather, we follow what we found our forefathers upon.’” (Qur’an
2:170). The Prophet (peace be upon him) also warned against blind adherence when he said,
“I left you upon clear guidance; its night is like its day. None deviates from it after me except
one who is destroyed.” (Ibn Mājah, authenticated by al-Albānī). Imam al-Shāfiʿī stated, “If a
hadith is authentic, then it is my madhhab,” highlighting that the ultimate source of guidance
is authentic hadith. Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal similarly advised, “Do not blindly follow me,
Mālik, al-Shāfiʿī, or al-Thawrī. Take from where they took,” affirming the importance of
following evidence rather than a person or scholar themselves.Ibn Taymiyyah also stated, “No
one has the right to impose the statement of anyone after the Prophet — unless it is based on
clear evidence.” (Majmūʿ al-Fatāwā). Thus, the Salafī perspective on taqlīd emphasizes that
while it may be necessary in some cases, blind allegiance to scholars or madhhabs, when it
contradicts clear divine evidence, is considered blameworthy and should be avoided!