And whoever affirms the limit says: It is among the attributes of God that are established by the Book and the Sunna.
And he believes that God, Glorified and Exalted is He, has an essence and attributes [13/b], there is no essence like His essence, nor attributes like His attributes, and that the limit is among the attributes of God Almighty (1) by the evidence from the Book and the Sunna:
He Almighty said: {And you will see the angels surrounding the Throne} [al-Zumar: 75],
and He said: {The Most Merciful rose over the Throne} [Ṭā Hā: 5],
{There is nothing like unto Him} as a deception upon the ignorant to promote misguidance among them through it; a word of truth by which falsehood is intended. And even if the foolish among them are in error regarding their doctrines, the jurists among them are upon certainty. End quote.
Ibn al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy on him, said: As for the messengers and their followers, they said: He is living and has life, and there is nothing like unto Him in His life; He is strong and has strength, and there is nothing like unto Him in His strength; He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing, He hears and sees, and there is nothing like unto Him in His hearing and seeing; He speaks, has two hands, and is established upon His Throne, and He has no equal in these attributes.
He said: So the deniers reversed the meaning and made {There is nothing like unto Him} a shield behind which they barricade themselves to deny His—glory be to Him—elevation above His Throne, His speaking to His messengers, and the affirmation of His attributes of perfection. End quote.
[Mukhtaṣar al-Ṣawāʿiq (2/535)].
