their needs, and it necessitates perfect mercy, perfect kindness, and other attributes. Thus, whoever denies the attributes is a denier (muʿaṭṭil), and the denier is worse than the polytheist.

For this reason, the Predecessors (Salaf) used to call the compilations on affirming the attributes: "Books of Monotheism (Tawhid)." al-Bukhārī concluded his "Sahih (Authentic)" with that; He said: "Book of Monotheism (Tawhid)," then he mentioned the attributes Chapter by Chapter.

The crux of the Issue is that the theologians say: Monotheism (Tawhid) is not complete except by denying the attributes.

The people of the Sunna said: Monotheism (Tawhid) is not complete except by affirming the attributes, and your Monotheism (Tawhid) is denial (taʿṭīl). This is why this view led some of them to deny the Lord, Blessed and Exalted, as is the school of law of Ibn ʿArabī, Ibn al-Fāriḍ, and groups of people whose number none knows but God.

The Predecessors (Salaf) clarified that if worship is entirely for God from all creatures, it cannot be except by affirming the attributes and actions. Thus, it becomes clear that the denier of the attributes is a denier of the reality of divinity, but he does not know it.

It also becomes clear to you that whoever testifies that there is no deity but God truthfully from his heart must affirm the attributes and actions. However, the greatest wonder is that their great Imam [meaning: al-Ashʿarī] thought that divinity is capability, and that the meaning of your statement "There is no deity but God" is: "None is capable of creation but God!" End quote.

Sheikh ʿAbd al-Raḥmān b. Ḥasan, may Allah have mercy on him, the author of the Book "Fatḥ al-Majīd," said as found in "al-Durar al-Saniyya" (3/208-211): "This group that affiliates itself with Abū al-Ḥasan al-Ashʿarī has described the Lord of the Worlds with the attributes of the non-existent and the inanimate. They have indeed fabricated a grave lie against God and opposed the people of truth among the Predecessors (Salaf), the Imams, and their followers..." until He said: "So this group that has deviated from the truth, their devils have dedicated themselves to turning people away from the path of God. They denied the Monotheism (Tawhid) of God in divinity, and permitted the Polytheism (shirk) that God does not forgive, allowing others to be worshipped besides Him, and they denied the Monotheism (Tawhid) of His attributes through denial (taʿṭīl)."

"Thus, the Imams of the people of the Sunna and their followers have well-known compilations refuting this disbelieving, stubborn group." End quote.

Ibn Badrān said in "al-Madkhal ilā Madhhab al-Imām Aḥmad" (p. 496): "If you see