Salafis deny that they are attributing physical body to Allah Ta'ala.

Answer

The first issue to understand regarding the deviate salafis of these times is that they are bigotted morons. Secondly, although they have appropriated for themselves the 'Salaf' label, their convoluted ideas and beliefs have no relationship with the beliefs of the Salafus Saaliheen of the Khairul Quroon era. Thus, they are fake and fraudulent 'salafis' who have split into a number of deviant sects.

The attribution of anthropomorphism (tajseem) to Allah Azza Wa Jal is the logical conclusion of the beliefs of these deviant Salafis. They are not among the Salafus Saaliheen whom we follow. Our belief is simple and devoid of ambiguity. We believe as the Qur'aan states:

"He (Allah) has revealed to you (O Muhammad!) the Kitaab (Qur'aan). From it are the Muhkamaat Aayaat which constitute Ummul Kitaab (the Mother of the Book) while other (some Aayaat) are the Mutashaabihaat (allegorical.)

Those (such as these deviant salafis) in whose hearts is crookedness (deviance) pursue the allegorical verses of the Kitaab, seeking fitnah (discord/dissension) and they seek the interpretation of the (allegorical verses).

None knows their interpretation besides Allah. Those grounded in Ilm (Knowledge of the Deen) say: 'We believe in these (allegorical verses). All (of these aayaat) are from our Rabb.' And, only the people of intelligence derive lesson."

(Aal-e-Imraan, Aayat 7)

The Belief (Aqeedah) of the Ahlus Sunnah from the very era of the Sahaabah, is ensconced in this Aayat of the Qur'aan-e-Kareem. The presence of Mutashaabihaat (Verses with metaphorical/ allegorical meanings) are stated and confirmed with clarity and emphasis in the Aayat. Denial of this fact, and seeking to minimize and negate its effect by Ta'weel Baatil (Baseless interpretation) is the occupation of the deviant salafis of our age.

The Qur'aan Majeed mentions about the Hands and Calf of Allah Ta'ala. The Qur'aan mentions the Presence of Allah Azza Wa Jal on the Throne, His Presence on earth, His Presence with us being closer than our jugular vein. Aayaat of this kind are the Mutashaabihaat (Allegorical). Most certainly such Verses are not among the Muhkamaat which are the Aayaat pertaining to the Ahkaam of the Shariah.

When Imaam Maalik (Rahmatullah alayh) was asked about the Mutashaabihaat, specifically the Verse mentioning the Presence of Allah on the Throne, he replied: "Belief in it is compulsory, and questioning it is Bid'ah." In other words, it is incumbent to believe in whatever the meaning of the Mutashaabihaat is and to abstain from probing and delving into imagination. And, above all, it is haraam to ascribe such meanings to the Allegorical Verses, which attribute deficiency in Him.

The deviant salafis ascribe deficiency to Allah Azza Wa Jal with their belief of demarcating a specific area in space for Allah Azza Wajal. It is their belief that Allah Ta'ala is confined on the Throne, and that He is not Omnipresent. This is in blatant conflict with the Qur'aan Majeed. While the Qur'aan says that Allah Ta'ala is on the Throne, it also says:

"He (Allah) is the Ilaah in the heaven and the Ilaah on earth."

(Az-Zukhruf, Aayat 84)

"It is He (Allah) Who has created the heavens and the earth in six days, then made Istiwaa (whatever it may mean) on the Arsh. He knows whatever enters the earth and whatever emerges from it, and whatever descends from the sky and whatever ascends to it. He is with you wherever you are, and Allah sees whatever you are doing."

(Al-Hadeed, Aayat 4)

This Aayat categorically states that Allah Ta'ala is everywhere. He is Omnipresent. He is on the Throne and He is with every person and wherever one may be.

"Whenever there is a secret gathering of three, He is the fourth of them. When there are five, He is the sixth of them. Whether they are less or more than this, He is with them wherever they may be."

(Al-Mujaadalah, Aayat 7)

This Aayat also confirms the Omnipresence of Allah Ta'ala. As to the manner of His Presence, we are silent. It is impossible to know or understand the manner of the Attributes of Allah Azza Wa Jal.

While the Ahlus Sunnah believe in the Presence/ Omnipresence of Allah Ta'ala as stated in the Qur'aan without ascribing any meaning/interpretation, the salafi deviates claim that the first part of the Aayat pertaining to Presence on the Throne has a literal meaning, and the second part pertaining to Presence with us and Presence on earth have the metaphorical meaning of 'knowledge'. That is: Allah is with us with His knowledge. Now who is guilty of 'ta'weel'? We or the deviates? Our understanding of the Aayaat is uniform while the salafis resort to subjective selection for their interpretation.

While these deviates claim that they do not ascribe interpretation to the attributes of Allah Ta'ala, their claims are lies. Allah Ta'ala states explicitly in the Qur'aan Majeed that He is everywhere – in the heavens and on earth. Rejecting this Qur'aanic claim, they say that Allah Ta'ala is only on the Throne thus confining Him to created space with the logical conclusion of tajseem (anthropomorphism).

Salafis cannot digest this averment of Allah Ta'ala, hence they ascribe a metaphorical meaning, saying that Allah's Presence means presence with His knowledge. But we, the Ahlus Sunnah say that Allah Ta'ala is Omnipresent without us understanding His Attribute of Omnipresence. The same pertains to all His Attributes.

We believe in the correctness and truth of the Qur'aanic aayaat which mention the Hands, Face, etc. of Allah Ta'ala. The exact meaning is left to Allah Ta'ala. We do not know. The Ahlus Sunnah does not refute the Qur'aanic claim of Hands, etc. But the moron Salafis seek to deceive ignorant Muslims with their lie, namely, that we deny what Allah Ta'ala says in the Qur'aan about His Hands, etc.

We have explained the deviation of these Salafis in our book, The Scourge of Salafi'ism, as well as in several books and many articles available on our website.