Whoever Leaves a Single Matter from it, Has Not Accepted it [in its totality]...is Not From its People.
Imaam Ahmad said in Usoolus Sunnah, "And it is from the binding and necessary Sunnah, (the Sunnah] which whoever leaves a single matter from it, has not accepted it [in its totality], has not believed in it and is not from its people..."
Imam al-Dhahabi reports in al-Siyar (12/494):
Amr bin Tamim al-Makki said: I heard Muhammad bin Isma'il al-Tirmidhi [who] said: I heard al-Muzanee saying,
لا يصح لأحد توحيد حتى يعلم أن الله تعالى على العرش بصفاته قلت له مثل أي شيء قال سميع بصيرعليم
"The Tawhid of any [person] is not valid, sound until he knows that Allaah the Exalted is over His Throne, with His attributes." I said to him, "Like what?" He said, "Hearing, seeing, knowing."
Shaikh Bin Baz said,
This was the `Aqidah (creed) adopted by the early scholars from Ahl Al-Sunnah wal-Jama`ah (may Allah be merciful to them). Shaykh-ul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (May Allah be merciful to him) said in his "Al-Risalah Al-Hamawiyyah", "This is the Book of Allah in its entirety and there is also the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace be upon him) in its entirety beside the whole bulk of sayings and traditions of Al-Sahabah (Companions of the Prophet) and Tabi`un (Followers, the generation after the Companions of the Prophet) then the sayings of the latter Imams, which are all either clear-cut texts or preponderant opinions that Allah (Praised and Exalted be He) is the Most High and is above everything including the Throne and the heavens, as He (Exalted be He) says:
To Him ascend (all) the goodly words, and the righteous deeds exalt them (i.e. the goodly words are not accepted by Allâh unless and until they are followed by good deeds).
and,
I will take you and raise you to Myself.
and,
Do you feel secure that He, Who is over the heaven (Allâh), will not cause the earth to sink with you, Or do you feel secure that He, Who is over the heaven (Allâh), will not send against you a violent whirlwind?
And,
But Allâh raised him [‘Isâ (Jesus)] up (with his body and soul) unto Himself (and he عليه السلام is in the heavens).
And,
He manages and regulates (every) affair from the heavens to the earth; then it (affair) will go up to Him and, They fear their Lord above them.
and Allah also said,
...then He rose over (Istawâ) the Throne (really in a manner that suits His Majesty).
This truth is reiterated in seven positions." Shaykh-ul-Islam added: "...In addition to the many and countless proofs in this regard. Let alone the great and innumerable reports of Sahih (authentic) and Hasan (good) Hadiths, such as the story of the Messenger's ascension to Heaven as well as the decent of angels from Heavens and their ascension to them. The Prophet (peace be upon him) says regarding the angels that take turns among you by day and by night,
'...And those (of the angels) who spend the night among you then ascend and their Lord asks them, though He is the best Aware of them.'
Moreover, in a Sahih (authentic) book of Hadith, it is reported in the Hadith of Al-Khawarij (separatist group that believes committing a major sin amounts to disbelief): |
Do you not trust me though I am the trustworthy man of the One in the Heavens, and I receive the news of Heaven (i.e. Divine Revelation) both in the morning and in the evening?
He (Ibn Taymiyyah) also said: There are other narrations reported by means of verbal and implicit Tawatur (consistent and recurrent transmission of the same report whether in the same wording or similar wordings conveying the same meaning) in this regard that leads to conclusive knowledge. It is evidently true that the Prophet (peace be upon him) who conveyed the Message of Allah informed his Ummah that Allah (Glorified be He) is High above His Throne and above Heavens. This goes for the Fitrah (natural disposition) upon which Allah created all nations, whether Arabs or non-Arabs, at the times of Jahiliyyah (pre-Islamic period) and after Islam. Whoever thinks otherwise has deviated from the sound Fitrah and hundreds or thousands of sayings were reported from the Salaf in this regard, etc."
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