This excerpt is taken from Sheikh Irshad Ullah Maan's book The Search for Truth.
Question: What is meant by the Oneness of Names and Attributes (Tawhid al-Asma wa al-Sifat)?
Answer: Tawhid al-Sifat means to believe in all the attributes of Allah mentioned in His description, and to affirm all those attributes by which Allah has described Himself in the Holy Quran, for example, Allah is established on the Throne.
Reference: (Ta-Ha: 5)
Allah spoke to Moses (peace be upon him).
Reference: (An-Nisa: 164)
Allah created Adam (peace be upon him) with His own hands.
Reference: (Surah Sad: 75)
Or those attributes mentioned in authentic hadiths, for example, Allah descends to the lowest heaven.
Reference: Muslim, Book of Prayer for Travelers, Chapter on Encouragement to Supplication and Remembrance at the End of the Night and Its Acceptance: 758
All these attributes have reached a perfection that is only befitting to Allah alone; no creation can be likened to Allah’s attributes because creation is incapable of comprehending the nature of the Creator’s attributes. Allah has said: [لَیۡسَ کَمِثۡلِہٖ شَیۡءٌ] (There is) nothing like unto Him.
Reference: Ash-Shura: 11
Believing in the attributes of Allah Almighty by attributing them to reality without any interpretation, modality, negation, or likening is توحیدِ الاسماء و الصفات.
Interpretation:
Diverting the apparent meanings of verses and hadiths to other intended meanings is called interpretation. For example, explaining the attribute of Allah Almighty being established on the Throne as meaning that Allah Almighty is dominant over the Throne; such interpretation is not permissible.
Modality:
It is not permissible to describe the modality of Allah Almighty’s attribute because no one knows this modality except Allah Almighty.
Likening:
Likening means attributing the attribute of Allah Almighty to be similar to the attribute of creation. For example, considering Allah’s descent to the heaven of the world to be like our descent; such belief is forbidden.
Negation:
Denying the attributes of Allah Almighty is called Ta'til (negation). For example, instead of believing that Allah Almighty is established on the Throne, if one considers Him to be present everywhere in terms of His essence, such a belief is misguided. Certainly, the true path is that of the pious predecessors, i.e., the Companions of the Prophet (may Allah be pleased with them), the Followers (Tabi‘in), the Followers of the Followers (Taba‘ al-Tabi‘in), and the noble Imams (may Allah have mercy on them), which is to believe in the true meanings of Allah’s attributes and to leave the reality of these attributes to Allah Almighty without any interpretation or comparison.
