Marifah.net - Knowledge and Realisation

The Muftī of the Republic of Egypt, Dr ʿAlī Jumuʿah, has made his contribution to the debate between the general secretary of the General Secretariat of Awqāf, Dr Muḥammad ʿAbdul Ghaffār Al-Sharīf and Shaykh Ṣāliḥ Bin Fawzān Al-Fawzān, a member of the supreme council of scholars in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as well as Fayṣal Qazāz Al-Jāsim, whose comments have also been published as part of this debate that is taking place in the pages of Al-Waṭan regarding a number of Islamic issues. The Muftī of Egypt’s contributions have come as an answer to a question that was previously submitted to the Egyptian Fatwa Office via fax by Muḥammad Al-Fahd, Bassām Al-Hārūn, Aḥmad Al-Niṣf, Aḥmad Al-ʿAbīd and ʿAbdur Raḥmān Al-Kandarī and registered under no.1113 for the year 2006.

What follows contains the text of the response that Dr Jumuʿah gave to the question and which was published by Al-Waṭan because of its connection to this Islamic discussion over an issue that causes a lot of division:

Wasīla, Circumambulating Graves & Accusing Others of Shirk and Kufr
Mufti ʿAlī Jumuʿah

The Sufis were in unanimous agreement that Allah, the Exalted, is described with every attribute with which He described Himself, and is named with every name with which He named Himself. He is Pre-eternal with His names and attributes and does not resemble the creation in any way whatsoever. He is not a corporeal body [jism], shape [shabah], image [sura], atom [jawhar], or an accident [`arad]. He is neither described with movement [haraka] nor stillness [sakana]. Nothing is added or subtracted from Him. He neither possesses dimensions [ab`ad] and parts [ajza'], nor limbs [jawarih] and appendages [a`da']. He is not located in directions [jihat] or places [amkina] and He is not subject to imperfections. He is not overtaken by slumber and He cannot be delimited by allusions. He is neither encompassed by a place nor subject to time. Spatial contact [with objects] is [rationally] impossible for Him, as is indwelling in locations. He is not encompassed by thoughts, He is not covered by veils, and visions apprehend Him not. His Divine Entity is not qualified by a modality and His actions are not performed with burden.

Spiritual Stations & Transient States
Shaykh `Abd al-Hadi Kharsa