The Prophet’s words, “Adam was created in His image” means that Allaah created Adam in His image, for He has a face, an eye, a hand, and a foot, and Adam had a face, an eye, a hand, and a foot… but that does not mean that these things are exactly the same. There is some similarity, but it is not exactly the same. Similarly the first group to enter Paradise are likened to the moon, but they are not exactly the same. This confirms the view of Ahl al- Sunnah wa'l- Jamaa'ah, who say that none of the attributes of Allaah can be likened to the attributes of created beings, without distorting or misinterpreting, or discussing how or likening Him to His creation. 

See: Sharh al- ‘Aqeedah al- Waasitah by Shaykh Muhammad ibn Uthaymeen, 1/107, 293. [From islamqa.info/en/20652]

Here Salafis have yet again gone towards Tajseem (giving bodily features to Allah) especially when he said “THERE IS SOME SIMILARITY” This is akin to comparing Allah to creation and it is a severe heresy.

Imam Ibn Hibban (rah) said:

ﻓﻤﻌﻨﻰ اﻟﺨﺒﺮ ﻋﻨﺪﻧﺎ ﺑﻘﻮﻟﻪ ﺻﻠﻰ اﻟﻠﻪ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺳﻠﻢ: «ﺧﻠﻖ اﻟﻠﻪ ﺁﺩﻡ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺻﻮﺭﺗﻪ» : ﺇﺑﺎﻧﺔ ﻓﻀﻞ ﺁﺩﻡ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺳﺎﺋﺮ اﻟﺨﻠﻖ، ﻭاﻟﻬﺎء ﺭاﺟﻌﺔ ﺇﻟﻰ ﺁﺩﻡ، ﻭاﻟﻔﺎﺋﺪﺓ ﻣﻦ ﺭﺟﻮﻉ اﻟﻬﺎء ﺇﻟﻰ ﺁﺩﻡ ﺩﻭﻥ ﺇﺿﺎﻓﺘﻬﺎ ﺇﻟﻰ اﻟﺒﺎﺭﺉ ﺟﻞ ﻭﻋﻼ - ﺟﻞ ﺭﺑﻨﺎ ﻭﺗﻌﺎﻟﻰ ﻋﻦ ﺃﻥ ﻳﺸﺒﻪ ﺑﺸﻲء ﻣﻦ اﻟﻤﺨﻠﻮﻗﻴﻦ

Translation: The meaning of Prophetic hadith is that Allah created Adam in his image which refers to giving superiority to Adam over other creations. The Dhamir of “AL- HA” is Rajih towards Adam (i.e. Adam a.s was created in his own image not that of Allah). The benefit of returning the Dhamir of AL- HA towards Adam is that It cannot be towards Allah because Allah is Far exalted than giving Him Tashbih to any of His creation…Then Imam Ibn Hibban goes in detail and explains how it refers to Adam i.e. He was created directly in his form of 60 cubits length, he did not go through procedure of developing in womb and so on. [Sahih Ibn Hibban #6162]

Imam Ibn Jawzi (rah) explains the hadith of “Allah creating Adam in his form” as:

Scholars have two different positions about this matter. The first is to “maintain silence about its explanation,” and the second is to, “Discuss its meaning.” The proponants of the second view “DIFFER OVER THE PRONOUN ‘HIS’  REGARDING WHO IT REFERS TO…[Daf Shubah al Tashbih bi Akkaf al Tanzih, English translation called “The Attributes of God” pg. 67]

Ibn Jawzi (rah) further says that “his” refers Adam or his children [ibid]. Ibn Jawzi then explains the third opinion that even if it refers to God then it means to bestow honor through possessive pronoun as Allah said: “PURIFY MY HOUSE” for the those who go around it [Qur’an  2:125] [ibid]

Let us now look at such verses and hadiths which Salafis take literally.

Qur’an states:

‏ كُلُّ شَىْءٍ هَالِكٌ إِلاَّ وَجْهَهُ‏

Translation: … Everything is bound to perish except He Himself.[Dr. Mustafa Khattab: 28:88]

There are also other verses which use word “WAJH” for Allah.

Imam Bukhari (rah) explains “WAJH” mentioned in above verse as: 

إِلاَّ مُلْكَهُ

Dominion of Allah. [Imam al- Bukhari, in the chapter of Exegesis (Kitab at- Tafsir) of his Sahih, in Volume 3. Page # 171]

If this verse is taken literally then does it mean that everything even of Allah shall perish except for His face? Therefore there is no way these verses can be taken literally; rather they mean that everything except existence and dominion of Allah will perish.

Salafis say that this interpretation of Imam Bukhari is not present in some manuscripts. After checking many published Sahih Bukharis, I did find it there.

In regards to all of these verses about face, hands, eyes, and others which Salafis take literally, it is important to look at Tafsir al Qurtubi under 3:7.  He states:

قال شيخنا أبو العباس رحمة الله عليه: متبِعو المتشابه لا يخلو أن يتبعوه ويجمعوه طلباً للتشكيك في القرآن وإضلالِ العوامّ، كما فعلته الزنادقة والقرامِطة الطاعنون في القرآن؛ أو طلباً لاعتقاد ظواهر المتشابه، كما فعلته المجسِّمة الذِين جمعوا ما في الكتاب والسنة مما ظاهره الجِسمية حتى ٱعتقدوا أن البارىء تعالى جسم مجسم وصورة مصوّرة ذات وجه وعين ويد وجنب ورجل وأصبع، تعالى الله عن ذلكٰ؛ أو يتبعوه على جهة إبداء تأويلاتها وإيضاح معانيها، أو كما فعل صبِيغ حين أكثر على عمر فيه السؤال

 

Translation: The Exalted said: {As for those in whose hearts there is perversity they follow the part of it which is allegorical, seeking to mislead and seeking to give it (their own) interpretation.}

Shaykh, Abul Abbas said: Furthermore, the followers of the allegorical verses (mutashabih) are not free from: Following it and collecting it, seeking to raise doubts in the Qur’an and (seeking to) misguide the laymen as done by the Zanadiqah (deviants), the Qaramitah, and the refuters of the Quran. Or seeking to believe in the "Outward (Zawahir)" meanings of the mutashabih as done by the Mujasima (those who give physical body to Allah), those who collected from the Quran and Sunnah whatever gave a physical meaning when taken literally (dhahir).

To the extent that they believed that the Creator is a physical body and a fashioned form, possessing a face and other things: hand, eye, side and finger. Exalted is Allah from that, with the most Supreme Exaltation. Or they sought out these (mutashabih) with a view to manifest its interpretations and clarify its meanings. Or (they did) like Subaygh when he asked ‘Umar about them (the mutashabih) excessively.[Tafsir ul Qurtubi under 3:7. Translation taken from Marifah team]

There are verses in Qur’an which mention Allah’s hands in metaphorical sense, here we will show two of them:

Qur’an states: Surely those who swear allegiance to you do but swear allegiance to Allah; the hand of Allah is above their hands… [Shakir: 48:10]

We all know that hand of Prophet was above their hands, but Allah mentioned it to be His own hand. This verse proves that hand of Allah is His support for Prophet and his companions.

Qur’an states: And the Jews say: The hand of Allah is tied up! Their hands shall be shackled and they shall be cursed for what they say. Nay, both His hands are spread out… [Shakir: 5:64]

In Tafsir al-Jalalyn it explains both hands of Allah as:  hyperbole for the attribute of generosity [al- Jalalyn under 5:64]

The verse which Salafis use to assert literal hands towards Allah is the following:

[Allah] said, "O Iblees, what prevented you from prostrating to that which I created with My hands? Were you arrogant [then], or were you [already] among the haughty?" [Sahih International: 38:75]

Imam Abu al- Layth al- Samarqandi who is an early commentator and scholar of Islam. He died in 375 AH, he explains hands as:

أي بقوتي، قوة العلم، وقوة القدرة

Translation: Meaning by My strength, the strength of knowledge and Power. [al- Samarqandi in Tafsir Bahr al Uloom, under 38:75]

Regarding Allah’s foot mentioned in following hadith:

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "The Hell Fire will keep on saying: 'Are there anymore (people to come)?' Till the Lord of Power and Honor will put His Foot in it (فِيهَا قَدَمَهُ) and then it will say, 'Qat! Qat! (sufficient! sufficient!) by Your Power and Honor. And its various sides will come close to each other (i.e., it will contract). " [Sahih Bukhari 8.78.654. Translation corrected]

This hadith cannot be taken literally otherwise it will be believed that Allah’s foot gets inside or on hell (Naudhobillah)

The word Qadam mentioned in this hadith refers to Mutaqadimeen i.e. early ones who were stored to be sent in hell. The word Rijl (literally foot) as used in some other hadiths is Shadh (odd).

Imam Hasan al- Basri explains Allah's qadam as: "Those whom Allah has sent forth (qaddamahum Allah) from the most evil of creatures, and has established as inhabitants of the fire," which is also the understanding of ibn al- jawzi. (Daf Shubah al- tashbih p15. Translation by As- Sunnah foundation)

The lexicographer al- hafiz al- Nadr ibn Shumayl (b122), said: "Qadam means those whom Allah in His foreknowledge knows to be the inhabitants of the fire."Al- hafiz al- Bayhaqi who relates ibn Shumayl's saying in his al- Asma wa al- Sifat. (Al- bayhaqi, al- asma wa al- sifat, p.352. Translation by As- Sunnah foundation)

Ibn Hibban the great Muhadith himself explains this hadith as:

لأن العرب تطلق في لغتها اسم القدم على الموضع قال الله جل وعلا لهم قدم صدق عند ربهم يريد موضع صدق لا أن الله جل وعلا يضع قدمه في النار جل ربنا وتعالى عن مثل هذا وأشباهه

 

"The Arabs in their language (sometimes) use qadam to mean 'repository' (mawdi), As Allah the Exalted has said: “That they have before their Lord the lofty rank (Qadama) of truth (10:2).” This means the rank of truth “NOT THAT ALLAH WILL PUT HIS FOOT IN HELL, EXALTED IS ALLAH FAR ABOVE THAN THIS AND SIMILAR THINGS TO THAT” (Sahih Ibn Hibban, 1/502, under Hadith # 268. In Urdu Version See: 1/426, Published by Shabbir Brothers)

 

Please note that Ibn Hibban (rah) made the chapter title before this hadith as:

ذكر خبر شنع به أهل البدع على أئمتنا حيث حرموا التوفيق لإدراك معناه

Translation: Mention of that narration due to which the people of Bidah accuse our scholars, although “THOSE PEOPLE OF BIDAH DID NOT ENCOMPASS THE MEANING AND (PROPER) COMPREHENSION OF IT” [ibid]

Qur’an has spoken metaphorically at many places, for example in regards to polytheists it says:  Deaf, dumb, and blind, they will not return (to the path). [Yusuf Ali: 2:18]

 

Here they are called deaf, dumb, and blind although they were not literally as such.

Reconciliation:  Having written in detail over these matters, we as Ahlus Sunnah accept that there have been some scholars like Abu Yala (not the famous Muhadith of Musnad), al- Darimi (not the famous Muhadith of Sunnan), Ibn Khuzayma, al- Dhahabi, and others who believed that Allah did Istawa in literal sense and also that mention of hands, eyes, foot, and others are to be taken on their dhahir (apparent) meaning. Many such scholars were refuted by Imam Ibn Jawzi in his maginificent book Daf’ shubah al Tashbih bi akaf al tanzih (which has been translated into English with the name “The Attributes of God”). Remember Ibn al- Jawzi was a Hanbli and he safeguarded Hanbli fiqh from aqida of Tajseem.

 

Al- Dhahabi on the other hand had mixed viewpoints, he wrote Kitab al- Uluw in early part of his life in which he advocated anthropomorphism, however in later part of his life he denied taking literal meanings at many places in his Siyr A’lam an Nubala. Nonetheless he is refuted by Imam Ibn al- Subki and others too.

Ibn al- Subki states: Shaykh al- Dhahabi (may Allah have mercy on him) with all his learning and piety, displays an excessive bias against Ahl al-Sunna; it is not permitted to follow him in this opinion.... Nor is it permissible to rely on our shaykh al- Dhahabi whenever he commends a Hanbali or blames an Ash`ari [Ibn al- Subki, Qa`ida (p. 32, 37, 59,60), Tabaqat al- Shafi`iyya al- Kubra  (2:13,16). Cf. Al- Sakhawi, al- I`lan (p. 75). Translation by scholar G.F. Haddad]

He also called him one of the greatest propagators of anthropomorphism. [Tabaqat al- Shafi`iyya al- Kubra (3:352, 354). Translation by scholar G.F. Haddad]

Al- Dhahabi was student of Ibn Taymiyyah and the latter is considered top notch authority by Salafis in this regard. Here let us quote retreat of Ibn Taymiyyah in regards to taking some verses literally, and he becoming an Ash’ari.

Imam Ibn Hajr al- Asqalani said:

ولم يزل ابن تيمية في الجب إلى أن شفع فيه مهنا أمير آل فضل فأخرج في ربيع الأول في الثالث وعشرين منه وأحضر إلى القلعة ووقع البحث مع بعض الفقهاء فكتب عليه محضر بأنه قال أنا أشعري

ثم وجد خطه بما نصه الذي اعتقد أن القرآن معنى قائم بذات الله وهو صفة من صفات ذاته القديمة وهو غير مخلوق وليس بحرف ولا صوت وأن قوله الرحمن على العرش استوى ليس على ظاهره ولا أعلم كنه المراد به بل لا يعلمه إلا الله والقول في النزول كالقول في الاستواء وكتبه أحمد بن تيمية ثم أشهدوا عليه أنه تاب مماينا في ذلك مختارا وذلك في خامس عشرى ربيع الأول سنة 707 وشهد عليه بذلك جمع جم من العلماء وغيرهم 

Translation: He (Ibn Taymiyyah) was kept in Jail till Ameer Mahna the Ameer of Aal al Fadhl interceded for him. In the month of Rabi ul Awwal dated 23rd. Ibn Taymiyyah was brought to the fortress where he debated with some jurists, then a report was written that “IBN TAYMIYYAH ADMITTED TO BE AN ASH’ARI” His handwriting is found with what he wrote verbatim, namely: "I believe that the Qur'an is a meaning which exists in Allah's Entity, and that it is an Attribute from the pre- eternal Attributes of His Entity, and that it is uncreated, and that it does not consist in the letter nor the voice, and that His saying: "The Merciful established Himself over the Throne" (20:4) is not taken according to its literal meaning (laysa `ala zahirihi), and I don't know in what consists its meaning, nay only Allah knows it, and one speaks of His 'descent' in the same way as one speaks of His 'establishment.'"

 It was written by Ahmad ibn Taymiyya and they witnessed over him that he had repented of his own free will from all that contravened the above. This took place on the 25th of Rabi` al- Awwal 707 AH and it was witnessed by a huge array of scholars and others. [Ibn Hajr al Asqalani in al- Durar al Kaamina (1/47)]

Although this repentence of Ibn Taymiyyah is not proven from Tawatur and his students like Ibn Qayyim carried on his anthropomorphic creed, but still this above proof is great testimony against Salafis to stop blindly following Ibn Taymiyyah on Aqida issues.

Having said all this, the strongest viewpoint is to let the verses and hadiths pass as they are without delving into their meanings and modality, also many scholars both from Salaf and later times gave metaphorical interpretations as we have explained above in detail. As mentioned that some scholars also took literal stance, therefore general ignorant people from Salafis should not be declared as disbelievers.