Upon examination of the Revealed Texts, we see that the Attributes of Allāh come under two headings: Attributes which affirm (Thubūtiyyah) and those which negate (Salbiyyah):
ONE: Ath-Thubūtiyyah (the Affirmed Attributes) are Attributes which Allāh has affirmed for Himself, such as Life (al-Hayāt), Knowledge (al-ʿIlm), Ability (al-Qudrah) and so on. It is necessary to affirm these for Allāh in a manner that befits His Majesty since it is He who has affirmed them for Himself in the Texts, and He is the Most Knowledgeable concerning His Attributes.
TWO: As-Salbiyyah (the negated attributes) are those attributes which Allāh has negated from Himself, such as injustice (ḍhulm), slumber, sleep, etc. So, one must negate these attributes from Him just as He (the Most High) has negated them from Himself. However, it is necessary to affirm belief in the opposite of these negated attributes, completely and perfectly. That is because the negation of a weak or deficient attribute is not considered as perfection until it includes an affirmation of its opposite. For example, the saying of Allāh, “And your Lord oppresses no one.”1 So it is obligatory to negate oppression (ḍhulm) from Allāh, alongside believing in the affirmation of the utmost perfect justice (ʿAdl) for Him.2
1. Sūrah al-Kahf: 49.
2. See the introduction of Lumʿat al-Iʿtiqād al-Hādī ilā Sabīl ar-Rashād of Ibn Qudāmah al-Maqdisī with the explanation of Ibn ʿUthaimīn (pp. 20-27).
