Negation of Corporeality or Likeness for God

I wrote to Abi Ja’far the Second عليه السلام: May I be made your ransom - should I pray behind the one who asserts (the doctrine of) ‘the body’ (God is corporeal) or the one who subscribes to the doctrine of Yunus - that is the son of Abd al-Rahman? He عليه السلام wrote: Do not pray behind them nor not give them anything of the Zakat. Disassociate from them. Allah has disassociated from them.

I heard Ali b. Musa al-Ridha عليه السلام saying: My God, your power is manifest but your form is not. Because of this they became ignorant of you and with that (ignorance) estimated you. While the (true) estimation is other than how they described you. O My God, I am disassociated from those who seek you by likening you (to your creatures). There is nothing like you. My God, they will never reach you. What is apparent of your blessings around them is an indicator towards you. If only they recognized you. And in your creation - O my God - there is ample to understand you. However, they equated you to your creation and because of that did not attain recognition of you. They took some of your signs as Lord (instead of you) and with that (imperfect attributes) described you. Elevated are you My Lord from that which the Likeners impute to you.

He has lied the one who claims that Allah Mighty and Majestic is from a thing, or in a thing, or upon a thing.

Whoever comes to Allah with what he had been ordered (to do) in terms of obeying Muhammad صلى الله عليه وآله then he is the ‘face’ who will not perish. In a similar vein Did He say: “whoever obeys the Messenger has obeyed Allah” (4:80).

The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه واله will hold on to the waist-knot of Allah on the Day of Judgment, we will hold on to the waist-knot of our prophet, and our Shia (followers) will hold on to our waist-knot. Then he said: waist-knot means light.

The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه واله said: Allah Majestic is His Majesty said: He has not believed in Me the one who interprets My words by his opinion. He has not known Me the one who likens Me to My creatures. He is not upon My religion the one who uses analogy in My religion.

I asked Aba Abdillah عليه السلام about ‘Subhanallah’. He said: (It means) Exaltation (belongs) to Allah.

I said to Abi Abdillah عليه السلام: One of our companions claims that Allah has a form like that of a human and another says that He is in the form of a beardless youth with very curly hair! Abu Abdillah عليه السلام fell down in prostration then he raised his head and said: Glory be to Allah whom there is nothing like Him. Vision cannot reach Him. Knowledge cannot encompass Him. He does not give birth for an off-spring resembles his parent. He was not born so that He could resemble one who came before Him. He will never have among His creatures any rival. Elevated is He from the description of the one who equates Him - a great elevation.

I wrote to Abi al-Hasan Ali b. Muhammad عليهما السلام asking him about the position of Hisham b. al-Hakam regarding ‘the body’ and the position of Hisham b. Salim regarding ‘the human form’. He wrote: Leave the confusion of the confused, seek refuge in Allah from the Shaytan, the (true) position is not what was said by the two Hishams.

I asked Aba al-Hasan Ali b. Muhammad al-Askari عليهما السلام about the words of Allah Mighty and Majestic: “the entire earth will be His grip on the Day of Resurrection and the Heavens will be folded in His right hand” (39:67). He said: That is a rebuke of Allah Blessed and Elevated against the one who likens Him to his creation. Don’t you see that He said (in the same verse): “they have not estimated Allah His true estimate” (39:67). The meaning of this is (a reply to) when they said: ‘the entire earth will be His grip on the Day of Resurrection and the heavens will be folded in His right hand’. This is just as He Mighty and Majestic said: “they have not estimated Allah His true estimate” (6:91) when they said: “Allah has not sent down anything to a human” (6:91). Then He Mighty and Majestic declared Himself free of (possessing attributes such as) ‘gripping’ and ‘right hand’ by saying: “Glorified is He and Elevated above what they associate (with Him)” (39:67).