The Invented Location for Allah (s.w.t.)

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ 

In terms of Wahhabi theology, it was Muhammad Naswir ad-Din al-Albani who invented a location for Allah (s.w.t.), a place above the Throne which he named “al-makan al-‘adami”, “the non-existent place.” 

Regarding the Divine Attributes, he said, “Many of those who interpret figuratively are not heretics, but they say what heretics say,” implying Sunni Muslims are upon kufr.  He also said, “at-ta’wil ‘ayn at-ta’til,” “Figurative interpretation is the very same as nullification.”  This is found in his Fatawa and Mukhtaswar al-‘Uluw.  It was in light of this that he suggested that Imam Abu ‘Abdullah Muhammad ibn Isma’il al-Bukhari (r.a.) was a disbeliever for interpreting the Divine Face as “Mulk”, “Dominion” or “Sovereignty” in the verse: 

سُوۡرَةُ القَصَص

…‌ كُلُّ شَىۡءٍ هَالِكٌ إِلَّا وَجۡهَهُ ۥ‌ۚ … (٨٨) 

... Everything (that exists) will perish except His Own Face. ... (Surah al-Qaswasw:88) 

In the book of tafsir in his Swahih, Imam al-Bukhari (r.a.) wrote, “Except ‘His Wajh’ means except ‘His Mulk’, and it is also said, ‘Except whatever was for the sake of His Countenance.’” 

In contrast, al-Albani said, “No true believer would say such a thing,” implying that Imam al-Bukhari (r.a.) was not a believer.  He then added, “We should consider al-Bukhari innocent of that statement,” in his Fatawa.