Speaking about those ḥadīths which mention the attributes of Allāh, Imām al-Tirmidhī (d.279H)- (رحمه الله) said in his Sunan (1/128-129) in refutation of the Jahmites and their likes who accuse Ahl al-Sunnah of being Mushabbihah:
It has been stated by more than one among the People of Knowledge about this ḥadīth and what resembles it from the narrations, such as the Attributes, and the descent of our Lord (تبارك وتعالى) to the lowest heaven every night. So they say: ‘Affirm these narrations, have faith in them, do not deny them, nor ask how.
The likes of this has been related from Mālik ibn Anas, Sufyān al-Thawrī, Ibn ʿUyainah and ʿAbdullāh Ibn al-Mubārak, who all said about such ḥadīths: ‘Leave them as they are, without asking how.’ Such is the saying of the People of Knowledge from Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jamāʿah. However, the Jahmites oppose these narrations and say: 'This is tashbīh !'[1]
However, Allāh the Exalted, has mentioned in various places in His Book, the Attribute of al-Yad (Hand), al-Samʿ (Hearing), and al-Baṣr (Seeing) yet the Jahmites make taʾwīl[2] of these verses, explaining them in a way, other than how they are explained by the People of Knowledge. They say: Indeed, Allāh did not create Ādam with His own Hand' - they say that Hand means the Power of Allāh.
Isḥāq ibn Ibrāhīm al-Rāhawayh said: ‘Tashbīh is if it is said: ‘Hand like my hand, or similar to my hand’, or it is said: ‘Hearing like my Hearing, or similar to my hearing’, then this is tashbīh. But if what is being said is what Allāh has said: Hand, Hearing, Seeing and it is not asked how, nor is it said: ‘Like my hearing, or similar to my hearing’ - then it is not tashbīh.’ Allāh, the Most Blessed, Most High, said in His Book:
There is none like unto Him, and he is the all-Hearing, the all-Seeing.[3]
Footnotes
1. Resembling or likening Allāh’s attributes to those of the creation.2. Figurative interpretation
3. Sūrah al-Shūrā 42:11