Al-Ghazaaliyy says in “Iljaam Al-ˆawaam” that denying bodily characteristics for Aļļaah is a primary duty of all Muslims, scholars and commoners alike. He makes it clear that believing that Allaah is a body (i.e. something that has size) is kufr and idolatry:
I mean by “body” something with length, width and depth that prevents something else to exist where it exists…. So if it came to someone’s mind that Aļļaah is a body composed of limbs, then this person is an idol worshiper. The reason is that all bodies are created, and to worship something created is kufr. After all, idol worship is kufr because the idol is created, and the idol is created because it is a body. Hence, the one who worships a body is a kaafir by the consensus of the Muslim Nation, both the salaf and those later.
Sunni Answers 
Salam Alaikum Dear Shaykh
Can you please add the name of the book Iljam Al-Awam in the heading of the article, as that would make it easily visible even if someone does not read the full post.
The wahabi fools are propagating the theory that Al-Ghazali returned to the true path in Iljam Al-Awam, after a lifetime of being misguided.
It’s simply sad and funny at the same time, that the very book THEY claim is propagating the RIGHT BELIEFS of the Ahlus Sunnah – ruthlessly slaps them in the face. :)
Done! Baaraka Allaah fiik.
Salam alaykum dear Shaykh,
Is there are any work either by al-Ghazaali or any other Shaykh/Mufti which explains the terms used by the Sufi scholars, and how they “map” onto the terms used by the scholars of Kalaam sciences.
I have read a number of books written by well-known personalities of Tassawuf, but when they speak (as a very simple example), of wanting “unity with Allah”, it is obvious that they cannot mean ‘Hulool’, but it is unclear what the term actually means, especially when it is in poetry and other figurative types of language. So is there some sort of “Handbook of what Sufi terms mean in the realm of ‘Rational Sciences’?”, for otherwise the door may be left wide open for all types of strange beliefs to creep into those who seek spirituality.
Thank you, Wa Salaam.
wa3alaykumussalaam,
It is not important what Sufis may make of expressions, because these may have been made in a state of absent mindedness due to “haal”. The expressions that are allowed to use are taken from Kalaam scholars. When expressions made by Sufis deviate from this, then these expressions cannot be used, and may sometimes be kufr.
Salam Alaykum dear Shaykh,
Some non-Muslim people might ask: “You Muslims say that Allah does not have physical manifestations and that this is impossible.
But you say that His Attributes are not other than Him, and for example, when some accident happens, you say: ‘That was Allah’s Will’, meaning it is a manifestation of Allah’s Will. So how can you criticize the non-Muslim for beleiving that God has physical manifestations, when for the Muslims, His Attributes (which are not other than Him) also have physical manifestations?”
What would be the answer in this case?
What they call manifestation of will is a created event, not Allaah’ will itself. It is what Allaah has willed.