The Mutakallimun and Using God as a Handkerchief
Al-Qadi ‘Iyadh (d. 544 A.H.) states in his Al-Shifa, vol. 2, p. 301:
وحدثنا الثقة أن الإمام أبا بكر الشاشي كان يعيب على أهل الكلام كثرة خوضهم فيه تعالى وفي ذكر صفاته إجلالًا لاسمه تعالى، ويقول: هؤلاء يتمَنْدَلُون بالله عز وجل
“A reliable source informed us that Imam Abu Bakr al-Shashi criticized the Mutakallimun for their excessive engagement in discussions about God, especially concerning His attributes, out of reverence for His name. He would say, ‘These people are using Allah, the Almighty, as a handkerchief.’”
Clarifying the analogy with the handkerchief, Imam Mulla Ali Al-Qari (1014 A.H.) states in his commentary on Al-Qadi’s Shifa, vol. 2, p. 540:
أي: يتداولونه ويتناولونه كالمنديل بكثرة تداول ألسنتهم له في الأقاويل
“In other words, they speak of Allah so frequently and casually, as if they are handling and using Him like a handkerchief, repeatedly mentioning Him in their discussions.”
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Alhamdulillah you too, thanks. May Allah reward you greatly for your sharing of information.
Now I'm concerned. Are there any sources for examples on how we should go about this then?
I thought, that whenever we mention Allah and praise Him, He mentions us among the angels, so I talk about Him any chance I get.