Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, the Companions, and the two generations after them, did not systematise Allah’s attributes into “20 Sifat” or any fixed number. They affirmed all the names and attributes mentioned in Al-Qur’an and As-Sunnah without restricting them to a set list; avoiding philosophical classifications of the attributes of Allah found in “Sifat 20” such as:

(A) Sifat Nafsiyyah (Self-Attribute); attribute related to Allah’s very essence or existence:

1. Wujud (Exists)

(B) Sifat Salbiyyah (Negating Attributes); attributes that negate flaws or imperfections of Allah:

1. Qidam (Pre-Eternity; existing without a beginning))
2. Baqa’ (Everlasting)
3. Mukhalafatuhu lil-hawadith (Different from the creation)
4. Qiyamuhu binafsih (Self-subsisting and depends on nothing)
5. Wahdaniyyah (One; without any partner)

(C) Sifat Ma‘anee (Meaningful Attributes); attributes related to Allah’s power, will, knowledge, and other aspects that give meaning to His existence:

1. Qudrah (Powerful)
2. Iradah (Will)
3. ‘Ilmun (Knowing)
4. Hayyun (Living)
5. Sama’ (Hearing)
6. Basar (Seeing)
7. Kalam (Speaking)

(D) Sifat Ma’nawiyyah (Derivative Attributes); attributes that are consequences or expressions of the Sifat Ma‘anee:

1. Kaunuhu Qadiran (His state of being the All-Powerful)
2. Kaunuhu Muridan (His state of being the All-Willing)
3. Kaunuhu ‘Aliman (His state of being the All-Knowing)
4. Kaunuhu Hayyan (His state of being the Ever-Living)
5. Kaunuhu Sami‘an (His state of being the All-Hearing)
6. Kaunuhu Basiran (His state of being the All-Seeing)
7. Kaunuhu Mutakalliman (His state of being the All-Speaking)

Scholars who adhere to the understanding of the Salaf avoid such philosophical classifications because these terms were influenced by Greek logic and ‘Ilm al-Kalaam (speculative or rational theology).

The belief of Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah regarding the Names and Attributes of Allah is to affirm all the Names and Attributes which Allah has confirmed for Himself in the Qur’an and Sunnah, without:

(A) Tahreef (distorting or changing a Name or Attribute of Allah other than its true meaning)

(B) Ta’teel (denying or negating it)

(C) Takyeef (describing and explaining the reality of Allah’s Attributes, e.g., by saying, “I affirm Allah’s Attribute of possessing a Face, and His Face look like such and such” or questioning the “how” of them, e.g., by saying, “How does Allah’s Face look like?”)

(D) Tamtheel (to imply a similarity between the Attributes of Allah and that of His created beings)

The “20 Sifat” is considered a bid‘ah by the Salaf-oriented scholars because of the following reasons:

(A) No basis in Al-Qur’an & As-Sunnah

• The Prophet ﷺ or his Companions never said: “Allah has exactly 20 attributes you must know.”
• Restricting the attributes to 20 implies limitation, whereas Allah’s attributes are infinite.

(B) Influence of Philosophical Theology

• The “20 Sifat” framework was developed by scholars after the Salaf (especially Ash‘ariyyah and Maturidiyyah) using rational proofs to defend Islam against philosophers, Mu’tazilah, etc.
• Salaf-oriented scholars regard this as a form of kalaam (speculative) innovation that employs rational and argumentative methods to establish, defend, and debate the fundamental tenets of the Islamic faith.

(C) Risk of Negating Other Attributes of Allah

• By systematising into categories, some attributes mentioned in Al-Qur’an and As-Sunnah are left out (e.g., Love, Mercy, Anger, Pleasure of Allah)
• It is the way of as-Salafus-Salih to affirm all the Attributes of Allah as they were revealed, without reducing His Attributes to a man-made list.

(D) Imposition on Muslims

• In Ash‘ariyyah teaching, knowing the “20 Sifat” is sometimes made a condition of valid faith.
• Salaf-oriented scholars argue that such knowledge is not required by Allah as He commanded the Prophet ﷺ to teach his companions to believe simply in Allah, His Names and Attributes as revealed.

Although the “20 Sifat” serves as a theological framework aimed at safeguarding correct belief in Allah’s Attributes against heretical ideas, we, the Salaf-oriented, regard it as a bid‘ah because it fixes a number, relies on philosophical categorisations, and was never taught by the Prophet ﷺ or his Companions.

The Correct Belief in Allah’s Attributes:

• https://islamqa.info/en/answers/151794/the-divine-attributes-are-to-be-affirmed-in-a-literal-sense-not-metaphorical
• https://islamqa.info/en/answers/178915/how-to-understand-the-names-and-attributes-of-allah