Is it correct everyone interprets verses of Quran describing Allah?

Yes, it is correct to say that everyone interprets verses of the Quran that describe Allah Most High. The best example of this is in Surah Araaf when it speaks about forgetting. All Muslims will be comfortable with interpreting this verse.

فَالْيَوْمَ نَنْسَاهُمْ كَمَا نَسُوا لِقَاءَ يَوْمِهِمْ هَذَا

Today We will forget them as they forgot the meeting of this day of theirs. (Surah al-Araaf, 51).

In the verse above forgetfulness is attributed to Allah (Most High). This is obviously not taken literally. Allah Most High is perfect and imperfections like forgetfulness are not ascribed to Him (Most High). Rather the verse refers to Allah Most High abandoning them in the fire and not showing them Divine Mercy, due to their deeds.

This interpretation has been narrated with a complete chain by Imam Ibn Abi Hatim in his Tafseer and by Imam al-Bayhaqi in al-Asmaa wa al-Sifaat from Sayidina Abdullah ibn Abbas (May Allah Most High be pleased with them both):

حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي، ثنا أَبُو صَالِحٍ، حَدَّثَنِي مُعَاوِيَةُ بْنُ صَالِحٍ، عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَلْحَةَ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَوْلُهُ: فَالْيَوْمَ نَنْسَاهُمْ كَمَا نَسُوا لِقَاءَ يَوْمِهِمْ هَذَا يَقُولُ: نَتْرُكُهُمْ فِي النَّارِ كَمَا تَرَكُوا لِقَاءَ يَوْمِهِمْ هَذَا. (تفسير القرآن العظيم لابن أبي حاتم)

My father informed us saying, Mua’wiyah bin Salih informed me from Ali bin Abi Talhah from Ibn Abbas: His (Most High) words, Today We will forget them as they forgot the meeting of this day of theirs. (Surah al-Araaf, 51). (Meaning) We will leave them in the fire, as they neglected the meeting of this day of theirs. (Tafseer Ibn Abi Hatim, 8543).

عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، فِي قَوْلِهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: {فَالْيَوْمَ نَنْسَاهُمْ كَمَا نَسُوا لِقَاءَ يَوْمِهِمْ هَذَا} [الأعراف: 51] يَقُولُ: نَتْرُكُهُمْ فِي النَّارِ كَمَا تَرَكُوا لِقَاءَ يَوْمِهِمْ هَذَا “. (الأسماء والصفات)

From Ibn Abbas regarding His words, Mighty and Majestic is he, Today We will forget them as they forgot the meeting of this day of theirs. (Surah al-Araaf, 51). He said, (Meaning) We will leave them in the fire, as they neglected the meeting of this day of theirs. (Imam al-Bayhaqi, al-Asmaa wa al-Sifaat, 1026).

Imam al-Tirmidhi narrated a Hadith that contained similar words to the Ayah. He presented interpretations for the words of the Hadith and the Ayah from earlier scholars:

فَيَقُولُ لَهُ: اليَوْمَ أَنْسَاكَ كَمَا نَسِيتَنِي. ” هَذَا حَدِيثٌ صَحِيحٌ غَرِيبٌ. وَمَعْنَى قَوْلِهِ: اليَوْمَ أَنْسَاكَ، يَقُولُ: اليَوْمَ أَتْرُكُكَ فِي العَذَابِ. هَكَذَا فَسَّرُوهُ “: ” وَقَدْ فَسَّرَ بَعْضُ أَهْلِ العِلْمِ هَذِهِ الآيَةَ {فَاليَوْمَ نَنْسَاهُمْ} [الأعراف: 51] قَالُوا: إِنَّمَا مَعْنَاهُ اليَوْمَ نَتْرُكُهُمْ فِي العَذَابِ “

He (Most High) will say, Today I will forget you, just as you forgot me. This Hadith is Sahih Gharib. The meaning of His saying: “Today I will forget you” is: Today I shall leave you in chastisement. This is how they have explained it. Some of the people of knowledge have explained this Ayah: Today We will forget them. They said, it means: Today We shall leave them in chastisement. (Tirmidhi, 2428).

As we see from the Nusoos (texts) above, it is well established that the Salaf and early scholars of Islam interpreted some of the descriptions mentioned in Quran and Hadith. Therefore, people must desist from claiming that the Salaf never interpreted descriptions of Allah (Most High).

And Allah Most High Knows Best.

-Answered by Shaykh Noorud-deen Rashid (29.08.2022)

See also:
Salaf never interpreted verses of the Holy Quran describing Allah?

Did scholars from Salaf interpret the verse about the Eyes of Allah?

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