It is Clear that upon investigation of Imaam an-Nawawee's Sharh of Saheeh Muslim or his refutation
of the ashari creeed on harf wa sawt or his refutation of Kalaam Nafsi which is expouned by the later day asharis and his
book "Rudud at-Taqubat" then it is clear that he is free from what the later day asharis claim of him to be (an ashari) and
one of their Imaam, rather he is an Imam of Ahlu-sunnh upon the Aqeeah and Manhaj of as-Salafu-Saaliheen
here is an extract from his famous student
Ibn Attar ( rahimullah) who was the student of nawawi (rahimullah) said in al-itiqad al-khalis
"…And
he, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, said, 'Allaah created Firdaus with His Hand, and the Gardens of Paradise with His Hand,
and wrote the Taurah with His Hand.' And narrations other than this, it is obligatory upon us to believe that this is the
truth. And it is forbidden upon us that we say: that Allaah has addressed us with what we understand, and we do not understand
'hand' except that which possesses a palm and fingers and therefore liken it to the creation and hence arrive at tajseem.
Allaah is Exalted above what the unjust say. Or that we say: the meaning is favour and power, because it is unfeasible to
take it to mean the 'hand' we understand, so therefore it necessitates taking it to mean this fearing tashbeeh! And this is
tahreef (distortion) containing ta'teel, how is this possible when the consensus is that the Attributes are to be stopped
at (tawqeefiyyah - i.e. in terms of nature and not likened to creation). And the meaning of what they make ta'weel of is not
established, and this is the way of the Mu'tazila and Jahmiyyah, we seek refuge with Allaah from that. And so it is necessary
to absolve the Creator, Azza wa Jall, from tashbeeh and ta'teel by distancing from tahreef and takyeef and tamtheel (likening),
and taking to His saying, 'there is nothing like Him, and He is the Hearing and Seeing' May Allaah favour us with understanding
and cognisance upon the road of tawheed and eliminating anthropomorphism. And this is the saying on all that is affirmed from
the Attributes. And Allaah knows that corrupt from those that purify……"
"….So when the Book and authentic
narrations speak with affirming (the Attributes of) Hearing, Seeing, Eye, Face, Knowledge, Power, Strength, Greatness, Will,
Desire, Words, Speech, Pleasure, Displeasure, Love, Hatred, Delight, Laughing - it is obligatory to believe in them literally
without tashbeeh to the creation. And stopping at what Allaah said (about Himself), without adding or increasing or takyeef
or tahreef or tabdeel (changing) or tagyeer, or removing the meaning from the word that the Arab understands from it…."
"And
some of them negated Nuzool (the descent of Allaah to the lowest heaven at the last third of the night), and weakened the
ahaadeeth or made ta'weel of them fearing confinement (tahayyuz - i.e. of Allaah) or movement or transmission which would
necessitate a body. And the researching scholars affirmed them and obligated faith in them as Allaah wills…."
"….And
all of the verses and ahaadeeth affirming Coming and Nuzool, and affirming face and other than that from the Attributes, the
scholars obligated faith in them, and leaving contemplation of them and or depicting a form for them….."
