Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah. To proceed:
Allah’s attributes are tawqifi, meaning that none may be affirmed except on the basis of evidence from the Qur’an or Sunnah. It has been reported from a number of the Salaf that they affirmed touch for Allah Almighty, and Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on him, transmitted this view and approved it. As for taste, Allah Almighty is not to be described with it, because it is not established by evidence and because tasting is connected with eating, while Allah, Glorified be He, is exalted above that.
The basic principle regarding the attributes of Allah Almighty is that a Muslim does not affirm any attribute except on the basis of revealed evidence. There are texts and reports indicating the affirmation of touch, and this has been transmitted from a number of the Salaf.
Among the hadiths mentioned in this regard is what Ahmad and at-Tirmidhi narrated from Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Prophet ﷺ said regarding the creation of Adam, peace be upon him:
“When Allah created Adam, He wiped his back, and every soul from his descendants whom He was to create until the Day of Resurrection fell from his back...”
At-Tirmidhi said concerning this hadith: “This is a hasan sahih hadith,” and the editors of the Musnad also graded it hasan due to supporting evidence.
It is also reported in the hadith of ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Prophet ﷺ mentioned the creation of Adam and said:
“Indeed, Allah created Adam, then wiped his back with His right hand and brought forth from him offspring...”
Shu‘ayb al-Arna’ut graded the hadith sahih due to supporting evidence.
These texts are among the proofs relied upon by those who affirmed the attribute of touch for Allah Almighty.
The matter is not limited to these hadiths. The affirmation of touch has also been transmitted from a number of the Salaf, including Maysarah Abu Salih, the freedman of Kindah; Hakim ibn Jabir; Muhammad ibn Ka‘b al-Qurazi; ‘Ikrimah, the freedman of Ibn ‘Abbas; Khalid ibn Ma‘dan; and Ka‘b al-Ahbar.
Among the reports transmitted from Hakim ibn Jabir is that he said:
“I was informed that your Lord, Mighty and Majestic, touched with His hand only three things: He planted Paradise with His hand, created Adam with His hand, and wrote the Torah with His hand.”
The scholars transmitted this report in works dealing with the Sunnah and creed.
Imam ad-Darimi, may Allah have mercy on him, also mentioned the affirmation that Allah Almighty touched Adam, peace be upon him, with His hand, and stated that Adam’s creation was distinguished with a special virtue and honor.
Ibn al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy on him, also noted that the texts affirming the hand for Allah Almighty occur in many places, including what is reported regarding wiping Adam’s back with His hand.
As for Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on him, he transmitted the statements of the Salaf concerning this matter and mentioned that the majority of the scholars of hadith and Sunnah affirm the perception of touch for Allah Almighty on the basis of the transmitted texts and reports.
What is meant by affirming this attribute, according to those who affirm it, is to affirm what the evidence indicates in a manner befitting Allah, Glorified be He, without resemblance and without asking how. It is therefore not said that Allah’s touch is like the touch of created beings, nor is it permissible to imagine its modality.
As for the attribute of taste, the correct view is that Allah Almighty is not to be described with it, because it has not been established in the revealed texts.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on him, mentioned that scholars differed regarding the perceptions of touch, taste, and smell. Among their views were those who affirmed all of these perceptions, those who denied some of them, and those who affirmed touch but not taste.
He explained that the majority of the scholars of hadith and Sunnah affirm for Allah Almighty the perception of touch but do not affirm for Him the perception of taste.
The difference between the two is that there are texts indicating touch, whereas no evidence establishes taste. Moreover, taste is connected with what is eaten and therefore involves the meaning of eating, while Allah, Glorified be He, is exalted above eating.
For this reason, it is not correct to expand the affirmation of divine attributes merely because they may constitute aspects of perfection in created beings. Rather, what matters is whether they are established in revelation, because the subject of Allah’s attributes is tawqifi.
Touch is affirmed for Allah Almighty according to the view supported by the transmitted reports and texts. This was the position of a group of the Salaf, and Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on him, transmitted and approved it. This does not mean likening Allah’s touch to the touch of created beings, nor does it imply knowing how this attribute is.
As for taste, it is not affirmed for Allah Almighty because no evidence establishes it and because it is connected to the meaning of eating, from which Allah, Glorified be He, is exalted.
The principle in this matter is that Allah’s attributes are affirmed by revealed texts while declaring Allah free from resemblance to His creation. Allah says:
{There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing} [Ash-Shura: 11].
And Allah knows best.