Dear Shaykh. In a video online, the speaker says that Ibn Taymiyyah relied on the work of Abu Saʻeed ‘Uthmaan Ad-Daarimi for the matters of creed.
Can you please inform me on whether Abu Saʻeed ‘Uthmaan Ad-Daarimi was a reliable scholar, as the speaker alleges that he believed in anthropomorphism. Also, the author allegedly that in his book, it is mentioned that when Allah descends on the Day of Judgment, Hell will be in the wings of Allah. Can you please clarify?

All perfect praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.

Whoever says that Ibn Taymiyyah relied on the books of Abu Saʻeed ‘Uthmaan Ad-Daarimi in matters of creed does not know Ibn Taymiyyah and has not read his writings. He either made this statement as an assumption and conjecture or out of ignorance and imitation of others. Otherwise, whoever reads even his shortest book, Al-Fataawa Al-Hamawiyyah, in which he establishes the creed of the Salaf (pious predecessors), would find quotations from many books which he used in clarifying this creed. These books include Usool As-Sunnah by Abu Al-Qaasim Al-Laalakaa’i, Ar-Radd ʻala Al-Jahmiyyah by Ibn Abu Haatim, quotes by the leading Maaliki scholar Ibn Abi Zamneen from one of his books on Usool As-Sunnah, quotes by Al-Haafith Abu Nu'aym from his book Mahajjat Al-Waathiqeen wa Madrajat Al-Waamiqeen, and many others.

‘Uthmaan ibn Saʻeed Ad-Daarimi was a reliable Imam about whom Ibn Hibbaan said, "ʻUthmaan ibn Saʻeed Ad-Daarimi, Abu Saʻeed As-Sijistaani. He resided in Haraah and was one of the most knowledgeable scholars of his time..." [Ath-Thiqaat]

Al-Haafith Ibn Hajar quoted the following statement of Abu Al-Fadhl Al-Jaaroodi about him: "ʻUthmaan ibn Saʻeed was an honorable scholar worthy of being followed during his lifetime and after his death." [Siyar Aʻlaam An-Nubalaa’]

It is known that accusations of Tajseem (anthropomorphism; saying that Allah has a physical body) are falsely thrown at the scholars who affirm the divine attributes of Allah in a manner that befits Him without denying them or likening Allah to His creation. Whoever holds such a belief cannot be accused of Tajseem or Tashbeeh (likening Allah to His creation).

At-Tirmithi wrote:

"Is-haaq ibn Ibraaheem (Ibn Raahawayh) said, 'Tashbeeh is when someone claims that He has a Hand similar to the human hand or hearing similar to human hearing or the like. This is Tashbeeh. But if he says what Allah, the Exalted, says (in the Quran); that He has a Hand, hearing, and sight without saying 'how' and without saying 'like the hearing of...', then this is not Tashbeeh. It is as Allah, the Exalted, says in His book: {There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the Hearing, the Seeing.} [Quran 42:11].'" [Sunan At-Tirmithi]

Accusing these scholars of Tajseem was intended to cause people to develop an aversion towards them. The main criterion is the meaning which they intended. If the meaning is correct, then these accusations are of no consequence. This is why the scholars held that when someone uses terms such as Jism (physical body) or the like in reference to Allah by means of negation or affirmation, he should be asked to elaborate, as he might intend a true meaning by it, or he might intend a false one.

Ibn Taymiyyah said:

"Discussing the attribution of physical traits to Allah, whether by negation or affirmation, is a Bid‘ah (religious innovation). None of the early Muslim generations and leading scholars said that Allah does not have a physical body (Jism), nor did they say that Allah has a physical body. Rather, whoever makes either statement is asked to elaborate, because the term Jism in reference to Allah is highly controversial. If the speaker intends to negate any resemblance between Allah and His creation, then that is true. There is no doubt that those who attribute a physical body to Allah that is similar to that of His creation are the most misguided people given to religious innovations, let alone those of them who say that Allah is flesh and blood and similar falsehood reported from them ... We do the same with the one who affirms that Allah has a Jism; if he intends to affirm the attributes of Allah as stated in the (authentic) texts, we declare that the meaning he intended is correct, and we prevent him from using the terms that have a rather general indication. If his intention is to attribute a physical body to Allah similar to His creation, we refute him and expose his misguidance and false beliefs..." [Al-Fataawa Al-Kubra]

The report in reference was cited by Ad-Daarimi in the chapter entitled "The descent of the Lord, Blessed and Exalted, on the Day of Judgment for the Reckoning". He cited before it a Marfooʻ hadith (directly attributed to the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) cited by Al-Bukhaari and Ahmad that affirms this fact. It is most likely that Ad-Daarimi cited this report in order to affirm the divine attribute of descent. The approach of the righteous predecessors was to affirm the divine attributes without trying to describe 'how', as we mentioned above. His statement did not include the word 'wing'; rather, the wording narrated from Adh-Dhahhaak ibn Muzaahim reads, "...Then, Allah descends in His grandeur and beauty accompanied by whomever He wishes of angels, and on His left side is Hell...."

Such matters of the Unseen cannot be established except through the divine revelation in the Quran and the Sunnah.

Allah knows best.