What is the ruling on likening the Attributes of the Creator to that of creation, and vice versa? What is the difference between the two?

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

There is evidence from Quranic and Prophetic texts, as well as the consensus of the Salaf (Righteous Predecessors), on the obligation to describe Allaah the Almighty only with the attributes that He has described Himself with or which the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, ascribed to Him, without distorting their wording or meanings, or denying them, or asking how they are, or drawing any resemblance between Allaah and any of His creation.

It is a detestable and an ugly Bid‘ah (innovation in religion) to impart the attributes of Allaah to His creatures and vise versa. Doing so turns a person into a disbeliever if he is educated beyond the excuse of ignorance and doubt. Allaah the Almighty Says (what means): {There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the Hearing, the Seeing.} [Quran 42:11]

This part: "There is nothing like unto Him" refutes those who draw any resemblance between Allaah and His creatures, and the part: "He is the Hearing, the Seeing" rebuts those who negate some attributes of Allaah or strip their meanings of Sharee‘ah-indicative facts.

The difference between the two forms is that imparting the attributes of the creation to Allaah the Almighty indicates glorification of it and an elevating of the status of some creatures to that of Uloohiyyah (Divinity), which constitutes Shirk (Polytheism). On the other hand, giving the attributes of Allaah the Creator on to His creatures indicates a degradation of Allaah and submitting Him to deficiency, which constitutes Kufr (disbelief).    

Allaah Knows best.