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The Shaykh - hafidhahullâh
- said: [1]
From îmân (faith) in Allâh is to have îmân in those of His
Asmâul-Husnâ (beautiful Names) and Sifâtul-’Ulyâ
(lofty Attributes) that occur in His Great Book and that have been affirmed by His trustworthy Messenger
sallallâhu ’alayhi wa sallam - without tahrîf
(distorting the wording or the meaning), ta’tîl (divesting or denying the Attributes),
takyîf (asking how) or tamthîl (resembling Allâh to any of His creation). Rather, it
is obligatory to leave them as they came, without takyîf. Along with this, it is also
obligatory to have îmân in the meaning that Allâh - the
Mighty and Majestic - has been described with, in a way which befits Him;
without resembling Him to His creation in any of His Attributes. Allâh - the Most
High - says:
“There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the All-Hearing,
the All-Seeing.”
[2]
Allâh - the Mighty and Majestic - also says:
“And do not put forward any
similitude for Allâh. Indeed, Allâh knows and you do not know.”
[3]
So this is the ’aqîdah (belief) of
Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamâ’ah from the Companions of the Messenger of
Allâh sallallâhu ’alayhi wa sallam and those that followed them in goodness. This
is what has been recorded also by Imâm Abûl-Hasan al-Ash’arî (d.324H) -
rahimahullâh - in his book: “Al-Maqâlât ‘an Asbâbul-Hadîth
wa Ahlus-Sunnah.” This has also been stated
by many others from the people of knowledge and îmân.
Imâm al-Awzâ’î [4] - rahimahullâh - said:
“I asked az-Zuhrî and Makhûl about the âyât pertaining to the
Sifât (Attributes of Allâh), so they said: Leave them as they
are.” [5]
Al-Walîd ibn Muslim - rahimahullâh - said:
“I asked Mâlik, al-Awzâ’î, Layth ibn Sa’d and Sufyân ath-Thawrî
- rahimahumullâh - about the reports related about the Attributes, so they all said: Leave them as they are, without asking
how.” [6]
Al-Awzâ’î - rahimahullâh - said:
“We - whilst the Tâbi’ûn were many - would say: Indeed Allâh
- the Most Perfect - is above His Throne, and we have îmân in
what is related in the Sunnah about the Attributes.”
[7]
Rabî’ah ibn Abî
’Abdur-Rahmân [8] - rahimahumullâh - said:
“Al-Istiwâ (Allâh ascending) is not unknown, and how is not comprehendible, and from
Allâh is the Message, upon the Messenger is to clearly convey it, and upon us is to affirm
it.” [9]
Imâm Mâlik [10] - rahimahullâh - said:
“Al-Istiwâ is known, and how is unknown, to have îmân in
it is obligatory and to question it is an innovation.” Then he said to the
questioner: “I do not think, except that you are an evil man.” So he ordered him to be
expelled. [11]
This has also been related about
Ummul-Mu‘minîn Umm Salamah radiallâhu ’anhâ. [12]
’Abdullâh ibn al-Mubârak
[13] - rahimahullâh - said:
“We know that our Lord - the Most Perfect - is above the heavens, above His
’Arsh (Throne), separate from His creation.” [14]
The words of the Scholars about this matter are very numerous
indeed, and it is not possible to relate them all in such a short space. However, whosoever further desires to be
acquainted with this topic, then let him turn to the books by the Scholars of
Sunnah about this subject, such as the book:- Kitâbus-Sunnah by
’Abdullâh the son of Imâm Ahmad (d.290H), Kitâbut-Tawhîd by the great
Imâm, Muhammad ibn Khuzaymah (d.311H), Kitâbus-Sunnah by Abûl-Qâsim al-Lâlikâ‘î at-Tabarî
(d.418H), and Kitâbus-Sunnah by Abû Bakr Ibn Abî ’Âsim (d.287H).
Refer also to the reply given by
Shaykhul-Islâm Ibn Taymiyyah (d.728H) to the people of Hamah (entitled al-’Aqîdatul-Hamawiyyah),
as it is a great reply, full of benefit. In it he -rahimahullâh - has made clear the
’aqîdah of Ahlus-Sunnah, and has recorded many of the sayings of the Scholars; as well as
giving proofs from both the Sharî’ah and sound reasoning about the
correctness of what Ahlus-Sunnah say, showing also the futility of
those who oppose them.
Likewise, his book entitled al-’Aqîdatut-Tadmuriyyah
in which he established and explained the ’aqîdah of Ahlus-Sunnah with
both textual proofs and proofs from sound reasoning. In this treatise he has - for all those of understanding, intending
righteousness and desiring to realise the truth - thoroughly refuted all opposition, by
clarifying the truth and refuting the falsehood.
All those who oppose
Ahlus-Sunnah in their ’aqîdah concerning Allâh’s Names and Attributes, have indeed fallen into
opposing the textual evidences and sound reasoning along with clearly contradicting all that
Allâh has affirmed or negated for Himself.
So Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamâ’ah affirm for
Allâh - the Most Perfect - what He has affirmed for Himself in His Noble Book, or
what has been affirmed for Him by His Messenger Muhammad sallallâhu
’alayhi wa sallam in the authentic Sunnah. Affirming without tamthîl (resemblance) and freeing
Allâh - the Most Perfect - from any resemblance to His creation, whilst also
rejecting and being free from ta’tîl. So whosoever holds fast to
the truth which Allâh sent, humbling and accepting it, whilst being sincere to
Allâh in the quest for it, then it is the way of Allâh - the Most Perfect - that He
will grant such a person harmony with the truth and show them His clear evidences, as
Allâh - the Most High - mentions:
“Nay! We hurl truth against falsehood, so it destroys it;
and behold, falsehood is vanquished.”
[15]
And Allâh - the Most High - said:
“And no example or similitude do they bring, except We
reveal to you the truth and the best explanation thereof.”
[16]
Al-Hâfidh Ibn Kathîr (d.774H)
rahimahullâh explained in his famous tafsîr - whilst commenting upon the saying of
Allâh - the Mighty and Majestic:
“Indeed your Lord is He who created the heavens and
the earth in six days, then He ascended (istiwâ) over the
Throne.”
[17]
He explained this issue in a most beautiful manner, which I have
quoted here in its entirety, due to its great benefit.
Ibn Kathîr - rahimahullâh - said:
“The sayings of the people in this issue are very many. However, this is not the place to enter into a detailed discussion about it.
Indeed, the path we traverse in this issue is to follow the way of the Salafus-Sâlih (Pious Predecessors) such as:
Mâlik, al-Awzâ’î, ath-Thawrî, Layth ibn Sa’d, ash-Shâfi’î, Ahmad,
Ishâq ibn Bâhâwaih, and other from the Scholars of the Muslims - both past and present. And their way is: to recite them
as they are, without takyîf, tashbîh, nor ta’tîl.
Indeed, Allâh does not resemble anything of His creation in any way:
“There is nothing like Him, He is the all-Hearing,
all-Seeing.”
[18]
Rather, the matter is as the Scholars - such as Nu’aym ibn
Hammâd al-Khuzâ’î (d.228H), the Shaykh of al-Bukhârî - said: “Whosoever makes
tashbîh (resemblance) of Allâh to His creation, has committed kufr
(disbelief), and whosoever denies what Allâh has described Himself with, has also
committed kufr ... Indeed, all that Allâh has described Himself with, or what His Messenger has described Him with, then
there is no tashbîh in it at all.”
[19] So whosoever affirms for Allâh - the Most High - what is related in the clear
Âyât and the authentic narrations - in a way which befits Allâh’s Greatness and
Majesty - whilst also denying and negating from Allâh - the Most High - any defects and imperfection, then such a person has truly
traversed the path of Guidance.”
[20]
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The Shaykh (bin Bâz)
- hafidhahullâh - also said: [21]
“Tahrîf (distortion) means: changing the wordings of the Names and Attributes, or changing their meanings. Like the
saying of the Jahmiyyah that istiwâ (ascending above) is istawlâ
(conquering and having dominion over); and like the saying of some of the Innovators that
al-Ghadab (Anger) when referring to Allâh means ‘intending to punish’ and that
ar-Rahmah (Mercy) means ‘intending to send blessings.’ And all of this is
tahrîf: And their saying about istawâ that it is istawlâ is
tahrîf of the wording, and their saying that ar-Rahmah is intending to send
blessings and al-Ghadab is intending to punish is tahrîf of the
meaning. The true saying, however, is that istawâ means ascending and being above - as is clear in the
’Arabic language. And the Qur‘ân came to show that its meaning is ascending and
being above the ’Arsh (Throne) in a manner which befits Allâh’s
Majesty and Greatness. Likewise, al-Ghadab and ar-Rahmah are
two real Attributes befitting Allâh’s Majesty and Greatness - just as is the case with the rest of the Attributes reported in the Book
and the Sunnah.
Ta’tîl (divesting) means: removal of the Attributes and to deny
them for Allâh the Most High. It is taken from their saying: ‘A graceful neck without adornment
(mu’attal).’ So the Jahmiyyah and their like divest Allâh of His Attributes and are thus called
the Mu’atillah. And this saying of theirs is totally futile, since it
is not possible for there to be anything in existence without attributes - and the
Qur‘ân and the Sunnah repeatedly affirm Attributes (for Allâh) in a manner befitting
Allâh’s Majesty and Greatness.
Takyîf means: Explaining how the Attributes are. So it is not said:
‘How did He ascend?’ And ‘How is His Hand?’ And ‘How is His Face?’ Since, speaking about the Attributes
of Allâh follows the same principle, and is treated the same, as speaking about the
Dhât (Essence/Self) of Allâh. So just as He has a Dhât - and
we do not know how it is, then likewise, He has Sifât (Attributes)
- and we do not know how they are either, no one knows that except Him. But we believe in the reality of their meaning.
As regards to tamthîl, then it means:
tashbîh (making resemblance). So it is not said: Allâh has a Dhât (Essence) like
ours, or resembling ours, etc. Thus, it is not said about the Attributes of
Allâh that they are like - or resembling - our attributes. Rather, the Believer must stick to His -
the Most High’s - saying: “There is nothing like Him.” And the meaning is that
there is none who resembles Him.”
Note: Shaykhul-Islâm Ibn Taymiyyah (d.728H) mentioned: If
it is said to you: We interpret the meaning of Anger to be ‘desiring to punish’ and Mercy to be ‘desiring to send blessings’ then say:
Does this desiring resemble that of the creation, or is it a desiring befitting His Majesty and Greatness? So if he says the first - then
he has done tashbîh! And if he says the second, then say: Then why do you not say,
‘Mercy and Anger befitting His Majesty and Greatness?’ And this will put an end to his
argument.
References
1. Al-’Aqîdatus-Sahîhah wa Ma
Yudâdahâ (pp.9-13).
2. Sûrah ash-Shûrâ 42:11
3. Sûrah an-Nahl 16:74
4. He is Abdur-Rahmân ibn ’Amr al-Awzâ’î - the Scholar, worshipper and
mujâhid. Al-Hâkim said: “Al-Awzâ’î was the Imâm of the people of his time in general, and he was the
Imâm of the people of Shâm in particular.” He died in Bayrût, in the year 157H. Refer to
at-Tadhbirab (l/178) and al-Hilyah (6/135) for his biography.
5. Related by al-Harawî in Dhammul-Kalâm (p.18).
6. Related by al-Âjurrî in ash-Sharî’ah (p.314), al-Bayhaqî in
al-Asmâ was-Sifât (p.453), al-l’tiqâd (p.118) and the isnâd
is Hasan.
7. Related by al-Bayhaqî in al-Asmâ was-Sifât (p.408). The isnâd is
jayyid, as al-Hâfidh Ibn Hajar said in Fathul-Bârî (13/406).
8. He is Rabî’ah ibn Abî ’Abdur-Rahmân - better known as Rabî’atur-Râ’î - one of the
Tâbi’ûn of al-Madînah. Al-Khatîb said: “He was a Faqîh, a Scholar and a
Hâfidh in Fiqh and Hadîth.” He died in the year 136H. Refer to
Târîkh Baghdâd (8/420) and Hilyatul-Awliyâ (3/259) for his biography.
Related by al-Bayhaqî in al-Asmâ was-Sifât (no.516) and al-Lâlikâ‘î in
Sharh Usûl I’tiqâd Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamâ’ah (no.665). Ibn Taymiyyah said in
Majmû’al-Fatâwâ (5/365): “It is established from Rabî’ah.” He also said in
al-Hamawiyyah (p.80): “Al-Khallâl narrated it with an isnâd
all of whom are thiqât (precise and reliable).”
10. He is Abû ’Abdullâh Mâlik ibn Anas - the Imâm from the Atbâ’ut-Tâbi’ûn of
al-Madînah and one of the Scholars of Ahlus-Sunnah. Imâm ash-Shâfi’î said: “When the Scholars are
mentioned, then Mâlik is a dazzling star.” He died in 179H. Refer to Siyâr
A’lâmun-Nubalâ (7/366) of adh-Dhahabî for a complete biography.
11. Related by al-Bayhaqî in al-Asmâ was-Sifât (p.516) with the wording:
“Al-Istiwâ is not unknown and how is unknown, to have îmân in it is obligatory and to question it is an innovation.”
Al-Bayhaqî also relates (p.516), as does ad-Dârimî in ar-Radd
’alal-Jahmiyyah (p.55) - with a jayyid isnâd, as Ibn Hajr says in
Fatbul-Bârî (13/406) - that Imâm Mâhk said: “The Most Merciful ascended as He Himself described, and it is not to be asked:
How? Since how is unknown.”
12. Related by al-Lâlakâ‘î in Sharh Usûl I’tiqâd (no.663). Ibn
Taymiyyah said in al-Fatâwâ (5/365): “Its isnâd cannot be relied
upon.” Adh-Dhahabî said in al-’Uluww (p.82): “This saying has
been preserved from a group, such as Rabi’atur-Ra‘î, Mâlik and Abû Ja’far at-Tirmidhî. However, the narration from Umm Salamah
is not authenhic - since Abû Kinânah is not reliable and Abû ’Amîr is not known.” So the Shaykh was indeed correct in not definitely
ascribing this saying to the Mother of the Believers, Umm Salamah - and all praise is for
Allâh.
13. He is Abû ’Abdur-Rahmân ’Abdullâh ibn al-Mubârak al-Marwazî. The
Imâm from the Atbâ’ut-Tâbi’ûn, the Hâfidh, the Shaykh
of Islâm, example for the people of zuhd and a leader of the mujâhidîn.
He died in the year 181H. Refer to Târîkh Baghdâd (l/152) and at-Tadhkirah (l/274) for his biography.
14. Related by ad-Dârimî in ar-Radd ’alal-Jahmiyyah (no.23),
’Abdullâh ibn Ahmad in as-Sunnah (no.22) and al-Bukhârî in Khalq
Af’âlul-’Ibâd (no.8). It was declared Sahîh by Ibn Taymiyyah in
al-Hamawiyyah (no.41).
15. Sûrah al-Anbiyâ 21:18
16. Sûrah al-Furqân 25:33
17. Sûrah al-A’râf 7:54
18. Sûrah ash-Shûrâ 42:11
19. Related by Imâm adh-Dhahabî with his isnâd in al-’Uluww
(no.217), and the isnâd is Sahîh and the narrators are all well-known
- as al-Albânî said in Mukhtasar al-’Uluww (p.184).
20. Tafsîr Qur‘ânul-Adhîm (2/230) of Ibn Kathîr.
21. Added from the footnotes to at-Tanbîbâtul-Intîfab ’alâ mabtawat
’alayhil-’Aqîdatil-Wâsitiyyah (pp.15-16).
The
Testimony of Imâm at-Tirmidhî
Speaking about those ahâdîth which mention the Attributes of
Allâh, Imâm at-Tirmidhî (d.279H)- rahimahullâh - said in his Sunan (l/128-129):
“It has been said by more than one person from the People of Knowledge - about such
ahâdîth - that there in no tashbîh (resemblence) to the Attributes of
Allâh. And the Lord - the Blessed, the Most High - descends to the lowest heaven every night.
So they say: Affirm these narrations, have îmân in them and do not deny them, and do not ask
how. The likes of this has been related from Mâlik ibn Anas, Sufyân
ath-Thawrî, Ibn ’Uyaynah and ’Abdullâh ibn al-Mubârak, who all said about these
ahâdîth: “Leave them as they are, without asking how.” Such is the saying of the People of Knowledge
from Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamâ’ah. However, the Jahmiyyah oppose these narrations and say: This is
tashbîh!!
However, Allâh - the Most
High - has mentioned in various places in His Book the Attribute of Hand, Hearing and Seeing. So the
Jahmiyyah make ta’tîl (false interpolation) of these Âyât and
explain it in a way other than that explained by the People of Knowledge. They say: Indeed,
Allâh did not create Âdam with His own Hand. And they also say that the meaning of Hand
is Power.
Ishâq ibn Ibrâhîm ar-Râhawaiah said:
“ Tashbîh is if it is said: Hand like my hand, or similar to my hand.
Or Hearing like my hearing, or similar to my hearing. So when it is said: Hearing like my hearing, or similar to my hearing, then
this is tashbîh. But if what is being said is what Allâh has said:
Hand, Hearing, Seeing; and it is not asked how, nor is it said: like my hearing, or similar to my hearing - then this is not
tashbîh. Allâh - the Most Blessed, Most High - said in His Book: “There is
none like unto Him, and He is the all-Hearing, the all-Seeing.” [Sûrah
ash-Shûrâ 42:11]”
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