August 8, 2010
Allah revealed the Qur’an in order for us to ponder it: “A Book that We have sent down to you, blessed, so that they may ponder its verses.” [38:29] Allah also rebukes those who do not ponder it: “Do they not ponder the Qur’an, or are there locks on some hearts?” [47:24] Tadabbur, or pondering, the Qur’an is to contemplate its words and meanings time after time to penetrate its depths. Hence it can be said that Tadabbur is a stage that follows after Tafsir, because one cannot ponder a verse or surah if he does not first understand it at a basic level. Consequently, the command for Tadabbur is a command for Tafsir by greater reason. Read the rest of this entry »
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August 7, 2010
The field of Tafsir is devoted to explaining the meanings of the Qur’an. There are certain principles and concepts that assist the exegete (mufassir) in his task of explaining the Qur’an, understanding the different opinions of the exegetes, and knowing how to deal with these differences. These principles are generally known as Usul al-Tafsir, or the Principles of Qur’anic Exegesis. This discipline revolves around answering the questions “How has the Qur’an been explained?” “How should we explain the Qur’an?” The first requires studying the methodology and principles utilized by the classical exegetes in their commentaries on the Qur’an, while the second requires study of those methodologies and those principles so that they can be correctly applied in explaining the Qur’an.
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July 9, 2010
In the Name of Allah,
I thought to mention some of Muhammad Zâhid al-Kawthari’s infamous sayings so that people may realize to what kind of a man others ally themselves with in terms of friendship, association, appreciation or even recommendation.
I will make use of the Index entitled, ‘Index of Insults of al-Kawthari, and his Lies, and his Contradictions, and his Game-playing, and his Jahmite Doctrines, and his Grave-worshipping Superstitions’, starting from page 582 untill page 636, containing an incredible number of 328 items or indications of irreligion, from the book ‘The Maturidiyyah and their Position concerning the Tawhid of Names & Attributes’.
The following facts - selected from the 328 items - are worth to mention as a warning, advise and remembrance for those who are sincere in learning the truth about this man. Read the rest of this entry »
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May 28, 2010
The Ash’aris have a mistaken notion that the texts of the Qur’an and Sunnah concerning Allah’s Attributes promote anthropomorphism. As explained here, the problem lies only in their anthropomorphic minds.
In any case, they hold that believing in the apparent meanings of such texts is a cause of deviation, in fact, of kufr.
The famous 9th-century Ash’arite theologian, al-Sanusi, states in his Umm al-Barahin that the Usool of Kufr are six. The sixth one he lists is “Adhering to the apparent meanings (zawahir) of the Book and the Sunnah alone in fundamentals of creed without comparing them with rational proofs and definitive shar’i principles.”
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May 27, 2010
The Ash’aris frequently argue that they are the majority of the Ummah, but let us take a look at what one of their greatest Imams, Fakhr al-Din al-Razi, had to say in his Ta’wil of the dialogue between Musa, peace be upon him, and Fir’awn: Read the rest of this entry »
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February 3, 2010
The creed of Imam Ahmad is what’s transmitted, preserved and published in the following literature.
Ibn Hanbal, Ahmad b. Muhammad al-Shaybani (d.241)
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December 5, 2008
Hafiz ibn Rajab al-Hanbali states the following in Fath al-Bari (5/97-98), his commentary on Sahih al-Bukhari (not to be confused with the commentary by ibn Hajar of the same title):
The Qur’an has given indication of the same meaning as this hadith in a number of places, such as the verse: “Do they wait except that Allah should come to them in the shade of clouds along with the angels.” [2:210] And: “Do they wait except that the angels should come to them or your Lord should come or some of the signs of your Lord should come.” [6:158] And: “And your Lord shall come with the angels, rank upon rank.” [89:22]
The Companions and the Successors did not make ta’wil of any of that or remove it from its indicated meaning. In fact, it is reported from them that they affirmed them, believed in them, and passed them on as they are. It has been reported that Imam Ahmad commented, “It is the Coming of His Command,” but only Hanbal [ibn Ishaq] reports this from him.
Some of our companions (i.e. the Hanbalis) say, “Hanbal [ibn Ishaq] erred in what he reported, and it contradicts his well-knownmadhhab which is extensively reported (mutawatir) from him.” What’s more, al-Khallal and his companion used to not accept the lone narrations of Hanbal from Ahmad as (a legitimate) riwaya.
Some of the later scholars amongst them said, “It is a riwaya from him making ta’wil of everything that is like “coming” (al-maji’ wal-ityan) and the like.”
Others said, “He only said that as an argument against them who disputed him concerning the Qur’an. They used the coming of the Qur’an (on the Day of Judgment) as an evidence that it is created. Therefore he said, ‘it is only its reward that comes,’ as with the verse, ‘and your Lord shall come,’ meaning: as you yourselves say about Allah’s Coming that it is the Coming of His Command. This is the clearest way of dealing with this narration.
Our Companions are of three groups in this issue: Some of them affirm “coming” (al-maji wal-ityan) and they explicitly affirm what they necessitate in created beings. They may even attribute that to Ahmad from routes that do not have authentic chains.
Some of them make ta’wil of it that it refers to the Coming of His Command.
There are still others who affirm it from Ahmad and pass it on as is without offering an exegesis for it. He will say, “It is a coming (maji wa ityan) that befits Allah’s Majesty and Greatness, Sanctified is He.
This is what is authentic from Ahmad, and those before him from the Salaf. It is also the view of Ishaq and the other Imams.
Furthermore, the Salaf used to attribute the practice of making ta’wil of these verses and authentichadiths to the Jahmiyyah, because Jahm and his disciples were the first ones to be well known for saying that Allah is absolved of the meanings indicated by these texts based on evidences from the intellects (of men) which they referred to as decisive evidences (adillah qat’iyyah). These they deemed to bemuhkamaat, while they deemed the words of the Book and the Sunnah to be mutashabihat. Consequently, they subjected their contents to those fancies (of theirs). They accepted what they claim their evidences affirmed while they rejected what they claim their evidences negate. Then the remaining groups of Ahl al-Kalam, the Mu’tazilah and others, agreed with them in that.
They claimed that the apparent meanings of the Qur’an and the Sunnah are Tashbih, Tajsim, and misguidance (dhalaal). From this, they derived names for those who believe in what Allah revealed to His Messenger for which Allah has revealed no authority. In fact, they are lies fabricated against Allah by which they drive people away from having faith in Allah and His Messenger.
They claimed that what has been mentioned of that in the Book and the Sunnah - as plentiful and widespread as (such texts) are - are just examples of approximate, allegorical speech (al-tawassu’ wal-tajawwuz). They are to be understood according to farfetched metaphorical explanations. This is one of the gravest forms of attack on the precise, pureShari’ah. It is similar to the Batiniyyah’s interpretations of the texts concerning unseen matters such as Resurrection, Paradise, Hellfire as being allegorical and metaphorical rather than literal. They also interpret the texts of commands and prohibitions in a similar manner, and all of this constitutes renegading from the religion of Islam.
The scholars of the Salaf al-Salih and the Imams of Islam such as al-Shafi’i, Ahmad, and others only prohibited al-Kalam and warned against it out of fear of falling into the likes of this. Furthermore, if these Imams had realized that understanding these texts according to their apparent meaning constitutes kufr, it would have been obligatory upon them to clarify that and warn the Ummah, as that is a necessary part of sincerity (nasiha) to the Muslims. Does it make sense that they would sincerely advise the Ummah concerning the laws governing deeds and yet neglect to sincerely advise them concerning fundamental beliefs. This is the worst sort of falsehood.
Also, see here.
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September 12, 2008
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “It is He Who has sent down to you (Muhammad) the Book (this Qur’aan). In it are Verses that are entirely clear, they are the foundations of the Book [and those are the Verses of Al-Ahkaam (commandments), Al-Faraa'id (obligatory duties) and Al-Hudood (laws for the punishment of thieves, adulterers)]; and others not entirely clear. So as for those in whose hearts there is a deviation (from the truth) they follow that which is not entirely clear thereof, seeking Al-Fitnah (polytheism and trials), and seeking for its hidden meanings, but none knows its hidden meanings save Allaah. And those who are firmly grounded in knowledge say: “We believe in it; the whole of it (clear and unclear Verses) are from our Lord.” And none receive admonition except men of understanding”
[Aal ‘Imraan 3:7]
What is meant is that Read the rest of this entry »
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September 12, 2008
Sh Abdur Rahmaan al Barrak
Question 3:
Is it true that asking about attributes like Life, Power, Anger, and Pleasure is an inarticulate issue, in the sense that a person is not capable of making the meanings of these specific Attributes clear? If so, then is the same thing true for the Hand, the Shin, and especially Laughing since a person can make the meanings of these Attributes clear?
Answer:
Asking about these attributes is in two ways. The first way of asking is to ask about their real nature and their howness. This type of question is the one about which Imam Malik said: “Asking about it is a bid’a”, because these are questions that no one has any way to answer.
The second way of asking is to ask about their meaning. Because of their clear meanings, no one asks about these attributes except someone who is false and obstinate. For example, if someone was to ask about water, the sun, or humans. We don’t say that it’s impossible to clearly describe these words. In fact, all of these words can be explained by their synonyms, by mentioning their antonyms, by mentioning their effects and what occurs because of them. The purpose is to understand the aim [of those words] and to get close to it.
There is no doubt that among named items are intangible concepts which the mind perceives, and there are tangible ones which the sensory organs are aware of. It’s well known that the tangible objects are clearer than the intangible concepts, even though there are some concepts which are easier to understand than tangible objects.
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Question 6:
Is it correct to refer to language books which would contain the complete meaning of an attribute? For example, Mu’jam Maqaayees al Lugha by Ibn Faaris rahimahullah? It is mentioned in his text that the root meaning of laughing is “proof of exhaling and bulging”. So do we say that this is the meaning which is affirmed and understood? If so, why did the Bedouin say “We will not lack good from a lord that laughs”.
Answer:
What Ibn Faaris has mentioned as the complete meaning of laughing, is incorrect. It is not right to say that Allah’s laughing means inhaling, and in fact “inhaling” does not explain “laughing”. This is Ibn Faaris’ attempt, and it is obvious that he said that because of the way a person laughs. So this explanation is closest to what the created beings do. As for the Laughing of the Lord, Allah is the Most Knowledgeable of its true nature. There is evidence that it includes Mercy and Pleasure, as in the hadith: “Allah laughs at two men, one of whom kills the other…”, and the hadith “so He shades and Laughs, and knows that your happiness is near”. For this reason, the Bedouin said: “We will not lack good from a lord that laughs”.
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Question 12:
What is the correct answer to someone who says about the Laughing of our Lord:
We don’t know “laughing” except for what we see people doing, and this is what “laughing” means. So either you are making a similarity between Allah and humans, or you are simply making “laughing” an attribute [ie, without any meaning]
And they say that we don’t know anything about Allah’s laughter except that it means the intention of mercy and doing good, just like the Bedouin said: “We will not lack good from a lord that laughs”
Answer:
The point that has been brought up in this question is the same suspicion that everyone has who denies the reality of attributes of action, like Loving, Pleasure, Anger, Happiness, and Laughter In fact, it is the same suspicion that everyone has who denies Allah’s Attributes or some of [His attributes]. And that is that they don’t know anything about these attributes except what they have seen or what they know from themselves. So according to them, affirming these attributes is making similitude of Allah to the creation. So they escaped from that by denying the reality of the attributes to Allah. They considered that anything which is affirmed to Allah that could be affirmed to the creation must be denied.
Then they went into two understandings with regards to the texts that prove the affirmation of these attributes to Allah:
Either by tafweedh and tajheel [ignorance], that there is no way to understand their meanings, or by making ta’weel and turning away from the obvious and clear meaning.
The Jahmiyya and Mu’tazila expelled [the meanings] from all the attributes. The Ashaira and those close to them differentiated between attributes which have no differentiation. So it became necessary for them to contradict affirmation, denial, and ta’weel, just like contradiction became necessary for the Jahmiyya and Mu’tazila. Shaikhul Islam Ibn Taymiyya said: “Every one of the deniers of the attributes mentioned by the Messenger SAWS, denied the attribute fleeing from danger, and ended up affirming something similar to what he was fleeing from”.
So it should be said to the one who asked this question: You have to say this same statement with regards to all of Allah’s attributes of Action, and also His attributes of Self. It’s not sufficient to make this statement only for His Laughter and Happiness.
Ahlus Sunnah, walhamdulillah, believe in all that Allah and His Messenger have informed about Him, and they believe Him to be far above anything similar to His creation. They do not speak about the howness of His attributes, but they make tafweedh of the howness by saying: None knows His howness except Him.
No one knows the howness of His attributes except Him, just like Imam Malik and others said: Istiwaa is known, but the howness is unknown.
This statement of Imam Malik is the methodology to be used for all of the attributes. So it would be said: Descending is known, but the howness is unknown. Anger is known, but the howness is unknown. Happiness is known, but the howness is unknown. Laughter is known, but the howness is unknown. Happiness is the opposite of sadness, and laughter is the opposite of crying, as Allah said: “And that He it is who maketh laugh, and maketh weep” [53:43] So Allah described happiness opposed to sadness, and laughter opposed to crying. His Happiness is connected to His Love and ta’ajub [amazement], as in the hadith “Allah is more happy by one of his slaves’ repentance than…” and the hadith “Allah Laughs at two men, one who kills the other…”
(original article)
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The following incident is a clear proof that the Ash’aris are at odds with the Aqidah of the Salaf and the Imams of Ahl al-Hadith, such as Imam al-Bukhari. It is for this reason that they imprisoned the erudite Hadith scholar, Abul-Jamal al-Mizzi for reading out Khalq Af’al al-’Ibad, a famous creedal work by Imam al-Bukhari: 
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