Belief of Hanbalis / Atharis (past) vs "Salafis"
1- Belief of early Hanabila
The Imam Ibn Abi Ya'la (d. 526 AH) has a famous book which he named as Tabaqat al-Hanabila.
In
it he mentions the biographies of the Hanbali scholars from the time
of Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal (d. 241 AH) until his time.
Under
the chapter regarding his father al-Qadhi
Abu Ya'la (d. 458 AH) - who
is one of the greatest scholars of the Hanabila and has a great role
in transmitting and spreading the Madhhab and is one of the pillars
(Arkan) of the Madhhab (as mentioned by Imam al-Saffarini (d. 1188
AH)) - he mentions the beliefs of his father and those of his
[Hanbali] predecessors (meaning: the early Hanbalis) by saying (quote
is long and splitted in 5 parts by me):
فلنذكر الآن البيان عن اعتقاد الوالد السعيد ومن قبله من السلف الحميد فِي أخبار الصفات. فاعلم زادنا اللَّه وإياك علما ينفعنا اللَّه به وجعلنا ممن آثر الآيات الصريحة والأحاديث الصحيحة عَلَى آراء المتكلمين وأهواء المتكلفين. أن الَّذِي درج عَلَيْهِ صالحو السلف وانتهجه بعدهم خيار الخلف: هُوَ التمسك بكتاب اللَّه عز وجل واتباع نبيه مُحَمَّد - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - ثُمَّ ما روي عن الصحابة رضوان اللَّه عليهم ثُمَّ عن التابعين والخالفين لهم من علماء المسلمين. والإيمان والتصديق بما وصف اللَّه تعالى به نفسه أو وصفه به رسوله مَعَ ترك البحث والتنفير والتسليم لِذَلِكَ من غير تعطيل ولا تشبيه ولا تفسير ولا تأويل وهي الفرقة الناجية والجماعة العادلة والطائفة المنصورة إلى يوم القيامة فهم أصحاب الحديث والأثر والوالد السعيد تابعهم هم خلفاء الرسول وورثة علمه وسفرته بينه وبين أمته بهم يلحق التالي وإليهم يرجع العالي وهم الذين نبذهم أهل البدع والضلال وقائلو الزور والمحال: أنهم مشبهة جهال ونسبوهم إلى الحشو والطغام وأساءوا فيهم الكلام. فاعتقد الوالد السعيد وسلفه قدس اللَّه أرواحهم وجعل ذكرنا لهم بركة تعود علينا فِي جميع ما وصف اللَّه تعالى به نفسه أو وصفه به رسوله- صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ -: أن جميع ذَلِكَ صفات اللَّه عز وجل تمر كما جاءت من غير زيادة ولا نقصان وأقروا بالعجز عن إدراك معرفة حقيقة هَذَا الشأن. اعتقد الوالد السعيد ومن قبله ممن سبقه من الأئمة: أن إثبات صفات الباري سبحانه إنما هُوَ إثبات وجود لا إثبات تحديد لها حقيقة في علمه لم يطلع الباري سبحانه عَلَى كنه معرفتها أحدا من إنس ولا جان. واعتقدوا: أن الكلام فِي الصفات فرع الكلام فِي الذات ويحتذي حذوه ومثاله وكما جاء. وقد أجمع أهل القبلة: أن إثبات الباري سبحانه: إنما هُوَ إثبات وجود لا إثبات تحديد وكيفية
---So let's now mention the explanation regarding the belief (I'tiqad) of [my] blissful father (al-Walid al-Sa'id; al-Qadhi Abu Ya'la is intended) and those before him from the praiseworthy predecessors (Salaf) regarding the narrations of the [divine] attributes:
Know
- may Allah increase us and you in knowledge through which Allah
benefits us and [not] make us from those who favor to take the clear
verses (Ayat) and the authentic narrations (Ahadith) upon the
opinions of the speculative theologians or the [vain] desires of the
pretenders - that the way that the pious ones of the Salaf took and
that which those after them from the best of the Khalaf regarded as
[the correct] methodology is [the following]:
To hold firmly to
the Book of Allah - 'azza wa jall - and the following of His
Messenger Muhammad - sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam - then after that
what has been narrated from the companions - may Allah be please with
them - then those who followed them (Tabi'in) and those after them
from scholars of the Muslims; and
to believe and confirm that which Allah ta'ala described Himself with
or that which His Messenger described Him with while leaving
[further] discussion or repulsion and to submit to
it without rejection (Ta'til) or attributing
similarity (Tashbih) or explanation (Tafsir) or interpretation
(Ta`wil). This [methodology is
that of] the saved and righteous and victorious group (al-Firqa
al-Najiyya wal Jama'a al-'Adila wal Ta`ifa al-Mansura) until the day
of judgement; they are the people of al-Hadith wal Athar and [my]
blissful father was from their followers, [for] they are the
successors (Khulafa`) of the Messenger and the inheritors of his
knowledge and the ambassadors between him and his nation (Umma), the
coming is attached to them and the lofty [ones] go back to them and
they are the ones whom the people of innovation and deviation and
those who say falsehood and impossibilities ridicule as Mushabbiha
(those who liken Allah to his creation) and ignorants and accuse of
Hashw and being rabble and are abusive in their speech towards
them.
So the belief of [my]
blissful father and his predecessors -
may Allah bless their souls and make our mentioning of them a
blessing that returns on us - regarding all that which Allah ta'ala
described Himself with or His Messenger - sallallahu 'alayhi wa
sallam - described Him with is: All
of them are from the attributes (Sifat) of Allah - 'azza wa jall -
and [they are] to be passed on as they've came without adding
(Ziyada) anything to them or taking away (Nuqsan) from them while
admitting ones inability to comprehend the reality of this issue.
The
belief of [my] blissful father and of those before him from the
leading scholars (A`imma) is that
the affirmation (Ithbat) of the attributes of al-Bari (the Maker) -
glory be to Him - is one of affirming their existance (Wujud) and not
one of defining (Tahdid), they have a reality in His knowledge
and the Maker - glory be to Him - has not shared its comprehension
(Ma'rifa) with anyone from the humans and the jinn.
And
they believed that speaking regard the attributes (Sifat) is a branch
from the speaking regarding the [divine] essence (Dhat) and they took
it as a lead and example and as mentioned.
Indeed the people of
Qibla have agreed that affirming the Maker - glory be to Him - is an
affirmation of [His] existance and not one of defining [Him] or
[affirming] a modality [for Him].
---
Belief
of early Hanabila from Tabaqat al-Hanabila (part 2):
هكذا اعتقد الوالد السعيد ومن قبله ممن سلفه من الأئمة: أن إثبات الصفات للباري سبحانه إنما هُوَ إثبات وجود لا إثبات تحديد وكيفية وأنها صفات لا تشبه صفات البرية ولا تدرك حقيقة علمها بالفكر والروية. والأصل الَّذِي اعتمدوه فِي هَذَا الباب اتباع قوله تعالى: وَمَا يَعْلَمُ تَأْوِيلَهُ إِلا اللَّهُ وَالرَّاسِخُونَ فِي الْعِلْمِ يَقُولُونَ: آمَنَّا بِهِ كُلٌّ مِنْ عِنْدِ رَبِّنَا وَمَا يذكر إلا أولو الألباب وَقَالَ تعالى: وَلا يُحِيطُونَ بِهِ عِلْمًا وَعَنَتِ الْوُجُوهُ لِلْحَيِّ الْقَيُّومِ وَقَدْ خَابَ مَنْ حَمَلَ ظُلْمًا. فاعتقدوا أن الباري سبحانه وتعالى: فرد الذات متعدد الصفات لا شبيه لَهُ فِي ذاته ولا فِي صفاته ولا نظير ولا ثاني وسمعوا قوله عز وجل: الم ذَلِكَ الْكِتَابُ لا رَيْبَ فِيهِ هُدًى لِلْمُتَّقِينَ الَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بالغيب فآمنوا بما وصف اللَّه به نفسه وبما وصفه به رسوله - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - تسليما للقدرة وتصديقاً للرسل وإيمانا بالغيب. واعتقدوا: أن صفات الباري سبحانه معلومة من حيث أعلم هُوَ غيب من حيث انفرد واستأثر كما أن الباري سبحانه معلوم من حيث هُوَ مجهول ما هُوَ. واعتقدوا: أن الباري سبحانه استأثر بعلم حقائق صفاته ومعانيها عن العالمين وفارق بها سائر الموصوفين فهم بها مؤمنون وبحقائقها موقنون وبمعرفة كيفيتها جاهلون لا يجوز عندهم ردها كرد الجهمية ولا حملها عَلَى التشبيه كما حملته المشبهة الذي أثبتوا الكيفية ولا تأولوها عَلَى اللغات والمجازات كما تأولتها الأشعرية. فالحنبلية لا يقولون فِي أخبار الصفات بتعطيل المعطلين ولا بتشبيه المشبهين ولا تأويل المتأولين مذهبهم: حق بين باطلين وهدى بين ضلالتين: إثبات الأسماء والصفات مَعَ نفي التشبيه والأدواتإذ لا مثل للخالق سبحانه مشبه ولا نظير لَهُ فيجنس مِنْهُ فنقول كما سمعنا ونشهد بما علمنا من غير تشبيه ولا تجنيس عَلَى أنه لَيْسَ كمثله شيء وهو السميع البصير
---
This
is how the belief of [my] blissful father and those before him from
those who preceded him from the leading scholars was: That
the affirmation of the attributes of the Maker - glory be to Him - is
an affirmation of their existance and not one of defining [them] or
[ascribing] modality [to them] and that they're attributes that have
no similarity to the attributes of the creation and that the reality
of their knowledge can not be comprehended by pondering [upon them]
or by careful consideration.
The
foundation that they took regarding this issue is following the
statement of [Allah] ta'ala:
{ And
only Allah knows its proper interpretation; and those having
sound knowledge say, “We believe in it, all of it is from our
Lord”; and none accept guidance except the men of understanding. }
[3:7]
And [Allah] ta'ala said:
{ ... whereas their knowledge
cannot encompass it.} { And
all faces shall bow before the Living, the All Sustaining; and the
one who bore the burden of injustice, has failed. }
[20:110-111].
So they
believed that the Maker -
subhanahu wa ta'ala - is One in his essence while having numerous
attributes; He has no similarity
to anyone in His essence and attributes and no match or a second
[like Him]. And they heard His
statement, 'azza wa jall: { This is
the exalted Book (the Qur’an), in which there is no place for
doubt; a guidance for the pious. }
{ Those who believe without seeing
(the hidden),... } [2:2-3], so they
believed in that which Allah described Himself with and His Messenger
- sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam - described Him with while submitting
to the power [of Allah] and affirming [the truthfulness of] the
Messenger and having belief in
the unseen (Ghayb).
And they
believed that the attributes of the Maker - glory be to Him - are
known as much as He has informed [us] and [at the same time] hidden
(Ghayb) [and unknown] in what He's exclusive and alone [in knowing]
just like it is known who the Maker - glory be to Him - is while it's
unknown what His [reality] is.
And
they believed that
the Maker - glory be to Him - is exclusive in having knowledge of the
realities of his attributes and their meanings (!) [without anyone]
from the worlds [having this knowledge] and He is [completely]
different from all that has descriptions; so
they believe in them and have conviction in their realities while
being ignorant of the realization of their nature.
According to
them it is not allowed to deny them (the divine attributes) as the
Jahmiyya did or to understand
them upon attributing of similarity (Tashbih) as the Mushabbiha - who
ascribed modality [to Allah] - did or
to interpret (Ta`wil) them according to the languages and the
metaphoric meanings like the Ash'aris did.
Because
the Hanbalis are not upon the rejection (Ta'til) of the rejectors
regarding the narrations of the [divine] attributes nor are they upon
the attributing of similarity (Tahsbih) of the those who liken [Allah
to His creation] nor the interpretation (Ta`wil) of the
interpreters, so their way is
the truth between two falsehoods and guidance between two deviations
(meaning: between Ta'til and Tashbih): Affirming
the names and attributes [of Allah ta'ala] while rejecting
attributing similarity (Tashbih) or tools (Adawat) for
their is no likeness to the Creator - glory be to Him - so that
[anyone] becomes similar [to Him] nor is there a match to Him so that
[something] becomes from his kind.
So
we say as we've heard and testify that which we've been been given
knowledge of without attributing similarity (Tashbih) nor
attributing of being from the same kind [and this is] upon [following
the verse]:
{ Nothing
is like Him; and He only is the All Hearing, the All Seeing. }
[42:11].
---
Belief
of early Hanabila from Tabaqat al-Hanabila (part 3):
وفي
رد أخبار الصفات وتكذيب النقلة: إبطال
شرائع الدين من قبل أن الناقلين إلينا
علم الصلاة والزكاة والحج وسائر أحكام
الشريعة: هم
ناقلوا هَذِهِ الأخبار والعدل مقبول
القول فيما قاله ولو تطرق إليهم والعياذ
بالله التخرص بشيء منها: لأدى
ذَلِكَ إلى إبطال جميع ما نقلوه وقد حفظ
الله سبحانه الشرع عن مثل هَذَا.وقد
أجمع علماء أهل الحديث والأشعرية مِنْهُمْ
عَلَى قبول هَذِهِ الأحاديث فمنهم من
أقرها عَلَى ما جاءت وهم أصحاب الحديث
ومنهم من تأولها وهم الأشعرية وتأويلهم
إياها قبول مِنْهُمْ لها إذ لو كانت عندهم
باطلة لاطرحوها كما أطرحوا سائر الأخبار
الباطلة. وقد
روي عَنِ النَّبِيِّ - صَلَّى
اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - أنه
قَالَ:
" أمتي
لا تجتمع عَلَى خطأ ولا ضلالة ". وما
ذكرناه من الإيمان بأخبار الصفات من غير
تعطيل ولا تشبيه ولا تفسير ولا تأويل هُوَ
قول السلف بدءا وعودا وهو
الَّذِي ذكره أمير المؤمنين القادر رضوان
اللَّه عَلَيْهِ فِي الرسالة القادرية
قَالَ فِيهَا:
" وما
وصف اللَّه سبحانه به نفسه أو وصفه به
رَسُول اللَّهِ - صَلَّى
اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ -: فهو
صفات اللَّه عز وجل عَلَى حقيقته لا علي
سبيل المجاز ".وعلى
هَذَا الاعتقاد: جمع
أمير المؤمنين القائم بأمر اللَّه رضوان
اللَّه عَلَيْهِ من حضره مَعَ الوالد
السعيد من علماء الوقت وزاهدهم: أَبُو
الحسن القزويني سنة اثنتين وثلاثين
وأربعمائة وأخذ خطوطهم باعتقاده. وقد
قَالَ الوالد السعيد رَضِيَ اللَّهُ
عَنْهُ فِي
أخبار الصفات: المذهب
فِي ذَلِكَ: قبول
هَذِهِ الأحاديث عَلَى ما جاءت به من غير
عدول عَنْهُ إلى تأويل يخالف ظاهرها مَعَ
الاعتقاد بأن اللَّه سبحانه بخلاف كل شيء
سواه وكل ما يقع في الخواطرمن حد أو
تشبيه أو تكييف: فالله
سبحانه وتعالى عن ذَلِكَ وَاللَّهِ ليس
كمثله شيء ولا يوصف بصفات المخلوقين
الدالة عَلَى حدثهم ولا يجوز عَلَيْهِ
ما يجوز عليهم من التغير من حال إلى حال
ليس بجسم ولا جوهر ولا عرض وأنه لم يزل
ولا يزال وأنه الَّذِي لا يتصور فِي
الأوهام وصفاته لا تشبه صفات المخلوقين لَيْسَ
كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْءٌ وهو السميع البصير
In
rejecting the narrations regarding the attributes and accusing the
transmitters [of lying] there is the invalidation of the laws of the
religion (i.e. the Shari'a), [because] those who have transmitted us
the knowledge of [how to perform] the Salat, [pay] the Zakat,
[perform] the Hajj and the rest of the rulings of the Shari'a are the
[same] ones who have transmitted us these narrations [regarding the
divine attributes]. So justice is to regard their statement as
accepted and if [one] were to [accuse] them - Allah's refuge is
sought - of fabricating lies, then this would lead to the
invalidation of all that they transmitted, while [we know] that Allah
- glory be to Him - has protected his law from the like of
this.
Indeed
the scholars of Ahl al-Hadith - and the Ash'aris are from among them
(!) - are agreed upon accepting these narrations: From among
them are those who accept them as they've come - and they are the
Ashab al-Hadith - and from among them are those who interpret them -
and they are the Ash'aris -; and their interpretation of these
[narrations] is their acceptance to them, because if these narrations
would be false for them they would have thrown them away just like
they did with the rest of the false narrations.
For
indeed, it has been narrated from the Prophet - sallallahu 'alayhi wa
sallam - that he said: "My
nation will not agree upon falsehood or deviation."
And
that which we have mentioned regarding having faith in the narrations
of the attributes without rejection (Ta'til) or attributing
similarity (Tashbih) or explanation (Tafsir) or interpretation
(Ta`wil) has always been the statement of the Salaf and
that is [also] what Amir al-Mu`minin al-Qadir [billah] - may Allah be
pleased with him - mentioned in the Risala al-Qadiriyya in which he
said: "Whatever Allah - glory be to Him - described Himself with
or the Messenger of Allah - sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam - described
Him with: Then it is from the attributes of Allah - 'azza wa jall -
in reality and not metaphorically."
Upon this belief Amir
al-Mu`minin al-Qa`im bi Amrillah - may Allah be pleased with him -
assembled those present with my blissful father from the scholars of
that time and their ascetic Abul Hasan al-Qazwini in the year 432 AH
and took from them their [own] writing in believing in this.
My
blissful father - may Allah be pleased with him said that
the [correct] way regarding this is to accept these narrations upon
what they've come without turning to an interpretation that goes
against the apparent while believing that Allah - glory be to Him -
is different from everything else other than Him; whatever comes
to the mind from limitation (Hadd) or attributing similarity
(Tashbih) or attributing modality (Takyif), then Allah is glorified
and exalted above it and there is nothing like Him. He is not
described with the attributes of the creation that indicate their
temporality and that which is possible regarding them - from the
changing of one state to another - is not possible regarding
Him.
[Allah ta'ala] is not a body (Jism) or a particle (Jawhar)
or an accident ('Aradh) and has always existed and will always
exist. He's the One who can not be imagined and his attributes are
not similar to the attributes of the creation, { nothing
is like Him; and He only is the All Hearing, the All Seeing. }
[42:11].
---
Belief of early Hanabila from Tabaqat al-Hanabila (part 4):
وأما كتابه قدس اللَّه روحه فِي إبطال التأويلات لأخبار الصفات: فمبني عَلَى هَذِهِ المقدمات وأن إطلاق ما ورد به السمع من الصفات: لا يقتضي تشبيه الباري سبحانه بالمخلوقات. وذكر رحمة اللَّه عَلَيْهِ كلاما معناه: أن التشبيه إنما يلزم الحنبلية أن لَوْ وجد مِنْهُمْ أحد أمرين: إما أن يكونوا هم الَّذِينَ ابتدأوا الصفة لله عز وجل واخترعوها أو يكونوا قد صرحوا باعتقاد التشبيه فِي الأحاديث الَّتِي هم ناقلوها. فإما أن يكون صاحب الشريعة - صَلَّى الله عليه وسلم - هو المبتدىء بهذه الأحاديث وقوله - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - حجة يسقط بها ما يعارضها وهم تبع لَهُ ثُمَّ يكون الحنبلية قد صرحوا بأنهم يعتقدون إثبات الصفات ونفي التشبيه فكيف يجوز أن يضاف إليهم ما يعتقدون نفيه؟ . وعلى أنه قد ثبت أن الحنبلية إنما يعتمدون فِي أصول الدين عَلَى كتاب اللَّه عز وجل وسنة نبيه - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - ونحن نجد فِي كتاب اللَّه وسنة رسوله ذكر الصفات ولا نجد فيهما ذكر التشبيه فكيف يجوز أن يضاف إليهم ما يعتقدون نفيه؟ . ومما يدل عَلَى أن تسليم الحنبلية لأخبار الصفات من غير تأويل ولا حمل عَلَى ما يقتضيه الشاهد وأنه لا يلزمهم في ذَلِكَ التشبيه: إجماع الطوائف من بين موافق للسنة ومخالف أن الباري سبحانه ذات وشيء وموجود ثُمَّ لم يلزمنا وإياهم إثبات جسم ولا جوهر ولا عرض وإن كانت الذات في الشاهد لا تنفك عن هَذِهِ السمات وهكذا لا يلزم الحنبلية ما يقتضيه العرف فِي الشاهد فِي أخبار الصفات.يبين صحة هذا: أن البارىء سبحانه موصوف بأنه: حي عالم قادر مريد والخلق موصوفون بهذه الصفات ولم يدل الاتفاق فِي هَذِهِ التسمية عَلَى الاتفاق فِي حقائقها ومعانيها هكذا القول فِي أخبار الصفات ولا يلزم عند تسليمها من غير تأويل إثبات ما يقتضيه الحد والشاهد فِي معانيها. وبهذا ونظيره استدل الوالد السعيد رحمة اللَّه عَلَيْهِ فِي كتابه " إبطال التأويلات لأخبار الصفات
As for his book - may Allah bless his soul - regarding the invalidation of the interpretation of the narrations of the attributes (Ibtal al-Ta`wilat li Akhbar al-Sifat), then it is build upon the [mentioned] premises and that to state that which can be found in the texts regarding the [divine] attributes does not constitute attributing similarity (Tashbih) of the Maker - glory be to Him - to the creation. And he -may Allah have mercy upon him - mentioned
statements with the meaning that attributing similarity (Tashbih)
[only] becomes necessary upon the Hanabila if one of these two issues
can be found regarding them: If they were the ones who started [to
describe] Allah - 'azza wa jall - with these attributes and invented
these [descriptions regarding Him] or if they have stated that they
believe in attributing similarity (Tashbih) regarding the narrations
that they have transmitted.
But the one who came with the
Shari'a (i.e. the Prophet) - sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam - is the
one who came with these narrations and his statement - sallallahu
'alayhi wa sallam - is a proof that invalidates whatever is against
it and they [will have to] follow him. Then
the Hanbalis have openly stated that they believe in the affirmation
of the [divine] attributes while
rejecting attributing similarity (Tashbih),
so how is it possible to accuse them of something (i.e. Tashbih) that
they have [already] rejected? And
it has been already proven that the Hanbalis rely upon the Book of
Allah - 'azza wa jall - and the Sunna of His Prophet - sallallahu
'alayhi wa sallam - regarding the foundations of the religion (Usul
al-Din) and we find in the Book of Allah and the Sunna of His
Messenger the mentioning of the [divine] attributes while we do not
find the attributing of similarity in them, so how is it possible to
accuse them (the Hanbalis) of something (i.e. Tashbih) that they have
rejected?
That which shows that the submission (Taslim) of the
Hanbalis to the narrations of the [divine] attributes without
interpretation (Ta`wil) and
without taking them upon what the Shahid (that which we can perceive)
implies and that attributing
similarity (Tashbih) does not become necessary upon [the Hanbalis]
from this [submission] is [the following]:
The
consensus of the groups that are in agreement with the Sunna and
those who are against it is that the Maker - glory be to Him - [has]
an essence (Dhat) and is a thing (Shay`) and exists (Mawjud), then
this [consensus] does not necessitate upon us or them to affirm a
body (Jism) or a particle (Jawhar) or an accident ('Aradh) [regarding
Allah ta'ala] even
though in the Shahid (that which we can perceive) an essence (Dhat)
can not be separated from these traits. And
likewise that which is the custom in what we can perceive (Shahid)
does not become necessary upon the Hanabila [to accept] regarding the
[divine] attributes and that which makes the correctness of this
obvious is:
The Maker - glory be
to Him - is described with being Living (Hayy), Knowing ('Alim),
Powerful (Qadir) and Willing (Murid) while the creation is also
described with these attributes and
this agreement in the naming does not show their agreement in their
realities (!) and meanings (!) and
likewise is the statement regarding the narrations of the [divine]
attributes; submitting to them without interpretation does not
necessitate to affirm that which is implied by limitation (Hadd) and
by the Shahid (that which we can perceive) regarding
their meanings. [My]
blissful father - may Allah have mercy upon him - used this reasoning
[mentioned above] and the like of it in his book "Ibtal
al-Ta`wilat li Akhbar al-Sifat".
---
Belief
of early Hanabila from Tabaqat al-Hanabila (part
5):
فأما
الرد عَلَى المجسمة لله:
فيرده
الوالد السعيد بكتاب وذكره أيضا فِي أثناء
كتبه فَقَالَ:
لا
يجوز أن يسمى اللَّه جسما.
قَالَ
أَحْمَد:
لا
يوصف اللَّه تعالى بأكثر مما وصف به نفسه.
قَالَ
الوالد السعيد:
فمن
اعتقد أن اللَّه سبحانه جسم من الأجسام
وأعطاه حقيقة الجسم من التأليف والانتقال:
فهو
كافر لأنه غير عارف بالله عز وجل لأن
اللَّه سبحانه يستحيل وصفه بهذه الصفات
وَإِذَا لم يعرف اللَّه سبحانه:
وجب
أن يكون كافرا
As
for the response against
the Mujassima (those who
regard Allah a body), then [my] blissful father has also responded to
them with a book and has
mentioned [their refutation] in [other] books, so he said: It
is not allowed to name Allah a body.
[Imam]
Ahmad said: Allah
ta'ala is not described with more than what He described Himself
with. [My]
blissful father said: So
whoever believes that Allah - glory be to Him - is a body from among
the bodies (Jism min al-Ajsam) and describes Him with the reality of
a body from composition (Ta`lif) and change [of place or state]
(Intiqal), then he's a disbeliever (!) (Kafir) because he does
not know Allah - azza wa jall. For
it is impossible regarding Allah - glory be to Him - to be described
with these attributes [in reality]; and
if someone does not know Allah - glory be to Him -, then it
necessitates him being a disbeliever.
-
end of quote -
Know
that the major points that are made by Imam Ibn Abi Ya'la in the
above quote is found in ALL the books mentioned in my first post and
in other classical Hanbali / Athari books and represents the beliefs
of the Hanabila in general, so I would really recommend reading the
above quote fully, even if it is long.
So
the summary of the belief of the Hanabila is as follows:
-
Whatever Allah ta'ala is described with in the Qur`an al-karim or the
authentic narrations is to be regarded from the divine attributes:
It's obligatory to believe in all these text and affirm them while
relegating their meaning and reality to Allah ta'ala and knowing that
Allah ta'ala is not like or similar to his creation in any way or
form.
- This affirmation of the
attributes is one of affirming their existance and not one of
defining or ascribing modality. Since one is affirming them as
attributes [and not as descriptions going back to other attributes]
while at the same time admitting that one does not comprehend their
reality (nor is it possible to do so!), it is not allowed to
interpret them metaphorically or otherwise, rather one has to pass
these Ayat and narrations as they have come without adding anything
to them or taking away anything from them.
-
It's obligatory to reject attributing likeness (Tamthil) OR
attributing similarity (Tashbih) regarding the divine attributes. The
agreement in the naming of the attributes of the Creator and the
creation is only in naming, but NOT in meaning and reality! Whosoever
describes Allah with the reality of a body (i.e. 3-dimensional being
or object) has disbelieved!
- The
foundation upon which the Ayat and Ahadith regarding the [divine]
attributes is to be understood is the Aya 3:7 (which means that
they're from the Mutashabihat!) and therefore it's not allowed to
interpret or explain these Ayat and Ahadith, because { only
Allah knows its proper interpretation; }.
-
The reality of Allah's essence and his attributes can not be
comprehended and Allah ta'ala is beyond imagination.
To
add an interesting point to the above: The words of Imam Ibn Abi
Ya'la in the above quote clearly indicate that he regards the
Ash'aris - whom he regards wrong in their Ta`wil - as Sunnis and
includes them explicitly in the Ahl al-Hadith!
(Note:
The Ash'aris also agree with the Hanbalis regarding the correctness
of Tafwidh!)
What
is interesting here is how clearly all the mentioned Hanbali scholars
rejected Tashbih, while a major modern-day "Salafi" scholar
like Ibn 'Uthaymin explicitly denied that Tashbih can be rejected in
an absolute way.
So how is
is possible to regard the "Salafis" as Hanbalis / Atharis
or let alone as Sunnis?!
---
Ibn
'Uthaymin ("Salafi"): There
is some degree of similarity between the Creator and the
creation
Ibn
'Uthaymin is regarded as a major scholar by the modern-day "Salafis".
We've already seen how the Hanabila rejected attributing similarity
(Tashbih) in an explicit and absolute way.
So
let's see weather Ibn 'Uthaymin agrees with them (the Hanbalis) or
says something that no Sunni Muslim would ever say!
Ibn
'Uthaymin (d. 1421 AH) said [as
mentioned in the book Majmu'
Fatawa wa Rasa`il Ibn 'Uthaymin]:
والتعبير
بنفي التمثيل أحسن من التعبير بنفي
التشبيه،
لوجوه ثلاثة: أحدها: أن
التمثيل هو الذي جاء به القرآن وهو منفي
مطلقا، بخلاف
التشبيه، فلم يأت القرآن بنفيه
الثاني: أن
نفي التشبيه على الإطلاق لا يصح، لأن
كل موجودين فلا بد أن يكون بينهما قدر
مشترك يشتبهان فيه ويتميز كل واحد بما
يختص به،
فالحياة مثلا وصف ثابت في الخالق والمخلوق،
فبينهما قدر مشترك، ولكن حياة الخالق
تليق به وحياة المخلوق تليق به
الثالث: أن
الناس اختلفوا في مسمى التشبيه، حتى جعل
بعضهم إثبات الصفات التي أثبتها الله
لنفسه تشبيها، فإذا قلنا من غير تشبيه،
فهم هذا البعض من هذا القول نفي الصفات
التي أثبتها الله لنفسه
The
expression of denying attributing likeness (Tamthil) [between the
Creator and the creation] is better than expressing the denying of
attributing similarity (Tashbih), and
this is from three sides:
The
first: Attributing
likeness (Tamthil) is that which the Qur`an came to deny
absolutely unlike
attributing similarity (Tashbih), which the Qur`an did not deny.
The
second: Denying
attributing similarity (Tashbih) in an absolute way is not
correct, because every two existing beings / things must have
[at least] a common degree between them (Qadar Mushtarak) where they
are similar to each other while every one of them is different
in that which makes him special. Life
(Hayat) for example is a proven description for the Creator and the
creation, so there is a common degree (Qadar Mushtarak) between them,
but the life of the Creator is [one] befitting Him and the life of
the creation is [one] befitting them.
The
third: That
the people have disagreed regarding that which is named as "Tashbih"
to the degree that some of them turned the affirmation of the
attributes that Allah affirmed for Himself as attributing similarity
(Tashbih). So if we say "without attributing similarity"
some would understand from this statement the negation of the
attributes that Allah affirmed for Himself.
-
end of quote -
And
Ibn 'Uthaymin also said [in the same book]:
فإذا
قلت: ما
هي الصورة التي تكون لله ويكون آدم
عليها؟ قلنا: إن
الله عز وجل له وجه, وله
عين, وله
يد, وله
رجل - عز
وجل - لكن
لا يلزم من أن تكون هذه الأشياء مماثلة
للإنسان، فهناك
شيء من الشبه لكنه
ليس على سبيل المماثلة، كما أن الزمرة
الأولى من أهل الجنة فيها شبه من القمر
لكن بدون مماثلة
If
it is asked: What
is the image (Sura) that Allah and Adam are [both] upon?
Then
we say: Allah
- 'azza wa jall - has a face, an eye, a hand, a foot - 'azza wa jall
-, but this does not necessitate that these [descriptions] are like
that of human beings, for
there is some [sort of] of similarity (!),
but not upon the way of likeness (Mumathala); just like the first
group from the people of paradise are similar to the moon (i.e.
shining), but without likeness.
-
end of quote -
And
Ibn 'Uthaymin said in one of his lectures (taken word by word from a
"Salafi" website!):
نقول
مثلاً وجه الله ولم نقل وجه وأطلقنا فوجه
الله يكون لائقا لذاته أو لائقا بذاته
، كما
لو قلت وجه الفرس ووجه القط الهر هل تفهم
من قولك وجه الفرس أنه مثل وجه الهر
؟ أبداً
We
say for example "face of Allah" and we do not just say
"face" in general [terms], because the face of Allah is
befitting to His essence or befitting His essence.
Just
like when you say "face of a horse" and "face of a
cat": Do you understand from your statement "face of a
horse" that it is like (mithl) the "face of a
cat"? Never...
-
end of quote -
-----------------------------------
So
this is how these people speak of Allah ta'ala! Allah's refuge is
sought from this ugly Tashbih
to the degree that they do not even shy away from mentioning animals while speaking about Allah ta'ala!So the degree that Allah ta'ala is different from his creation - according to the above statements made by Ibn 'Uthaymin - is similar to the difference between the first group to enter paradise and the moon or similar to the difference between the face of a horse and that of a cat!?
Is this the Tawhid?!
Well, this sounds more like Wathaniyya
(paganism)!
In
response to this Tashbih I would like to remind you of the statement
of Imam Ibn Abi Ya'la (d. 526 AH) in his Tabaqat
al-Hanabila:
واعتقدوا: أن
الباري سبحانه استأثر بعلم حقائق صفاته
ومعانيها عن العالمين وفارق بها سائر
الموصوفين
...
وكل
ما يقع في الخواطرمن حد أو تشبيه أو
تكييف: فالله
سبحانه وتعالى عن ذَلِكَ وَاللَّهِ ليس
كمثله شيء ولا يوصف بصفات المخلوقين
الدالة عَلَى حدثهم ولا يجوز عَلَيْهِ
ما يجوز عليهم من التغير من حال إلى حال
ليس بجسم ولا جوهر ولا عرض وأنه لم يزل
ولا يزال وأنه الَّذِي لا يتصور فِي
الأوهام وصفاته لا
تشبه صفات المخلوقين لَيْسَ
كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْءٌ وهو السميع البصير
...
أن
البارىء سبحانه موصوف بأنه: حي
عالم قادر مريد والخلق موصوفون بهذه
الصفات ولم يدل الاتفاق فِي هَذِهِ
التسمية عَلَى الاتفاق فِي حقائقها
ومعانيها هكذا القول فِي أخبار
الصفات
And
they believed that
the Maker - glory be to Him - is exclusive in having knowledge of the
realities of his attributes and their meanings (!) [without anyone]
from the worlds [having this knowledge] and He is [completely]
different from all that has descriptions;
...
Whatever
comes to the mind from limitation (Hadd) or
attributing similarity (Tashbih) or
attributing modality (Takyif), then Allah is glorified and exalted
above it and there is nothing like Him. He is not described with
the attributes of the creation that indicate their temporality and
that which is possible regarding them - from the changing of one
state to another - is not possible regarding Him.
[Allah ta'ala]
is not a body (Jism) or a particle (Jawhar) or an accident ('Aradh)
and has always existed and will always exist. He's the One who
can not be imagined and
his attributes are not similar to the attributes of the creation,
{ nothing
is like Him; and He only is the All Hearing, the All Seeing. }
[42:11].
...
The Maker - glory be to Him - is described
with being Living (Hayy), Knowing ('Alim), Powerful (Qadir) and
Willing (Murid) while the creation is also described with these
attributes and
this agreement in the naming does not show their agreement in their
realities (!) and meanings (!) and
likewise is the statement regarding the narrations of the [divine]
attributes;...
-
end of quote -
---
continue reading the thread post page2: here
---1-Belief of Hanbalis / Atharis (past) vs "Salafis": Here
3- Hanbali position regarding the divine 'Uluw, Istiwa` and Nuzul: Here
4- Table of Contents: Here
