Part 4

Allah, peace and blessing be upon him, whereupon he became angry and prohibited it.5* Such matters are to be considered as disputing about the Quran and this has been prohibited.”

Discussing the divine decree, either by way of affirmation or negation, by rationalising and employing logical arguments. This is exemplified by the saying of the Qadariyyah, ‘Were Allah to decree everything and then punish people, He would be unjust and oppressive,’ and the saying of their diametric opposite,” ‘Allah has coerced the servants into performing their actions,’ and the likes.

Delving into the workings of the divine decree, the prohibition of which has been reported from ‘Ali and others from amongst the Salaf. This is because the servants will never be able to understand its true reality.

* Muslim #2666 on the authority of ‘Abdullah iba ‘Amr.

It is also recorded by Hakim #2882 and Dhahabi said that it meets the criteria

of Muslim. Suyiti #9187 ruled it to be sahih as did Albani, Sahih al-Jami‘

THE EXCELLENCE OF KNOWLEDGE

2.5 Discussing the Dhat of Allah

Linked to this is the innovation concocted by the Mu‘tazila, and those who traverse their path, in their discussion of the essence (dbdf) of Allah, Exalted is He, and His Attributes through the medium of tationalisation. This is of a greater danger than delving into the divine decree because discussing the divine decree is to discuss the actions of Allah whereas here one is discussing His very essence and Attributes! This group is divided into two categories:

The first: Those who negate much of what is reported in the Book and Sunnah concerning the Attributes due to the implication, in their view, of a likeness between the creation and Creator. From amongst these are the Mu‘tazila who said, ‘If He can be seen, He must be a body because one requires a direction in which to see’, ‘If His speech can be heard, He must be a body.’ Those who negated His istawd did so by means of the same reasoning. This is the path of the Mu‘tazila and the Jahmiyyah about whom the Salaf were agreed as to their being innovators and misguided. This path of theirs has been traversed, in some matters, by many of those who are attributed to the Sunnah and Hadith amongst the latter generations.

The second: Those who wished to affirm the Attributes via logical rationalisations that are not mentioned in the narrations and through these they refuted the stances of the first group. Examples of this lie with Maqatil ibn Sulayman and those who followed him such as Nah ibn Abii Maryam; these were in turn followed by a group of the Muhaddithin of the past and present.

2.5 Discussing the Dhat of Allah

This is also the way of the Karramiyyah.*' From amongst these were those who affirmed a body for Allah, either in meaning or wording, as an outcome of their affirming His Attributes. Others from amongst them affirmed attributes for Allah that have not been mentioned in the Book and Sunnah such as ‘movement’ which they believe to be necessary outcomes of His Attributes that have been established. The Salaf refuted the manner employed by Maqatil in his refutation of al-Jahm and they went to great lengths in censuring him to the extent that some of them considered it lawful to kill him! Amongst these was Makki ibn Ibrahim, the teacher of Al-Bukhari.

The correct position in all of this is the position of the Rightcous Salaf in their leaving the verses and ahadith concerning the Attributes as they came without explanation,” asking how, ot likening them to creation. There is nothing at all contravening this position that is authentically reported from them, especially Imam Ahmad. Neither is anything reported from them proving that they probed into their meanings or propounded analogies and similitudes for them. This, even though there were some who lived close to the time of Ahmad who did do some of this, following the way laid out by Maqjtil, but they are not to be followed in this. Those who should be followed are the Imams of Islam such as ibn al-Mubarak, Malik, Thawri, Awza, Shafi, Ahmad, Ishaq, Abi ‘Ubaid and their likes.

One will not find anything in the words of those mentioned above that bears resemblance to the words of the Speculative Theologians (Mutakallimin) \et alone the words of the philoso-

THE EXCELLENCE OF KNOWLEDGE

phers, indeed this is not to be found in the words of anyone who has not been censured or disparaged. Abii Zur‘ah al-Razi said, “Whoever possesses knowledge, yet his knowledge is not refined, and as such requires speculative theology (kalam) to spread it, you should have nothing to do with him!’

2.6 The Rationalisation of the People of Opinion

From amongst the innovated sciences is that which has been introduced by the Legal Jurists belonging to the People of Opinion comprising rational principles and rules which govern the legal rules and regulation, not caring whether they conform to the Sunnah or oppose it. The root basis of these principles may well be based upon interpretations of texts from the Book and Sunnah, however others opposed the interpretations employed. This was what the Imams of Islam rejected when they refuted the Legal Jurists amongst the People of Opinion in Hijaz and Iraq, indeed they went to great lengths in censuring and refuting them. As for the Imams and Legal Jurists amongst the Ahlu’lHadith, they followed any authentic hadith provided that the hadith was acted upon by the Companions and those who came after them, or at least by some of them. As for those ahadith which the Salaf unanimously agreed to leave, it is not permissible to act by them since they left acting by them because of their certain knowledge that they should not be enacted. ‘Umar ibn ‘Abdu’l-‘Aziz said, ‘Take from opinion that which conforms to the practice of those who came before you for they were more knowledgeable than you.’

As for the specific case where the hadith contradicted the prac-

2.6 The Rationalisation of the People of Opinion

tice of the inhabitants of Madinah, Malik was of the opinion that the practice of the inhabitants of Madinah should be adhered to whereas the majority adhered to the hadith.

2.7 Debating About the Religion

From amongst the matters rejected by the Imams of the Salaf was argumentation and disputation about issues concerning the lawful and prohibited,” this was not the way of the Imams of Islam. This was innovated later by the Legal Jurists of Kiifah and Basrah, for example, in their authoring works dealing with the differences amongst the Shafi‘ls and Hanafis and then devoting a great deal of time and energy in discussion and argumentation [as to which stances were correct]. Matters went to such an extreme that this became the limit of their knowledge, it preoccupied them, and distracted them from beneficial knowledge. All of this is from the newly invented matters.

The Salaf rejected this and there is a hadith recorded in the Sunan concerning this in which the Prophet, peace and blessing

Ajurti #112-113 records from Muslim ibn Yasar that he said, ‘Beware of disputation, for through it does the scholar slip into ignorance and by means of it does Satan desire to cause him to slip and ert.’ The isnad is sahth. Ajurri #115 records from Mu‘Awiyah ibn Qutrah that he said, ‘Arguing about the religion destroys ones deeds.’ The isnad is also sahih. :

Even aiding someone who is debating could be a grave wrong, Hakim #7051 records on the authority of ibn ‘Umar that the Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him, said, “Whoever, without due right, comes to the aid of one debating, is under the displeasure of Allah until he withdraws.” Hakim said that the isnad was sahih and Dhahabi agreed.

THE EXCELLENCE OF KNOWLEDGE

ween eee et EON Ua SAD FOOTY They only say this to you for argument’s sake, they are indeed a disputatious people.

Some of the Salaf said, ‘When Allah desires good for His servant, He opens for him the door of action. When Allah desires evil for His servant, He locks the door to action and opens instead the door of disputation.””

Tirmidhi ruled it to be hasan sahih; it was declared sahih by Hakim #3674 and Dhahabi agreed; it was ruled hasan by Suyati #7934 and Albani, Sabi al-Jami‘

6 al Zukbruf (43): 58

Ajursi, vol. 1, p. 434, said, ‘When the People of Knowledge amongst the Tabi‘in and the Imams who followed them heard this, they did not debate or dispute about matters concerning the religion and they warned the Muslims against this as well. They enjoined the Muslims to follow the Sunnah and that which the Companions were upon, may Allah be pleased with them all. This is the way of the People of Truth, those to whom Allah, Exalted is He, has granted His divine accord.”

* Aba Nu'aym, vol. 8, p. 405 #12690, as a statement of Ma‘rif al-Karkhi. He also recorded #12691 that Ma‘raf said, ‘For a person to discuss matters that do not concern him is a sign that Allah, Exalted is He, has forsaken him.”

Abii Dawid #4800 records on the authority of Abi Umamah that the Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him, said, “I stand guarantor that a house will be built on the outskirts of Paradise for whoever abandons atgumentation, even if he be in the right; a house will be built in the middle of Paradise for the one who abandons lying even if it be in jest; a house will be built in the most lofty part of Paradise for one who makes good his morals and manners.”

It was ruled sahih by Albani, a/-Sapibah #273.

2.7 Debating About the Religion

Malik said, ‘I have met the inhabitants of this city and they used to abhor this excessiveness in which we find the people today,”* meaning delving into minute details of issues and widening them. He used to censure excessive speech and legal verdicts saying, ‘They speak as if they were lascivious camels” saying, “It is like is this, it is like that” being reckless with their words.’ He used to abhor answering when faced with many questions and would say, ‘Allah says,