Part 35

Likewise in the two collections of sound hadiths we read that the Prophet (pbuh) said: “Allah will overlook whatever. my people say to themselves in their hearts,

7 ‘The editors of MI.2 and MZ remark in footnotes to their editions that, according to the Karramite sect, Iman is nothing but the verbal expression of belief.

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provided that they neither utter it aloud nor act upon it.” In other words, the Prophet declares that Allah pardons a person for the things he says to himself, provided that they are not spoken outwardly. Hence, he distinguished between hadith al-nafs, talking with oneself, and actual kalam, speech, saying that one is not held responsible for the former until or unless it becomes the latter. Muslim scholars agree that what is meant here is that one is only held accountable for what he utters with the tongue. Hence, it is certain that this is what “speech” means in the Arabic language, because al-Shari‘, the Legislator [the Prophet], as he determined to do, addressed us only in the language of the Arabs.

We also read in al-Sunan, the books of traditions, that Mu‘adh once said to the Prophet: “Oh, Messenger of Allah! Are we considered blameworthy for what we say?” To this the Prophet replied: “And are people cast into Hell on their faces” or, he said, “on their nostrils, except as the harvest of [what their] tongues have sown?” He thus makes clear that speech is what is expressed by the tongue. The Prophet (pbuh) is also reported, in Al-Bukhari’s Sah, to have said: “The truest word spoken by a poet is that of Labid: ‘Indeed, everything apart from Allah is falsehood and futility.”” And in the two collections of sound hadiths, he is reported to have said: “There are two words that are light on the tongue but weighty in the balance, and precious to the most Merciful One: ‘Praise be to Allah!’ and ‘Praise be to Allah Almighty!’” Allah says: “And warn those who say ‘Allah has chosen ason’ and He also says ‘No knowledge have they of such a thing, nor their fathers. Mighty is the word that comes out of their mouths. They utter nothing but a lie.""(18:4-5). And we also read in a/-Sahih that the Prophet (pbuh) said: “The most excellent speech of the Qur’4n consists of four words [i.e., phrases] that are themselves in the Qur?n: ‘Allah be praised,’ ‘Praise be to Allah,’ There is no god but Allah,’ and ‘Allah is greatest!’” (This was recorded by Muslim.) In addition, Allah says: “. .. To Him ascend the good words, and the righteous work does He exalt...” (35:10). And there are numerous similar statements.

On the whole, wherever Allah mentions any of the Prophets in His Book, or those who have believed or disbelieved them, saying “They said... ,” “They say... ,” “This is what they said... ,” and the like, what He intends in these references is the meaning together with the verbal expression of that meaning. For the meaning concerned, along with the various forms of verbal expressions which arise out of it such as commands, verbs in the past and present tense, verbal nouns or active participles derived from words suchas kalam, speech, qawl, a saying or utterance,

and so on, are all known in the Qur’an, the Sunnah, and all other forms of speech among the Arabs. The same is true of the various other types of speech, such as tasdiq, disbelief, commanding and prohibition. Moreover, examples of such phenomena are something that no one can deny, for they are too numerous even to count. There was no dispute over what is referred to by the word “speech” among the Prophet’s Companions, their Successors, or their followers’ followers, neither among ahl al-Sunnah, the Orthodox Muslims, nor ahl al-Bid‘ah, the heretical sects. Rather, the first Muslim known to have considered the word “speech” to refer solely to the meaning was ‘Abd Allah Ibn Sa‘id Ibn Kullab, a later thinker who lived in the era during which Ahmad Ibn Hanbal suffered his mihnah, ordeal. He was denounced for this view by both Orthodox and nonOrthodox Muslim scholars, since it implies that speech is not the most manifest characteristic of human beings. Allah says: “And by Lord of the heaven and the earth, it is the truth, just as it is the truth that you can speak” (51:23). Moreover, the word “speech” contains innumerable facets that were not recognized by any of the Prophet’s Companions, their Successors, or their followers’ followers until there appeared someone who adopted a view of it that was unprecedented among both Muslims and others.

Someone might say: Allah says: “. .. And say within themselves . . .” (58:8); and “And you should remember your Lord within yourself humbly and with fear . . .” (7:205) and the like. To this we would reply that if what is meant is that they uttered these things secretly with their tongues, then no one could raise any argument in objection. In fact, this is the interpretation that most commentators have given for this verse. According to them, they used to say in their greeting: sam ‘alayka, poison on you.? Then when they came out they would say to one

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another: “if he were a prophet, he would torment us by what we say to him.” And if it is assumed that the meaning intended here is that they spoke these things in their hearts, then this would be an utterance restricted to the soul, as Allah’s says: “|... For what they have said to themselves . . .” (58:8). Hence, some of them have said: “.. . lest Allah punish us for what we say.” Here the term qawl, a saying, is used in an absolute sense and the reference is to what they have uttered with their tongues. For it was secret conversations and greetings that they had been forbidden to engage in. As in Allah’s saying: “Have you not seen those who are forbidden to hold secret counsels, and afterward return to that which they have been forbidden, and conspired together for sin, wrongdoing, and disobedience to the Messenger, and when they come to you, they greet you with a greeting wherewith Allah greets you not, and they say within themselves: ‘Why should Allah punish us not for what we say? . ..’” (58:8). And although the correct interpretation is the one accepted by most commentators and the one that is supported by parallel Qur’anic verses, nevertheless the Prophet (pbuh) said that “Allah says: ‘Whoever makes mention of Me in his soul, of him will | make mention in My soul. And whoever makes mention of Me before a throng, of him will I make mention before a better throng.”” What is meant here is not that the person does not speak of Allah with his tongue, but that he has brought Allah to remembrance both in his soul and with his tongue.

Likewise Allah says: “Make mention of your Lord within your soul in supplication and fear, but without raising your voice aloud . . .” (7:205). Reference is made to making mention of Allah al-jahr min al-qawl, uttered clearly with the tongue, whereas that which is restricted to the soul is the expression lafz al-hadith, silent conversation. Hence, use has been made of the phrase hadith al-nafs, the soul's conversation or talking with oneself, however, one never hears kalam al-nafs, the soul’s speech. Thus the expression lafz al-hadith is usually used to express dreams that one sees in his sleep. Moreover, the word hadith has been used to speak of the statement by Jacob, as in Allah’s saying: “. .. Thus your Lord chooses you and teaches you the interpretation of dreams . . .” (12:6). Likewise the statement by Joseph in Allah’s saying: “... And you taught me the interpretation of dreams . . .” (12:101). References such as these have to do not with the tongue but with the soul, since the phrase lafz al-hadith may be restricted to what is in the soul, unlike the word kalam, which is not known to have been used to refer to what is in the soul alone.

Allah says: “And keep your talk secret or disclose it, verily He [Allah] knows all of what is in the breasts [of men]” (67:13). This refers to words that are sometimes kept secret so that no one else hears them, and that at other times are expressed aloud so that they can be heard. By the same token one might say: ‘he read silently’ or ‘he read aloud;’ or one might speak alternatively of silent prayer and public prayer. Therefore, Allah did not say: “utter it with your tongues or with your hearts.” For it is inconceivable that what is [only] in the soul should be expressed aloud; rather, that which may be voiced aloud is what is on the tongue.

Allah says: “. .. He knows all of what is in the breasts [of men]” (67:13), and this . is a kind of warning. It is as if to say: if Allah knows what is in the heart, how would He fail to know also what is spoken? As Allah says in another verse: “And if you [Oh, Muhammad] speak aloud then indeed He knows the secret and that which is yet more hidden” (20:7). Here Allah declares that He knows what is spoken aloud. This is indicated by the fact that He says: “And keep your talk secret or disclose it, indeed He [Allah] knows all of what is in the breasts [of men]” (67:13). Now, if He means by the word qawl, a saying, that which is in the soul, having already declared that He knows what is in the breasts [hearts of men}, He would not have mentioned His knowledge of the other type—that is, what is spoken aloud. And if someone were to say: “he was given a warning,” one might reply: “yes, he was.” In fact, he was given a warning concerning both outward and inward thoughts. Allah says “. . . Your sign is that you shall not speak to the people for three days except with signals . . .” (3:41). It is also mentioned where He says: “. .. Your sign is that you shall not speak to the people for three nights, although you are not dumb” (19:10). In the second verse Allah makes no exceptions whatsoever, although both verses are part ofa single story. This in turn indicates that the exception made is noncontiguous, while the meaning of Allah’s saying: “Your sign shall be that you will speak to people only in signs,” is consistent with parallel verses in the Qur’an. Moreover, Allah says“... And he signified to them . . .” (19:11), which refers to his signaling to them. And if we assumed that this signaling represented a contiguous exception, then it would be included in the words that are qualified by the exception, as in Allah’s saying: “It is not fitting for any human being that Allah should speak to him unless by inspiration, or from behind a veil, or that He sends a Messenger to reveal what He wills by His leave . . .” (42:51).