Concerning Ta'weel
Muhammad bin Abdul-Aleem Abul-Hammaam[40] of the
University of al-Azhar said, after addressing the issue of interpolating istawaa
(He ascended) to mean istawlaa (He conquered):
"...And from this is the danger of ta'weel [i.e.
that it necessitates the consideration of Allaah and His Messenger (sallallaahu
alaihi wasallam) to have lied] and Ibn al-Qayyim explains that it [ta'weel] is
more evil than ta'teel - which is merely "denying the Divine Attributes and
rejecting their being established with the Self of Allaah (Dhaat) - the Most
Perfect"41 - because it [ta'weel] contains both tashbeeh, ta'teel and also
playing and fooling with the texts as well as having a bad opinion of them. The
Mu'attil (denier of the Attributes) and the Mu'awwil (one who interpolates them)
have shared [with each other] in the denial of the realities of the Names and
Attributes but the Mu'awwil has exceeded in his playing and fooling with the
texts and having a bad opinion of them and also ascribing to the one who speaks
with them - that he speaks with their apparent [meanings], that he is astray and
leads others astray. Therefore, they have combined in [falling into] four
dangers:
[1] Their belief that what is manifest and apparent from
the words of Allaah and His Messenger is impossible and is falsehood - therefore
they have understood them to be tashbeeh (anthropomorphism) from the very
beginning.[42]
[2] They have denied the reality of their meanings on
the basis that this is such an understanding that does not befit them and nor
does it befit the Lord - the Most Perfect.
[3] Ascribing to the speaker - the perfect in knowledge
and elucidation (bayaan) and the perfect in giving advice - and that is Allaah,
the Most Perfect - the opposite of elucidation (bayaan), guidance (hudaa) and
giving direction (irshaad). This [i.e. resorting to ta'weel] necessitates that
they are more knowledgeable than Him, more eloquent and clear [in speech] than
Him and greater in giving advice to mankind.
[4] Playing with the texts [of the Book and the Sunnah]
and putting and end to their sanctity and sacredness.[43]
Let alone:
[5] That the Mu'awwil (one who resorts to ta'weel) is
not pleased with - for Allaah the Exalted - what the most knowledgeable of Him
amongst the people - and he is the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu alaihi
wasallam) - was pleased with for Him.
[6] That this ta'weel - had Allaah desired it for
Himself - then He would have ordered it in His Book or upon the tongue of His
Messenger (sallallaahu alaihi wasallam) and then ta'weel of the Attributes of
Allaah - the Most High - would have been obligatory, a necessary part of the
religion - the neglection of which would be forbidden and whoever abandoned it
would have been sinful. And this is in addition to the fact that when Allaah -
the Most High - has not permitted it then doing it would be a mistake and it
would be a manner that is blameworthy and forbidden - due to what it implies -
[that is]: Its being a form of correcting and rectifying Allaah - the Most High
- and His Messenger (sallallaahu alaihi wasallam).
[7] That the Mu'awwil of the Attributes of Allaah - in
fleeing from tashbeeh (anthropomorphism) and fearing it - has been ignorant of a
great reality and this is the impossibility of there being any likeness between
the Attributes of Allaah - the Most High - and the attributes of His servants
since there can be no likeness between the Attributes of the Creator and the
attributes of the creation ever. And this is due to the fact that Allaah has
informed that there is nothing like Him and He is the All-Hearing, All-Seeing,
and that He is unique (Ahad) and that there is no equal to Him. And the Mu'awwil
[in resorting to ta'weel] is a liar (kaadhib) since the reality differs from
what he says in its entirety and is also a denier (mukadhdhib) because he has
rejected Allaah with respect to His saying:
There is nothing like Him [Soorah Shooraa 42:11]
And he is a pagan (mushrik) and a disbeliever (kaafir)
due to associating some of the servants of Allaah with some of the Attributes of
Allaah - the Most High.[44]
[8] That this Mu'awwil of the Attributes of Allaah - the
Most High - in fleeing from tashbeeh and in fearing it - the mighty difference
between the Attributes of the Creator - the Magnificent and Most High - and
between the attributes of the weak and incapable servants has become hidden from
him.[45]
[9] And ta'weel makes the texts [of the Book and the
Sunnah] lose their characteristic reverence and prestige since this ta'weel has
not depended upon an authentic text from the Sharee'ah and not a single one of
the scholars of the Salaf have spoken with it.[46]