24.1 AHL-UL QIBLAH
- are those who pray towards the Qiblah [of Makkah] and associate themselves to Islaam. They fall into six groups when faced with the above matter.
24.1.1 TWO OF THEM APPLY THE TEXTS ACCORDING TO THE
MOST APPARENT MEANING .
24.1.1.1 The Mushabbihah [Who do Tashbeeh] - they ascribe attributes for the Creator, but declare them to be the same as those of
the creation. Their way is false and is rejected by the Salaf.
24.1.1.2 The Salaf - who left the texts according to the most apparent meaning, in a manner befitting Allaah the Mighty and Majestic. Their way is certainly correct - see Chapters 3 & 4.
The difference is that the first engages in Tashbeeh, while the second rejects Tashbeeh. E.g. the Mushabbihah will say: "We can't understand any Knowledge, Descending, Hand, etc. except by way of likening them to those of the creation.
24.1.1.3 Arguments that Refute the
Mushabbihah.
(1) The Revelation and the Intellect proves the Creator is different in all His Attributes. E.g. from the Book, refer to (42):11; and from the intellect it can be said: "How can the Creator Who is perfect in every way, be likened to the creation which is deficient?!
(2) When you ask the Mushabbihah about whether Allaah has a Self which resembles none of the creation, then they'd certainly accept this. So similarly they should also accept that His Attributes are different to those of the creation, for His Attributes follow on from His Self.
(3) We see all around us that even the attributes of the creation are different among themselves. For instance the hand of a man is not like the hand of an animal. Hence if this difference is exists within the creation, then the difference between the Creator and the creation will be even greater.
24.1.2 TWO OF THEM APPLY THE TEXTS ACCORDING TO WHAT IS CONTRARY TO THE MOST APPARENT MEANING.
And then they deny all of Allaah's Attributes, while some of them deny only some of them, while others only affirm events or situations [but not Attributes].
24.1.2.1 The People of Ta-weel - from amongst the Jahmeeyah and others who misinterpret the texts dealing with the Attributes to
non-apparent meanings derived by themselves. E.g. they misinterpret His Hand to
be His Blessing or Power etc.
24.1.2.2 The People of Tajheel - the Mufawwidhah who
do Tafweedh, saying: "Allaah knows best what He meant by the texts dealing
with the Attributes, but we do know that they do not indicate affirmation of any
real attribute for Him." Yet their saying "but we do know..."
contradicts Tafweedh, as Tafweedh is where one withholds having any
knowledge.
The difference is that the first affirms a meaning but says it's different from what is most apparent from them; while the second deny knowledge of the meaning but still say that affirmation is not meant. Both of these are wrong.
24.1.3 TWO OF THEM HALT SHORT OF THE
MATTER.
24.1.3.1 Those who say that the texts dealing with the
matter may or may not affirm Attributes befitting Allaah.
24.1.3.2 Those who say absolutely nothing about the
matter, doing no more than reciting the aayaat and hadeeth-s.
The difference between these is that the first permits both affirmation and denial, while the second says absolutely nothing. Both of these are wrong.
Creed of Hamawiyyah - Chapter 24 : The Different Categories of Ahl ul-Qiblah in Relation to the Aayaat and Ahaadeeth Pertaining to Allaah's Attributes