23.1 THE CORRECT WAY.
This is the way of the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) and his Companions and those who followed them in goodness.
Anyone who follows their way with knowledge and justice will come to know this.
And this is because they attained the true reality of Eemaan in Allaah and the Last Day, acknowledging that to be true and real, being sincere in their actions and following the Sharee'ah without any Shirk, innovation, Tahreef, or denial.
23.2 THE THREE ASTRAY GROUPS .
23.2.1 THE PEOPLE OF TAKHYEEL [IMAGINED
CONCEPTS].
E.g. the philosophers, Baatineeyah, people of Kalaam etc. The essence of their way is:
23.2.1.1 Whatever the prophets brought concerning
Eemaan in Allaah and the Last Day, are simply likenings or concepts which are
not actually real. And so the intent behind all this is to simply benefit the
common masses, who upon hearing all the descriptions of Allaah and the Last Day,
would then follow the desired way of life.
23.2.1.2 The Extreme Ones claim that the prophets did
not know the realities of these matters, and further claim that through their
philosophy and through whom they claim to be awliyaa, one is more knowledgeable
about these matters than the prophets! Hence these judged the messengers to be
ignorant.
23.2.1.3 The Less Extreme of them say that the
prophets did know the true realities of these matters, but related imagined
unreal things to the people, in order to benefit them. Hence these judged the
messengers to be liars.
23.2.1.4 When it Comes to Actions, some of them
consider them to be real matters that all are obliged to do. But others take
them symbolically claiming that only the common people are obliged by them,
while the "special" people are not. E.g. they misinterpret the Salaah
to mean their secret thoughts and conversations and Hajj to mean travelling to
visit their shaykh-s, etc.
And the falsehood of their way is clear via the
intellect, the senses and the Sharee'ah.
- Indeed we all witness that there are so many signs that Allaah exists and has perfect Attributes. And the order of the creation shows that behind it all is One who is Wise, Fully-in-Command and All-Powerful.
- And all the revealed Laws have proven Eemaan in the Last Day, which is a necessary consequence of Allaah's far-reaching Wisdom.
- And indeed most of the people are not upon these false beliefs, due to the natural aversion from such ideas. Hence there's no great need to refute these people of Takhyeel.
23.2.2 THE PEOPLE OF TA-WEEL
[MISINTERPRETATION].
E.g. the People of Kalaam from the Jahmeeyah, Mu'tazilah, etc. The reality of their way is:
The texts concerning the Attributes are not to be understood according to their most apparent meaning, and the so the intended meaning is something contrary to the most apparent meaning. And they claim that the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) knew this but left the people to use their minds in order to derive the meanings, by diverting the most apparent meanings towards these derived meanings, with his aim being to test the people's minds. So one could hope for more reward according to the extent to which one tried to divert the meanings away from the most apparent meanings, and instead understand the texts in terms of the more irregular aspects of the language.
And this is what most of the people are upon, being confused and self-contradictory.
And these people outwardly show themselves to be aiding the Sunnah. But Allaah has exposed their screens, for many of the scholars did refute them. And Ibn Taymeeyah and others did engage in refuting these people more than any other, because most of the people are deceived by them as a result of their false display of upholding the Sunnah.
23.2.2.1 Their Way Concerning the Texts Dealing with
the Hereafter is: That they have Eemaan in it, believing it to be real and not
doing Ta-weel of these texts.
23.2.2.2 Hence the people of Takhyeel have surpassed
them here, because they point out that the people of Ta-weel are in
contradiction for using Ta-weel on the texts dealing with the Attributes, while
not using it for the texts dealing with the Hereafter.
[While the people of Takhyeel are at least consistent in giving figurative meanings to both the Attributes and the Hereafter].
Indeed the people of Ta-weel will say: "We recognise that by necessity, the Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) came affirming the Hereafter and we know the falsehood of any evil arguments that prevent such affirmation, hence it's obligatory to agree to affirming it."
23.2.2.3 The Proof Against the People of
Ta-weel.
Their own words above are the decisive argument against them, for these words are correct not only concerning the Hereafter, but also for the texts concerning the Attributes.
Hence by this, it's clear that the people of Ta-weel are in clear self-contradiction
23.2.3 THE PEOPLE OF TAJHEEL [THOSE WHO ATTRIBUTE
IGNORANCE TO THE SALAF].
They belong to many of those who claim adherence to the Sunnah and the Salaf. The essence of their way is:
23.2.3.1 The Texts Dealing with the Attributes are
Unknown Words with unknown meanings such that the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) spoke about the
Attributes without knowing the meanings.
On top of this, they say that the mind has no scope concerning the Attributes, hence they conclude that the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) , his Companions and the Salaf had no textural or intellectual knowledge of this matter. And this is one of the most baseless of all sayings!
23.2.3.2 Hence Concerning the Attributes: They pass
by the words doing Tafweedh - resigning knowledge of the meaning to
Allaah.
But some then contradict themselves by adding that the meaning is something different to what is most apparent from the texts. So they first claim only Allaah knows the meaning, and then say "but the meaning is different to the most apparent meaning"!!
23.2.3.3 Their False Proof for Engaging in
Tafweedh.
They use (3):7, saying:
(1) That the aayaat dealing with the Attributes are amongst those unclear matters mentioned in the above aayah.
(2) That the hidden meanings mentioned in the above aayah are those resulting from diverting the meaning away from the most apparent one.
Hence they conclude that the aayaat of the Attributes have meanings which only Allaah knows, where the meanings are different to what's most apparent.
23.2.3.4 The Arguments that Refute Their
Belief.
(1) When they say the meaning [Ma'naa] is in doubt, they are wrong, for the meanings of the Attributes are clear. As for the full reality [Haqeeqah] and how [Kayfeeyah] the Attributes are, then none knows this except Allaah.
(2) Their claim that the hidden
meaning [Ta-weel] mentioned in the above aayah, is that it's a meaning that differs from what's most apparent, is wrong. For the Ta-weel mentioned in the above aayah has two meanings:
- (a) It could mean Tafseer - i.e. an explanation of the meaning. Ibn
'Abbaas said that he was on of those firmly grounded in knowledge, who knew
the Ta-weel. Hence with this meaning many of the Salaf paused after {and
those who are firmly grounded in knowledge.} in the above aayah.
-
- (b) It could mean the Haqeeqah and Kayfeeyah - i.e. the full reality and
how something is. And none knows this except Allaah. Hence with this
meaning, most of the Salaf paused after {and none knows the meaning
[Ta-weel] except Allaah} in the above aayah.
(3) Allaah sent the Quraan to be pondered over, and so the people are to contemplate all of its meaning. Hence the aayaat dealing with the Attributes (and other matters) do have meanings that can be arrived at through contemplation. And those who had the closest understanding of this was the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) and his Companions.
(4) Abu Abdir-Rahmaan As-Sulamee narrated how the Companions, and they themselves would learn ten aayaat and not go further until they had learned them in terms of knowledge and action. And all this can not be possible if they were ignorant of the meanings, especially those concerning the Attributes which are the most important of matters.
(5) What the people of Tajheel say, implies that in the Book are hollow words, which don't clearly convey the Truth, while all this contradicts Allaah's Wisdom in sending the Book.
23.3 THE MEANING OF TA-WEEL.
It has two meanings:
23.3.1 IT MEANS TAFSEER
- i.e. an explanation of the meaning [See 23.4 also]. And this is used by most of the Mufassirs [those who present explanations of the meanings of the Quraan]. And this Ta-weel is known by the scholars.
This meaning of Ta-weel is found in the hadeeth where the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) prayed for Ibn 'Abbaas saying: ((O Allaah, give him understanding of the Religion and knowledge of Ta-weel.))
23.3.2 IT MEANS THE HAQEEQAH AND KAYFEEYAH
- i.e. the full reality and how something is. When concerning the Attributes, then none knows this Ta-weel except Allaah.
This meaning for Ta-weel is found in (7):53; (4):59; etc.
23.4 THE MEANING OF TAFSEER.
Ibn 'Abbaas explained that Tafseer is of four kinds:
23.4.1 THE TAFSEER WHICH IS KNOWN THROUGH THE ARABIC
LANGUAGE.
23.4.2 THE TAFSEER WHICH ALL ARE OBLIGED TO
KNOW.
Such as knowing the tafseer of Allaah's Names & Attributes, Salaah, Zakaah, etc.
23.4.3 THE TAFSEER WHICH IS KNOWN BY THE
SCHOLARS
Because they have access to the relevant knowledge and understanding.
23.4.4 THE TAFSEER WHICH NONE BUT ALLAAH
KNOWS.
Such as concerning the Haqeeqah and Kayfeeyah of Allaah's Attributes or of the Hereafter.
23.5 THE 'MEANING' AND THE 'TRUE
REALITY'.
E.g. We understand the meaning of Istiwaa, but we don't know the true reality of it, or how it is.
E.g. We understand the meaning of honey, milk, fruit and the other things mentioned to be in Paradise; but we do not know their true reality - refer to (32):19.
Hence all the meanings can be reached by us, but the full reality of the Unseen matters can not.
And if it was true, that the meanings of these matters in the Book and Sunnah, are impossible to reach [as is claimed by some of the astray groups mentioned earlier], then what would be the benefit of them being mentioned to us, in the first place?
Creed of Hamawiyyah - Chapter 23 : The Various Groups that Have Turned Away from Correct Belief in Allaah and the Hereafter