Ibn Abd as-Salam and Ash'ari Ta'wil

[faqir]

The great Imâm `Izz al-Dîn Ibn `Abd al-Salâm wrote a treatise on the principles of metaphorical interpretation of the Holy Qur'an according to the Ash`arî School entitled al-Ishâra ilâ al-Ijâz fi Ba`d. Anwâ`al-Majâz (Ed. `Uthmân H.ilmî, Cairo: al-Mat.ba`at al-`Amira, 1313/1895) which recently received a new edition. In it he states:


<<When Allâh is described by something that is inapplicable to Him literally (bi-h.aqîqatihi), He is described by it only metaphorically, as is the case in the following:


1. Mercy (al-rah.ma) = According to the Shaykh [al-Ash`arî], it means the willing (irâda) of Allâh, for His servant, of whatever one that shows mercy wills for the one who is shown mercy.

2. Friendship (al-mah.abba) = It entails willing munificence (ikrâm) towards the beloved and making him content (ird.â').

3. Love (al-wudd) = the will of Allâh or His treatment of the one He loves in the manner of the lover towards the beloved.

4. Contentment (al-rid.â) = the will of Allâh or His treatment in the manner of the one who is content towards the one who made him content; in this sense it is an Attribute of the Essence. Or, the actual treatment of the servant by Allâh in the manner of the one who is content towards the one who made him content; in this sense it is an Attribute of act(1) (s.ifatu fi`l) as in the h.adîth. Literally, it means "peace of mind at whatever the mind is content with" – and Allâh is exalted above that.

5. Gratitude (al-shukr) = A metaphor based on similitude (majâz al-tashbîh) between His treatment towards one who obeys Him and the treatment of the grateful one towards one he thanks. Or a metonymy (majâz tasmiya) naming the result by the name of the cause, as to thank Him is expressed by obeying Him.(2)

6. Laughter (al-d.ah.ik) = His satisfaction (rid.â) and acceptance (qabûl).

7. Happiness (al-farah.) = He wills, for repentent sinners, whatever happiness brings about in the one who is happy. Or He treats the repentent sinners in the same manner as happiness treats the one who is happy.

8. Patience (al-s.abr) = He treats His servants in the way that the enduring one behaves toward what he dislikes. This is a metaphor based on similitude.

9. Jealousy (al-ghîra) = A metaphor of similitude with the legal category of abomination (karâhiyya) which applies to indecencies, or a metaphor for the emphatic repetition of the prohibition of indecencies.

10. Shyness or shame (al-h.ayâ') = A synecdoche(3) (majâz al-mulâzama) naming as shame the abandonment of what causes shame. Or a metonymy(4) (majâz tasmiya) naming that result by the name of the cause. Allâh does not depart from right unlike one who shies from it.

11. His testing (ibtilâ') through benefits and wrongs, good and evil = A metaphor of similitude between Him and an examiner, although He knows everything.

12. His sarcasm (sukhriyya), mockery (istihzâ'), scheming (makr), and deceit (khid`) = All of these are metaphors of similitude or metonymies naming the result by the name of its cause, His sarcasm being caused by theirs, His mockery by theirs, His scheming by theirs, and His deceit by theirs.

13. His astonishment (`ajab) = A metaphor of similitude with either the ugliness of what causes astonishment or its excellence.

14. Reference to Him with the pronoun "That One" (dhâlika, dhâlikum) which indicates distance = The remoteness of His Entity from similitude with all other entities (dhawât), and the remoteness of His Attributes from similitude with all other attributes.

15. His hesitancy (taraddud) = In the hadith qudsî(5) "Nor do I hesitate to do anything as I hesitate to take back the believer's soul, for he hates death and I hate to hurt him,"(6) a metaphor of the superlative rank of the believer in the Divine presence and synechdoche for a lesser hurt to prevent a greater harm, as in the case of a father's severance of his son's gangrened hand so as to save his life.

16. His establishment (istiwâ') over the Throne = A metaphor for establishing dominion (istîlâ') over His kingdom and disposing of it, as the poet said:

qad istawâ Bishrun `alâ al-`Irâq
min ghayri sayfin wa-damin muhrâq

Bishr established mastery over Iraq
without sword and without shedding blood.(7)

It is a metaphor of similitude with kings, who dispose of the affairs of their kingdoms while sitting among the dynastic princes. The Throne may also express rank, as in `Umar's saying, Allah be well-pleased with him: "My Throne would have toppled if I had not found a merciful Lord."(8)

17. His freeing Himself in the verse {We shall soon be free to dispose of you} (55:31)(9) = A metaphor of similitude for the immense significance attributed to the judgment of creatures.

18. The baring of His Shin = A metaphor for His aggravation of the judgment of His enemies and their humiliation, defeat, and punishment. The Arabs say of one that acts earnestly and intensely that "he has bared his shin."(10)

19. His wrath (ghad.ab) = A metaphor of similitude for the attribute of act which consists in the punishment He exacts from those who disobey Him.

20. His resentment (sukht. or sakhat.) = The will of Allâh of whatever one who resents wills for the object of his resentment; or a metaphor of similitude; or a metonymy attributing resentment to their disbelief in the sense of attributing a verb to its cause.

21. His grief (asaf) = His anger. {When they grieved Us, We exacted retribution from them} (43:55) meaning "When they made us angry, we punished them."

22. His hatred (qilâ): {Your Lord has not forsaken you nor does He hate you} (93:3) meaning "He has never forsaken you since He brought you near, nor hated you since He loved you."

23. His spite (maqt) i.e. the height of hatred (bughd.) = Allâh wills for the misguided whatever one who bears hatred wills for the object of his hate, or He curses or treats them in the manner that one who bears hatred curses or treats the object of his hate. Or it is a metaphor of similitude in terms of the above.

24. His enmity (`adâwa) = His treatment of His enemies in a way so as to cause them harm for the most part.

25. His malediction (la`n) = His banishment of sinners from His door, far from His reward.>>(11)








NOTES

(1) Meaning an act attributed to Allâh.
(2) Abû Sahl al-S.u`lûkî narrates that as a boy al-Junayd heard his uncle being asked about thankfulness, whereupon he said: "It is to not use His favors for the purpose of disobeying Him." In al-Qushayrî, Risâla (p. 148-150); Ibn `Imâd, Shadharât al-Dhahab (2:228-230); al-Dhahabî, Siyar (11:153-155 §2555); Ibn al-Subkî, T.abaqât (2:260-275§60).
(3) "Synecdoche: a figure of speech in which a part is used for a whole, an individual for a class, a material for a thing, or the reverse of any of these (Ex.: bread for food, the army for a soldier, or copper for a penny)." Webster's.
(4) "Metonymy: a figure of speech in which the name of one thing is used in place of that of another associated with or suggested by it (Ex.:'the White House' for 'the President')." Webster's.
(5) Meaning a narration in which Allâh Most High speaks in the first person, but in a wording given by the Prophet, upon him blessings and peace, unlike the Qur'ân where both the meaning and wording are spoken by Allâh.
(6) H.adîth qudsî of the Prophet, upon him blessings and peace, narrated from Abû Hurayra by al-Bukhârî.
(7) See our article "Istiwâ' is a Divine Act."
(8) Narrated as a dream seen after `Umar's death. See the following under the entry `arsh: Lisân al-`Arab, Ibn al-Athîr's al-Nihâya, al-Râghib's Mufradât Alfâz. al-Qur'ân, al-Bas.â'ir (4:24), and `Umdatal-H.uffâz..
(9) "That is: for the reckoning of the Day of Judgment, and He is in no way occupied – exalted is Allâh beyond that! The meaning of the verse is: We shall proceed to take account of you." Al-Qushayrî,Lat.â'if.
(10) This is the authentic interpretation of Ibn `Abbâs and the view of the massive majority, which al-T.abarî references to Ibn `Abbâs, Ibn Mas`ûd, Abû Mûsâ al-Ash`arî, Mujâhid, `Ikrima, al-D.ah.h.âk, Qatâda, and Ibrâhîm al-Nakha`î, which none denies except those Allâh misguides and blinds to the truth, for the Qur'ânic verse {The Day that the shin shall be bared} (68:42). Ibn `Abbâs explained: "This is a day of affliction and hardship" and in another version: "It means the Day of Resurrection due to its hardship." Narrated by al-T.abarî in his Tafsîr (28:38-42), al-H.âkim (2:499-500 isnâd s.ah.îh. =1990 ed. 2:542), al-Bayhaqî in al-Asmâ' wal-S.ifât (Kawtharî ed. p. 345-346=H.âshidî ed. 2:183-185 §746-748) with two fair chains and one sound chain according to Ibn H.ajar in Fath. al-Bârî (1959 ed. 13:428), Ibn H.ibbân (16:382) with a fair chain according to al-Arna'ût., al-Qurt.ubî (18:248-249), al-S.an`ânî (3:310) and al-Shawkânî (5:275-278) and other Tafsîrs. Cf. Pickthall's ad sensum translation: "On the day when affliction befalls them in earnest." Ibn Qutayba in Mukhtalif al-H.adîth states that the baring of the shin is a metonymy for travails in which one hitches up one's lower garments, baring the legs. Ibn al-Jawzî in Daf` Shubah al-Tashbîh (p. 15) and Zâd al-Masîr (8:341) cites Ibn Qutayba and relates from Ibn `Abbâs, Mujâhid, Ibrâhîm al-Nakha`î, Qatâda, "and the vast majority of the scholars," the same meaning. Cf. al-Qushayrî in Lat.â'if al-Ishârât (6:189), Ibn Fûrak in Mushkil al-H.adîth (p. 442), al-Khat.t.âbî, Ibn Bat.t.âl, al-Râzî, Ibn H.azm in al-Fis.al (2:129), Abû al-Su`ûd in his Tafsîr (9:18), al-Bayd.âwî in his, Ibn Kathîr in his (4:408-409), al-Wâh.idî in his (2:1124), Jalâlayn (p. 760), al-Suyût.î in al-Durr al-Manthûr (8:254-256), al-Karmî al-H.anbalî in Aqâwîl al-Thiqât (p. 174), al-Zarkashî in al-Burhân (2:84) who cites it (2:179) as an example of a metaphor which it is extremely offensive to interpret literally, and others. This explanation applies to the h.adîth of Abû Hurayra and Abû Sa`îd al-Khudrî on the sight of Allâh Most High in al-Bukhârî and Muslim. When Sa`îd ibn Jubayr (d. 94) was asked about it he became very angry and said: "Some people claim that 'Allâh uncovers His Shin'!! Rather, He but uncovers affliction and hardship." Narrated by `Abd ibn H.umayd in his Musnad and Ibn al-Mundhir as cited by al-Suyût.î in al-Durr al-Manthûr (8:255).
(11) Ibn `Abd al-Salâm, al-Ishâra ilâ al-Ijâz (p. 104-112).

GF Haddad

[taken from the shaykh's yahoogroup 'sunna-principles']

[Wadood]

Believe me, if it were not for Sayyiduna Imam Shaykh al-Islam 'Izz ad-Din 'Abdus salam the Islamic world would have been quite different today.

He was one of the intercessors through whom Allah maintained the supremity of true Islam physically, spiritually and foremost of all geographically

He was on earth during very turbulent times!

[faqir]

Ustadh Abdullah :

Just because a thing is attributed to Allah, it doesn't mean that it is an attribute in the proper sense i.e. 'something characteristic of the essence/make-up/being of the entity the description or characteristic is being attributed to.' For this reason, the scholars of old made a distinction between actions (or things that occur outside of Allah's essence within the realm of time) and 'attributes of the essence.'

As years went by the 'actions' attributed to Allah like mercy, wrath, anger, mounting (istiwa), laughter, descent, etc. were characterized by some scholars as 'attributes of action' in spite of the fact that that they are really not true attributes.

The attribute of a thing is inseparable (mulazima lahu), in this case it would mean that since Allah has no beginning, neither do His attributes, like life and will (which are not actions).

Were we to say that His 'actions' are truly 'attributes' (and note that Imam Bukhari refers to those things as 'nu'ut' as opposed to 'sifat'), we'd also have to say that these 'acts' have been occuring with Allah forever and for infinity without beginning or end as His essence has no beginning or end. To say that would be to say that both Creator and creation have no beginning. And that would be clearly likening Allah to His creation.

As for refering to His actions as 'attributes' that is a particular designation that falls within the category of 'tolerating metaphorical usage (tajawwuz) of words as typically done by scholars.

[Unbeknown]

so do we say that Allah's actions are NOT: 'without beginning and eternal'?

[Unbeknown]

Q & A: How do we respond to those who say that Allah “changed” when He created the creation
Question:

Someone said: “you said that Allah does not change, but before the universe He was not creating anything and then He created the water, the `arsh, etc. So He changed from status of “no-creation” to creation (from inactivity to activity) even if He was always Al-Khaliq”

I said : “Only the makhluqat change.”

But I don’t know how to answer when he said: “So He changed from status of “no-creation” to creation (from inactivity to activity)”

Barakallahu fikum, I need a explanation.

Answer: The answer is that Allah’s actions are not something that have a beginning or an end. Allah’s actions are not like our actions. His actions are not sequential or bounded by time. That is why it is stated in Al-`aqidah Al-Murshidah, which is the `aqiidah that the famous hadith scholar Ibn `Asaakir used to teach in Jerusalem: it is not asked “where is He?”, or “when was He?”

An-Nasafi said: “He is not established in a place, and is not measured in time.” This is because time is estimating renewal or change by renewal or change in something else. For example, days are measured in terms of changes in the sun or moon’s positions. If a sunrise is followed by a sunset, we say that a day has passed, and if this happens seven times, then we say that a week has passed and so on. Elements and bodies are in a constant state of renewal, because their existence in every new moment is only a possibility; you do not know with absolute certainty that they will exist in the next moment or not. They are therefore in a continuous state of renewal of their own existence. That is why the concept of time always applies to them; they cannot break free of it. They are in a state of continuous state of existence after existence instead of non-existence, as long as they exist. This is what it means to pass through time. This is not so with Aļļaah, because Aļļaah’s existence is a must, and it is impossible that He should cease to exist, as shown by proofs elsewhere. In other words, His existence is not in time, because His existence is not in a state of renewal. It is also clear then that He is not measurable in terms of time, because time is a measure of relative change or renewal between two things, and Aļļaah is not attributed with change or renewal.
In another article “Foundations of the Religion”I have stated regarding this topic: “Note that the actions of Allah Himself are not describable, as they are actions not bounded by time. They are actions without a how (bilaa kayf). Our lack of understanding this is not a problem for the argument presented, because we have already shown, and we can definitively understand, that no action of Allah has a beginning. Then we stop there, and do not delve on it, or say “how?” There are things in creation that are beyond our grasp, such as the behavior of the Quarks, so what about the Creator, who does not resemble anything?

An example of something beyond our grasp, is what the following aayah tells us:

“وَجَعَلَ الظُّلُمَاتِ وَالنُّورَ“

Meaning: “Allah created darkness and light” (Al-An`aam, 1)

Yet the scholars mention other things as the first creation of Allah, such as water. Definitely water, or any other physical thing, without darkness or light is beyond our understanding, even beyond our imagination, but that does not make it untrue, as verified in this aayah and the fact that they are events that thus need a Creator, as was established earlier.”

Another way of saying all this is that when the world came into existence Aļļaah did not change, and that His bringing of it into existence does not have a how, as is the case for all His attributes. As you can see, your answer was the right one.

If one observes a pancake maker change his state from “not making pancakes” to that of “making pancakes” then he must have moved from point A in time to point B in time. It is patently absurd to think that at point A in time he was both “not making pancakes” and “making pancakes.” How can one be in two mutually contradictory states at the same point in time? Consequently, if someone said that Aļļaah changes, or that his actions are sequential, and the scholars of Ahlussunnah all agreed that Allah is not in time.

Moreover, if someone said that Allah’s actions have a beginning, then he is saying that they did not exist and then came into existence. This means that the would need a creator, and if the action of creating has a beginning, then that action would also need a creator, and this would lead to saying that the act of creating anything in this world would be preceded by an infinite amount of acts of creating, and this is impossible. The only solution is to say that Allah’s act of creating does not have a beginning.

Authored by Shaykh Abu Adam

[Unbeknown]

http://sunnianswers.wordpress.com/20...har-perpetual/