[🧵]
A thread on the claim that the maḏhab of the salaf was that of the Mufawwiḍah i.e. Tafwīḍ al- maʿnā
Part 1: What ʿulamāʾ said about the Mufawwiḍah and how they differ
Part 2: The understanding of the Salaf
Part 3: Explanation of the phrase " pass it on as it came"
A thread on the claim that the maḏhab of the salaf was that of the Mufawwiḍah i.e. Tafwīḍ al- maʿnā
Part 1: What ʿulamāʾ said about the Mufawwiḍah and how they differ
Part 2: The understanding of the Salaf
Part 3: Explanation of the phrase " pass it on as it came"
Here is a basic explanation so that even those who are new to this understand the difference
Tafwīḍ al - maʿnā is in essence the method of delegating the apparent meaning of the so called Mutashābih ʾāyāt to Allāh without affirmation of the ẓāhir from the nuṣūṣ
Tafwīḍ al - maʿnā is in essence the method of delegating the apparent meaning of the so called Mutashābih ʾāyāt to Allāh without affirmation of the ẓāhir from the nuṣūṣ
adh-Dhahabī said about this:
"المتأخرون من أهل النظر قالوا مقالة مولدة، ما علمت أحداً سبقهم بها. قالوا: هذه الصفات تمر كما جاءت ولا تؤول، مع اعتقاد أن ظاهرها غير مراد،"
"المتأخرون من أهل النظر قالوا مقالة مولدة، ما علمت أحداً سبقهم بها. قالوا: هذه الصفات تمر كما جاءت ولا تؤول، مع اعتقاد أن ظاهرها غير مراد،"
adh-Dhahabī: "The latter ones from the speculative theologians invented a new belief. I do not know of anyone preceding them in that.
They said: "These attributes are passed on as they have come and not interpreted while believing that the apparent meaning is not intended"
They said: "These attributes are passed on as they have come and not interpreted while believing that the apparent meaning is not intended"
adh-Dhahabī continued by explaining the first of two approaches here and making a distinction here:
يعني به أمران:
أحدهما: أنه لا تأويل لها غير دلالة الخطاب كما قال السلف: الاستواء معلوم.
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يعني به أمران:
أحدهما: أنه لا تأويل لها غير دلالة الخطاب كما قال السلف: الاستواء معلوم.
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"وكما قال سفيان وغيره: قراءتها تفسيرها، يعني أنها بينة واضحة في اللغة لا يبتغي لها مضايق التأويل والتحريف. وهذا هو مذهب السلف، مع اتفاقهم أيضاً أنها لا تشبه صفات البشر بوجه، إذ الباري لا مثل له، لا في ذاته، ولا في صفاته."
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adh-Dhahabī continued by explaining the first of two approaches and making a distinction here:
"First; that it has no interpretation except the meaning of the text, as the Salaf said: ‘Al-istiwāʾ is known"
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"First; that it has no interpretation except the meaning of the text, as the Salaf said: ‘Al-istiwāʾ is known"
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as Sufyān and others said: ‘Its recitation is in fact its interpretation – which means, it's obvious and clear in the language, such that one should not opt for (a different) interpretation or distortion"
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"This is the Maḏhab of the Salaf, while they all agree that they do not resemble the attributes of man. For Allāh has no likeness, neither in His Essence, nor in His Attributes"
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adh-Dhahabī explains the second approach which explains the reasoning of the Mufawwiḍah: "الثاني: أن ظاهرها ,هو الذي يتشكل في الخيال من الصفة، كما يتشكل في الذهن من وصف البشر، فهذا غير مراد، فإن الله تعالى فرد صمد، ليس له نظير، وإن تعددت صفاته فإنها حق، ولكن ما لها مثل ولا نظير"
adh-Dhahabī: "Second; that the apparent meaning (ẓāhir) is what comes to imagination from the attribute, just like an image that is formed in one’s mind of a human attribute."
This is certainly not intended, for Allāh is single and self-sufficient who has no likeness.
This is certainly not intended, for Allāh is single and self-sufficient who has no likeness.
Imām al-Qurṭubī explained the difference between the approach of the Salaf and the muta’akhkhirūn in his famous tafsīr by citing Imām Mālik
He used the example of istiwāʾ because he noticed different terms used by the later ʿulamāʾ, such as direction, in contrast to the Salaf
He used the example of istiwāʾ because he noticed different terms used by the later ʿulamāʾ, such as direction, in contrast to the Salaf
He said: "وقد كان السلف الأول رضي الله عنهم لا يقولون بنفي الجهة ولا ينطقون بذلك ، بل نطقوا هم والكافة بإثباتها لله تعالى كما نطق كتابه وأخبرت رسله . ولم ينكر أحد من السلف الصالح أنه استوى على عرشه حقيقة"
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"وخص العرش بذلك لأنه أعظم مخلوقاته ، وإنما جهلوا كيفية الاستواء فإنه لا تعلم حقيقته . قال مالك رحمه الله : الاستواء معلوم - يعني في اللغة - والكيف مجهول ، والسؤال عن هذا بدعة"
He said: "And the very first Salaf never used speak with the negation of direction nor did they express it. But rather, they, and all of them, spoke with affirmation of it for Allāh, the Exalted, just as His Book spoke with it and His Messengers informed of it.
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"And not a single one of the Righteous Salaf denied that He ascended over His Throne "haqiqatan". And the Throne has been specified because it is the greatest of His creations."
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"And the Salaf (mentioned their) ignorance of the how of al- istiwāʾ , for there is no one who knows its reality. Imām Mālik, رَحِمَهُ ٱللَّٰ, said, "Al- Istiwāʾ is known - in the language - and the how is unknown, and asking about it is an innovation"
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Part 2: The understanding of the salaf and how they dealt with the Mutashābih ʾāyāt and in particular the ṣifāt of Allāh
Imām al-Ṭabarī when asked about this: "فإن قال لنا قائل : فما الصواب في معاني هذه الصفات التي ذكرت ، وجاء ببعضها كتاب الله عز جل ووحيه، وجاء ببعضها رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ؟ قيل: الصواب من هذا القول عندنا: أن نثبت حقائقها على ما نعرف من "جهة الإثبات ونفي التشبيه
Imām al-Ṭabarī when asked about this: "If someone were to say: What is the proper approach with regard to the meaning of these attributes that you have mentioned, some of which are mentioned in the Book and revelation of Allāh, may He be glorified and exalted -
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"and some were mentioned by the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ? Our response is: The correct approach in our view is to affirm the meaning in a real sense, without likening Him to His creation"
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He continued: "كما نفى عن نفسه جل ثناؤه فقال : ( ليس كمثله شيء وهو السميع البصير ) إلى أن قال : " فنثبت كل هذه المعاني التي ذكرنا أنها جاءت بها الأخبار والكتاب والتنزيل على ما يُعقل من حقيقة الإثبات ، وننفي عنه التشبيه"
He continued: "As Allāh said of Himself in the Qurʼān: “There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer” [ash-Shoora 42:11] -
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"So we affirm all of the meanings that we said are mentioned in the reports and the Qurʼān and the Revelation according to their apparent meaning, and we reject any likening of Him to His creation"
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al-Ṭabarī continued by giving examples of this approach: "وله يدان ويمين وأصابع، وليست جارحة، ولكن يدان مبسوطتان بالنعم على الخلق، لا مقبوضتان عن الخير. ووجه لا كجوارح بني آدم التي من لحم ودم"
al-Ṭabarī:"He has two hands, a right hand but not in a physical sense; rather His two hands are outstretched, bestowing blessings upon creation, not withholding good. And He has a face, but it is not like the physical faces of Bani Adam that is made of flesh and blood"
al-Khaṭīb al-Baghdādī:
"أما الكلام في الصفات؛ فإن ما روي منها في السنن الصحاح؛ مذهب السلف رضوان الله عليهم إثباتها وإجراؤها على ظواهرها, ونفي الكيفية والتشبيه عنها. وقد نفاها قوم فأبطلوا ما أثبته الله سبحانه"
"أما الكلام في الصفات؛ فإن ما روي منها في السنن الصحاح؛ مذهب السلف رضوان الله عليهم إثباتها وإجراؤها على ظواهرها, ونفي الكيفية والتشبيه عنها. وقد نفاها قوم فأبطلوا ما أثبته الله سبحانه"
al-Khaṭīb al-Baghdādī:
"The maḏhab of the salaf with regards to the Ṣifāt is to affirm them as they are upon their apparent meaning, negating any tashbīh to them nor (falling into) takyif"
"The maḏhab of the salaf with regards to the Ṣifāt is to affirm them as they are upon their apparent meaning, negating any tashbīh to them nor (falling into) takyif"
al-Ṣābūnī:
بل ينتهون فيها إلى ما قاله الله تعالى، وقاله رسوله صلى الله عليه وسلم من غير زيادة عليه، ولا إضافة إليه، ولا تكييف له، ولا تشبيه، ولا تحريف، ولا تبديل، ولا تغيير، ولا إزالة للفظ الخبر عما تعرفه العرب وتضعه عليه بتأويل منكر يستنكر، ويجرونه على الظاهر
بل ينتهون فيها إلى ما قاله الله تعالى، وقاله رسوله صلى الله عليه وسلم من غير زيادة عليه، ولا إضافة إليه، ولا تكييف له، ولا تشبيه، ولا تحريف، ولا تبديل، ولا تغيير، ولا إزالة للفظ الخبر عما تعرفه العرب وتضعه عليه بتأويل منكر يستنكر، ويجرونه على الظاهر
Al-Ṣābūnī:
"Rather, they limit themselves to what Allah the Most High and the Messenger ﷺ said without adding anything to them, takyif, tashbīh, distorting -
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"Rather, they limit themselves to what Allah the Most High and the Messenger ﷺ said without adding anything to them, takyif, tashbīh, distorting -
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- changing their meanings, taking them out of context in which the Arabs understood them, attaching to them false taʾwīl. They take them upon their apparent meanings"
Abū Sulaymān al-K̲h̲aṭṭābī:
"فأما ما سألت عنه من الكلام في الصفات ، وما جاء منها في الكتاب والسنن الصحيحة ، فإن مذهب السلف إثباتها ، وإجراؤها على ظاهرها ، ونفي الكيفية والتشبيه عنه"
"فأما ما سألت عنه من الكلام في الصفات ، وما جاء منها في الكتاب والسنن الصحيحة ، فإن مذهب السلف إثباتها ، وإجراؤها على ظاهرها ، ونفي الكيفية والتشبيه عنه"
Abū Sulaymān al-K̲h̲aṭṭābī:
"As for what you asked about the attributes, and what came from them in the authentic book and Sunnah, the maḏhab of the predecessors is to affirm them on the apparant ẓāhir, and to deny (avoid) the howness and tashbīh"
"As for what you asked about the attributes, and what came from them in the authentic book and Sunnah, the maḏhab of the predecessors is to affirm them on the apparant ẓāhir, and to deny (avoid) the howness and tashbīh"
al-Asbahānī:
"أن صفات الله التي وصف بها نفسه، أو وصفه بها رسوله، من السمع، والبصر، والوجه، واليدين، وسائر أوصافه، إنما هي على ظاهرها المعروف المشهور، من غير كيف يتوهم فيه، ولا تشبيه ولا تأويل"
"أن صفات الله التي وصف بها نفسه، أو وصفه بها رسوله، من السمع، والبصر، والوجه، واليدين، وسائر أوصافه، إنما هي على ظاهرها المعروف المشهور، من غير كيف يتوهم فيه، ولا تشبيه ولا تأويل"
al-Asbahānī:
"The attributes, i.e. hearing, sight, hands and other attributes, as described by Allāh and his Messenger ﷺ should be attributed with its descriptions by the well-known meaning without the howness, tashbīh or taʾwīl"
"The attributes, i.e. hearing, sight, hands and other attributes, as described by Allāh and his Messenger ﷺ should be attributed with its descriptions by the well-known meaning without the howness, tashbīh or taʾwīl"
Part 3: Explanation of the phrase "pass it on as it came"
The error many of the Mufawwiḍah make is that they incorrectly use the phrase of "pass it on as it came" or selectively share citations where the salaf avoid interpretation
The error many of the Mufawwiḍah make is that they incorrectly use the phrase of "pass it on as it came" or selectively share citations where the salaf avoid interpretation
These statements do not go against affirmation of the ẓāhir maʿnā for one can pass it on after the affirmation of the maʿnā
This usually occured in the following two contexts:
1. To safe laymen from getting into the kayf
2. In a debate against deviants such as the Jahmiyyah
This usually occured in the following two contexts:
1. To safe laymen from getting into the kayf
2. In a debate against deviants such as the Jahmiyyah
Abū ʿUbayd al-Qāsim explained this:
"هَذِهِ الْأَحَادِيثُ صِحَاحٌ حَمَلَهَا أَصْحَابُ الْحَدِيثِ والفقهاء بعضهم على بَعْضٍ، وهِيَ عِنْدَنَا حَقٌّ لَا نَشُكُّ فِيهَا"
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"هَذِهِ الْأَحَادِيثُ صِحَاحٌ حَمَلَهَا أَصْحَابُ الْحَدِيثِ والفقهاء بعضهم على بَعْضٍ، وهِيَ عِنْدَنَا حَقٌّ لَا نَشُكُّ فِيهَا"
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"وَلَكِنْ إِذَا قِيلَ: كَيْفَ وَضَعَ قَدَمَهُ؟ وَكَيْفَ ضَحِكَ؟ قُلْنَا: لَا يُفَسَّر هَذَا وَلَا سَمِعْنَا أَحَدًا يُفَسِّرُهُ."
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Abū ʿUbayd al-Qāsim explained this: "These authentic narrations have been transmitted by the people of hadith and the jurists, from one to another, and they are the truth for us and we won't doubt them-
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"However, when it is asked, 'How did He put his foot on Hellfire?' And 'How did He laugh?' We reply, 'They shouldn't be interpreted and we have heard no one interpreting them."
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ash-Shaybānī said:
",اتَّفَقَ الْفُقَهَاءُ كُلُّهُمْ مِنَ الْمَشْرِقِ إِلَى الْمَغْرِبِ عَلَى الْإِيمَانِ بِالْقُرْآنِ وَالْأَحَادِيثِ الَّتِي جَاءَ بِهَا الثِّقَاتُ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي
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",اتَّفَقَ الْفُقَهَاءُ كُلُّهُمْ مِنَ الْمَشْرِقِ إِلَى الْمَغْرِبِ عَلَى الْإِيمَانِ بِالْقُرْآنِ وَالْأَحَادِيثِ الَّتِي جَاءَ بِهَا الثِّقَاتُ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي
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"صِفَةِ الرَّبِّ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ مِنْ غَيْرِ تَغْيِيرٍ وَلَا وَصْفٍ وَلَا تَشْبِيهٍ , فَمَنْ فَسَّرَ الْيَوْمَ شَيْئًا مِنْ ذَلِكَ , فَقَدْ خَرَجَ مِمَّا كَانَ عَلَيْهِ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ"
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"وَفَارَقَ الْجَمَاعَةَ , فَإِنَّهُمْ لَمْ يَصِفُوا وَلَمْ يُفَسِّرُوا , وَلَكِنْ أَفْتَوْا بِمَا فِي الْكِتَابِ وَالسُّنَّةِ ثُمَّ سَكَتُوا , فَمَنْ قَالَ بِقَوْلِ جَهْمٍ فَقَدْ فَارَقَ الْجَمَاعَةَ؛ لِأَنَّهُ قَدْ وَصَفَهُ بِصِفَةِ لَا شَيْءَ"
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ash-Shaybānī said:
All of the jurists from the East to the West are unanimously agreed in having faith in the Qur'ān and the ʾaḥādīṯ which came through the trustworthy narrators from the Prophet ﷺ on the description of the Lord without change, nor description and nor tashbīh.
All of the jurists from the East to the West are unanimously agreed in having faith in the Qur'ān and the ʾaḥādīṯ which came through the trustworthy narrators from the Prophet ﷺ on the description of the Lord without change, nor description and nor tashbīh.
"So whoever explained anything from that today, then he has departed from that which the Prophet ﷺ was upon and he has separated from jamāʻah, for they did not describe & explain, however they gave verdicts upon what is in the Book and the Sunnah then they remained silent"
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"(but) Whoever spoke with the saying of Jahm, then he has separated from the jamāʻah because he described Him with the description of a non - entity"
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This is also why the salaf used to elaborate on the correct understanding by using the jahmiyyah as an example and this can be found throughout their work
This varies from Imām Aḥmad, Imām at-Tirmidhī to ibn al-Mubārak and here is an example
This varies from Imām Aḥmad, Imām at-Tirmidhī to ibn al-Mubārak and here is an example
ibn al-Mubārak said about istiwāʾ: "لا نقول كما قالت الجهمية إنه في الأرض ههنا, بل على العرش استوى, وقيل له: كيف تعرف ربنا قال: فوق سماواته على عرشه"
"He is above the seventh Heaven, above His Throne, and we do not say as the Jahmiyyah say, ‘He is here upon the earth"
"He is above the seventh Heaven, above His Throne, and we do not say as the Jahmiyyah say, ‘He is here upon the earth"
Lastly a few remarks
If someone truly believes in this method then he is responsible on his own for this as there isn't taqlīd in ʿaqīdah but the Salaf are free of this and the fact that they debated with other groups only shows this because
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If someone truly believes in this method then he is responsible on his own for this as there isn't taqlīd in ʿaqīdah but the Salaf are free of this and the fact that they debated with other groups only shows this because
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Had they truly stuck by this methodology then there wouldn't be a need to debate about the Mutashābih ʾāyāt in the first place nor would the Jahmiyyah or muʿtazilah even need to do taʾwīl there
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The discourse would have been prevented by the ʾaʾimma of the salaf by just stating:
"We don't know its true meanings, we do not accept the ẓāhir and we pass it on as it came"
But we know that didn't happen & the deviance of these sects couldn't be stopped unfortunately
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"We don't know its true meanings, we do not accept the ẓāhir and we pass it on as it came"
But we know that didn't happen & the deviance of these sects couldn't be stopped unfortunately
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@rattibha compile
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