How did the Salaf treat the narrations of Allah sitting and what did the scholars who came after understand from this.
1. How the Salaf treated the Hadith of sitting attributed to Umar RA according to Al-Dhahabi
Imam Al-Dhahabi said "This hadith is authentic according to a group of hadith scholars, it was included by al-Hafidh dia al-Din al-Maqdisi in his Sahih, and it is [sahih] from the conditions of Ibn Hibban
He also said: "If these imams: Abu Ishaq al-Sabi’i, al-Thawri, al-A’mash, Isra’il, Abd al-Rahman B. Mahdi, Abu Ahmad al-Zubayri, Waki’, Ahmad B. Hanbal, and others whose names are too long to be mentioned and they are imams of guidance
and have received this hadith with acceptance...and narrated them and did not reject it or criticize its chain of transmission, then who are we? That, we deny it and [we] are more ignorant [then them]? Rather, we believe in it and leave its knowledge to Allāh."
Imam Al-Dhahabi is making a very strong argument here which seems to be apparently missed by many, attacking the authenticity of this narration doesn’t affect the point he is making, this is due to not understanding the وجه الاستدلال I.e the point of evidence that he is using.
The evidence is not in the narration per se rather the evidence is in the way in which The Salaf UTILISED this narration and others similar to it.
They accepted,affirmed, narrated, included in the books of Aqeedah and some went as far as labelling those who reject them as Jahmi
They accepted,affirmed, narrated, included in the books of Aqeedah and some went as far as labelling those who reject them as Jahmi
Was Imam Al-Dhahabi alone in this understanding and extracting of evidence in this way? No, there were many scholars like him who narrated these narrations of Allah sitting in affirmation and included them in their books tafseer and aqeedah as one of the meanings of “Istiwa”
2. Below I will relay a number of Imams who affirmed “sitting for Allah” and those who considered it as one of the meanings of Istawa
Imam Al-Dhahabi in his Siyar A’lam Al-Nubala 20/87
mentions Ismael Bin Muhammad Al-Taymi and Abu Musa Al-Madani affirming the tafseer of Ibn Abbas
Ibn Abbas In his statement “the most Merciful over the throne established, he said “sitting”
Also in Al-Sifat by Ibn Al-Muhib x.com
mentions Ismael Bin Muhammad Al-Taymi and Abu Musa Al-Madani affirming the tafseer of Ibn Abbas
Ibn Abbas In his statement “the most Merciful over the throne established, he said “sitting”
Also in Al-Sifat by Ibn Al-Muhib x.com
Narrated by Al-Hakam bin Ma’bad Al-Hanafi in Kitab Al-Ru’ya and in Al-Hadd by Dishti
It was said to Abdallah RA “the most merciful over the throne established, so he said "sitting”
It was said to Abdallah RA “the most merciful over the throne established, so he said "sitting”
Narrated by Al-Hakam bin Ma’bad in Kitab Al-Ru’ya, Dashti in Al-Hadd and Fatah Al-Humayd
Ubayd bin Mansoor said he asked Hassan Al-Basri and Ikrimah about “the most merciful over the throne established” they both said “sitting”
Ubayd bin Mansoor said he asked Hassan Al-Basri and Ikrimah about “the most merciful over the throne established” they both said “sitting”
Narrated by Imam Al-Tabari in his Tafseer of Surah yaseen ayah 57
He brings here the narration of Muhammad Bin Ka’ab from Umar Ibn Abdulaziz saying about Allah
“Until he established on his seating” x.com
He brings here the narration of Muhammad Bin Ka’ab from Umar Ibn Abdulaziz saying about Allah
“Until he established on his seating” x.com
Narrated by Ibn Kathir in his Tafseer Tahah Verse 2
He brings a Hadith also narrated by Al-Tabarani in which it is said about Allah “on the day of judgement when he is sitting on his throne”
He brings a Hadith also narrated by Al-Tabarani in which it is said about Allah “on the day of judgement when he is sitting on his throne”
Narrated by Al-Khallal in his Sunnah 248
Regarding Allah seating the Prophet on the throne he narrates from Mujahid
“Seating the Prophet with him on the throne”
He further mentions Isaq Al-Rahuya saying that anyone who rejects this narration is a Jahmi
Regarding Allah seating the Prophet on the throne he narrates from Mujahid
“Seating the Prophet with him on the throne”
He further mentions Isaq Al-Rahuya saying that anyone who rejects this narration is a Jahmi
Narrated by Imam Abu Dawud from the same source as Al-Khallal, he also references the narration of Mujahid (which I have mentioned in the previous tweet)
Imam Abu Dawud says that anyone who rejects this narration is a Jahmi x.com
Imam Abu Dawud says that anyone who rejects this narration is a Jahmi x.com
Narrated by Ibn Battah Al-Ukbari in Al-Ibanah page 98
Kharijah bin Musab saying “can Istiwa be except sitting” x.com
Kharijah bin Musab saying “can Istiwa be except sitting” x.com
Narrated by Ibn Khuzaymah in his Towheed 1/246
He brings a narration in which Asma Bint Umays makes the statement “except The King, the day he is sitting on his throne” x.com
He brings a narration in which Asma Bint Umays makes the statement “except The King, the day he is sitting on his throne” x.com
Narrated by Abdullah Ibn Ahmad about his father Imam Ahmad regarding the narration of Umar RA of Allah sitting on the throne
That his father Ahmad along with Al-A’mash, Sufyan and Wakee authenticated the narration x.com
That his father Ahmad along with Al-A’mash, Sufyan and Wakee authenticated the narration x.com
Narrated by Ibn Taymiyyah in Bayan Talbis Al-Jahmiyyah
Abd Al-Wahab said “The most merciful over the throne established” said “sitting” x.com
Abd Al-Wahab said “The most merciful over the throne established” said “sitting” x.com
Narrated by Imam Al-Darimi in his refutation of Al-Marisi
He mentions that Allah can be sitting if he wills. x.com
He mentions that Allah can be sitting if he wills. x.com
Narrated by Qadi Abu Ya’la in his Al-Riwayatayn wa Al-Wajhayn
Mentions that his shaykh Abu Abd Allah said the meaning of Istiwa is “sitting on his throne”
Mentions that his shaykh Abu Abd Allah said the meaning of Istiwa is “sitting on his throne”
Narrated by Qadi Abu Ya’la in Ibdal Al-Tawilaat
He mentions the statement of Imam Al-Daruqutni saying about Allah
“And do not reject that he is sitting”
He mentions the statement of Imam Al-Daruqutni saying about Allah
“And do not reject that he is sitting”
In summary
- “Sitting” is affirmed for Allah and It is from the meanings of Istiwa
which was accepted by the Salaf
-Al-Dhahabi was not alone in his understanding of the salaf and others such as Al-Tabari, Ibn Batta, Ibn Kathir, Abu Ya’la, Daruqutni etc affirmed the same.
- “Sitting” is affirmed for Allah and It is from the meanings of Istiwa
which was accepted by the Salaf
-Al-Dhahabi was not alone in his understanding of the salaf and others such as Al-Tabari, Ibn Batta, Ibn Kathir, Abu Ya’la, Daruqutni etc affirmed the same.
This is how the narrations of the salaf are understood by the scholars
The only option now for the Ashari Jahmis is to reject what the salaf accepted and to label these scholars as anthropomorphists.
The only option now for the Ashari Jahmis is to reject what the salaf accepted and to label these scholars as anthropomorphists.
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