Ibn Taymiyyah and the Ashaa'irah

“In the speech of the Ashaa-‘irah there is (some) correct proof and it agrees with the Sunnah, that which is not found in the (other) groups, and they are the closest group of the People of Rhetoric to the Sunnah, The Jama’ah, and the Hadeeth, and they are considered Ahl As-Sunnah wa Al-Jama’ah when observing the likes of the Mu’tazilah and Raafidhah and other than them. Rather they are Ahl As-Sunnah wa Al-Jama’ah in the countries that have Ahl Al-Bida’ah in them, and those Ahl Al-Bida’ah are the Mu’tazilah and Raafidhah and other than them.”-Naqs At-Ta’sees 2/87 Ibn Taymiyyah, Mawquf Ibn Taymiyah min al-Ashaa’irah Dr. Abd Ar-Rahman ِِAl-Hamood.

Attributes and Ibn Al-Jawzi

   According to Ibn Al-Jawzi (597 Hiji death, Rahimahu Allah) he wrote this book in defense of the true Madhab of Imam Ahmad, in which case he mentions three earlier than him Hanbali scholars in the beginning of the work, including.

Abu Abd-Allah bin Haamid, died in 403 Hijri.

Al-Qaadhi Abi Ya'la bin Al-Fara'a, died 458 Hijri.

Abu Al-Hasan 'Ali bin Nasir Az-Zaaghooni, died 427 Hijri.

   Even though I don't agree with all of Ibn Jawzis accusations against the companions of the Hanbali Madhab, still one should mention that even alongside with any individual scholars slight deviation, misinterpretation, or mistake, this doesn't diminish their stature in Madhab from the angle of Fiqh or Usool al-Fiqh.

   I can't count the numerous times that when debating the validity of the Hanbali methodology of believing in the names and attributes of Allah according to the greats of the Madhab, like Muwaafiq-u-deen Ibn Qudaama (Died 620 Hijri), Ibn Rajab (Died 790 Hijri), Ibn Taymiyyah (Died 728 Hijri), As-Safaareeni (Died 1188 Hijri), etc, that people have asked me…. Well brother, have you read “Dafu’ Shubhatu At-Tashbeeh by Imam ibn Jawzi? Up until not too long ago I haven’t, but what I did know for sure was that he was always considered a controversial figure when it came to the belief in Names and Attributes of Allah, often times swaying back and forth between the actual creed of Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal, and at other times going towards Ta’weel[1].

   Finally I came across the book at the book fair, bought it, and finally had time to browse through it. I won’t post everything from it because I don’t have time to translate all of it.[2] However, most of his arguments have been dealt with by the Salaf of the Ummah, and also earlier and later scholars of the Hanbali and or Athari Method of Aqeedah[3]. In fact the sole purpose of this post is to say one thing and one thing only, Ibn Jawzi clearly propagated Ta’weel of the attributes or At least NOT Tafweedh, which if one is truthful would realize that this is the furthest thing from the Madhab of the Salaf, Imam Ahmad, and subsequently the Hanaabilah who followed them.

So here is one quote from the book, translation and a brief explanation.

 

“So when they (Some of the previous Hanaabilah) confirm that a particular attribute is indeed an Attribute of Allah, they say, “We will not carry it upon the meaning that it is directed to from the point of the Arabic Language”, for example; يد(Hand) upon (the meaning of) blessing (نعمة) or ability (قدرة), nor مجيئ (Coming) and إتيان(Arriving) upon the meaning of Goodness(بر) or kindness (لطف), Neither Shin (ساق) upon the meaning of Intensity (شدة), rather they say summarize there meanings as being the apparent known meaning,(However) that apparent meaning is well-known to be (the same as) the attributes of Mankind, and either you take them upon their real non metaphorical meaning (حقيقي) if it’s possible, and if something changes (that possibility) you carry it upon it’s metaphorical meaning(مجاز), then they refrain (from admitting) that they are committing likening (تشبيه) Allah to his creation, and they deny this term being associated with them, saying; “We are Ahl-As-Sunnah”, (however) their speech is clear that they are likening Allah to his creation.”

It’s clear here that Ibn Al-Jawzi Intends for the Hanaabilah to do Ta’weel, or what he considers for them to follow the logical meaning of these attributes after removing the possibility that they be the first apparent (ظاهر) meaning. However, this was definitely not the Method of Imam Ahmad, nor was it the Method of the much more grounded people in the Athari creed in the Hanbali Madhab, such as those mentioned above. And this is my biggest problem, in that people will continuously argue about  the Salaf, Imam Ahmad, and Ibn Qudaama being Mufawidheen, yet at the same time promote books that  say that the true method of them is actually Ta'weel. We should be able to agree on this one basic fact, and then we can move on. Secondly, what he accuses the Hanaabilah here is not something that they created themselves, in fact this was the way of the Salaf of the Ummah, including At-Tabari in his Tafseer.

Imam At-Tabari (May Allah (تعالي) have mercy on him) in his explanation of the Qur’an mentions the following concerning Allah (تعالي)’s hand in this verse.

“The Jews say: "Allah (تعالي)'s Hand is tied up (i.e. He does not give and spend of His Bounty)." Be their hands tied up and be they accursed for what they uttered. Nay, both His Hands are widely outstretched. He spends (of His Bounty) as He wills. Verily, the Revelation that has come to you from Allah (تعالي) increases in most of them their obstinate rebellion and disbelief. We have put enmity and hatred amongst them till the Day of Resurrection. Every time they kindled the fire of war, Allah (تعالي) extinguished it; and they (ever) strive to make mischief on earth. And Allah (تعالي) does not like the Mufsidun (mischief-makers).”-Al-Maa’ida[4]

So he said:

“Some of the scholars said: Rather, the hand of Allah (تعالي) (yadd) is an attribute from amongst his attributes and it is a yadd (hand), not like the extremities of the children of Adam. They say- that is because Allah (تعالي) mentioned to us concerning the specifying Adam by that which was specific in His creation by Allah (تعالي)s hands.

And it is said, that if this is something especially for Adam then for that the aspect (of how he was created being different) is understood. Since all of Allah (تعالي)’s creation were created by Allah (تعالي)’s will and power and for them He is the King, and since Allah (تعالي) mentioned to us that he specified for Adam that he was created specifically by His hand, without anyone else having this type of special creation by Allah (تعالي), then it is understood that when he specified Him with that specialty it was with a meaning that differed with the rest of the creation. And if that is what that is, then it rejects the saying that hand is power or will…”

Then He says,

“And the correct statement is the statement that says, that yadd (hand) for Allah (تعالي) is an attribute, and that is what is apparent from the sayings of the Prophet of Allah ('Alayi Salaatu Wa Salaam), and this is the saying of the scholars and people of explanation.”

For this Ayah, Ibn Al-Jawzi again relied upon Ta'weel which is not the method of the Athari Aqeedah, Imam Ahmad, nor the Hanaabilah, in which case in his book on page 14 here said.

"And Allahs Statement "Nay, both His Hands are widely outstretched." meaning, his blessing and Ability. And Allahs statement "that which I created with My hands?", Meaning with my ability and blessing, and Al-Hasan says. "Allahs hand is above their hands" meaning his goodness, and this is the speech of the scholars."

So obviously this is different than the opinion of At-Tabari, the scholar of Tafseer, an Athari in Creed, so clearly one can see that what Ibn Al-Jawzi propagated was Ta'weel, not the true Madhab of Imam Ahmad.

As for Ibn Al-Jawzis accusation that they deny Tashbeeh, while in fact they are still likening Allah to the creation. Then this accusation is baseless, because if that’s the case then so was Imam Ahmad doing Tashbeeh by his statements that Allah is above the throne, or that Allah speaks with sound and letters, or any other confirmation of an Attribute for Allah, while still inwardly and outwardly believing.

“There is nothing unto like Him (Allah), and He is The Hearing, and The Seeing.” 42:11

May Allah Have mercy upon them All.

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[1] Selecting a secondary, or impossible meaning to apply to the meaning of the attributes.


[2] The book itself was translated into English.


[3] Which is the Aqeedah of the Salaf.


[4] http://altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=1&tTafsirNo=1&tSoraNo=5&tAyahNo=64&tDisplay=yes&UserProfile=0&LanguageId=1