20.1 THEIR FALSE WAY
- The criteria with them is the intellect. What it considers necessary to affirm, then it is to be affirmed. And what it considers necessary to deny, then it's to be denied.
- They then
differ as to what the intellect does consider necessary to deny or affirm.
- So most of them deny them, explaining them figuratively.
- Some stop and resign knowledge of them to Allaah, but at the same time
they deny that the relevant texts do indicate any attribute.
- And they claim
that this way reconciles the texts and the intellect. But this is false as both
the texts and the intellect agree in affirming attributes of Perfection for Allaah, but the intellect can not understand the details.
20.2 THEIR WAY RESEMBLES THOSE MENTIONED IN (4):60-62.
- They claim to be believers in the Revelation, but they
don't accept all he (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) brought.
- They, when called to the Book and
Sunnah, in terms of affirming Attributes of Perfection for Allaah, they turn
away in aversion.
- They have their own Taaghoot-s which they blindly follow
and prefer over what the Messenger brought. And they go to these for rulings
instead of to the Book and the Sunnah.
- They claim to only desire good and reconciliation of the texts and the intellect.
20.3 THE FALSE IMPLICATIONS WHICH FOLLOW ON FROM
THEIR WAY.
- Their way implies that the Book and Sunnah clearly
state disbelief and call to it as they are filled with texts that affirm
Allaah's Attributes - while they say that to affirm these is at- Tashbeeh and
Kufr.
- It implies that the Book and Sunnah do not make the truth clear, as
nothing in it indicates denial of His Attributes of Perfection. While they think
that denying them is the truth. They may use (19):65 and (112):4 to prove their
way - but anyone with intelligence knows these show that nothing resembles Him
in His Attributes and does not show that denial is obligatory.
- It implies
that the Salaf spoke falsehood, or concealed the truth or were ignorant as there
are mutawaatir reports from them affirming His Attributes of Perfection. And
there's not a single report from them making denial obligatory.
- It implies that, if His Attributes of Perfection are denied, then attributes of deficiency must be affirmed. Hence these deniers go to something worse than what they were fleeing from.
20.4 THE DOUBTS AND FALSE IDEAS THESE DENIERS
DEPEND ON.
- False claims, for instance that there's a consensus of
what they say.
- False analogies leading to say that affirmation implies
Tashbeeh.
- They dwell on words which have meanings that may or may not be
correct for Allaah. Hence they end up completely denying them instead of
determining which meanings are correct e.g. with respect to al Jism, al Hayyiz, al Jihah, etc.
Note: With respect to al Hayyiz - a restricted realm; then we halt at the words and look to the meaning. If what is meant is that the creation confines Him, then this is prohibited. If what is meant is that He is distinct and separate from the creation, then this is correct.
- Then they embellish these false arguments with fine words and fancy terms, to try to fool the ignorant.
20.5 ARGUMENTS THAT
REFUTE THESE FALSE IDEAS.
- Their ideas are contradictory as what they affirm
necessarily forces them to also affirm what they flee from and deny.
- Each
group of them will contradict each other - one will say the mind makes
obligatory that which another will say the mind makes prohibited! Even a single
one of them will contradict himself in different places. This contradictory
nature is one of the strongest proofs of their falsehood.
- Their denial
necessarily leads to falsehood (see 20.3).
- The relevant texts offer no
scope for ta'weel and if there was some scope, there's no proof to prefer the
figurative meaning over the most apparent one.
- Interpreting the Attributes
away is like how the Qaraamitah and Baatineeyah interpret away Salah, Sawm and
other worships.
- The clear, uncorrupted mind does not try to turn or change
the texts which affirm the Attributes. It does affirm Attributes of Perfection
for Allaah, but cannot comprehend the details.
- The prominent ones of the
deniers did recognise that the intellect can not reach the details of Tawheed, so we must accept the texts without distorting them.