AT-TUHFAT’UL MADANIYYAH FI’L AQÎDAT’IS SALAFIYYAH | SHAYKH HAMAD BIN NÂSIR

[Subul’us Salâm]

Türkçe

Ponder upon these statements by Abû Hanîfah which are famous amongst his companions regarding him declaring Takfîr upon the one who pauses while he says, "I do not know if my Rabb is in the skies or the earth." So, what is the ruling of the one who negates and denies who says, "He is not in the skies nor the earth"? Abû Hanîfah deducted the Kufr of such person from the statement of Allâhu Taâlâ,

﴿الرَّحْمَنُ عَلَى الْعَرْشِ اسْتَوَى﴾

"Ar-Rahmân did Istiwâ above the Throne." (Tâ-Hâ, 20/5)

He clarified that Allâh is above the Arsh and said that "His Arsh is above His skies." With this, he clarified that Allâhu Taâlâ's statement,

﴿عَلَى الْعَرْشِ اسْتَوَى﴾

"Did Istiwâ above the Throne." (Tâ-Hâ, 20/5)

Means Allâh is over the Arsh. After this, Abû Hanîfah added the Kufr of the one who pauses regarding the Arsh being in the skies or the earth. He said, "This is because he denied that Allâh is in the sky. Allâhu Taâlâ is elevated in the utmost manner and when supplication is directed to Him, it is directed upwards, not downwards."

The companions of Abû Hanîfah after him such as Abû Yûsuf and Muhammad are likewise of the same opinion, as we mentioned the narrations from them.

Hishâm bin Ubaydillâh was also of the same opinion, as Ibnu Abî Hâtim and Shaykh'ul Islâm narrated with their chains of narration that Hishâm bin Ubaydillâh the companion of Muhammad bin Hasan and the Qadhî of Ray imprisoned a man because of Jahmism. So he repented and he was brought to Hishâm so that Hishâm may test him. Hishâm said, "All praise is due to Allâh upon your repentance." Hishâm tested him and said, "Do you testify that Allâh is upon His Arsh and separate from His creation?" The man said, "I bear witness that Allâh is upon His Arsh, but I do not know what it is for Him to be separate from His creation." Hishâm said, "Return him to jail, for verily, he has not repented!"¹⁵⁵

The statements by at-Tahâwî will come later on In Shâ Allâhu Taâlâ.

It is also narrated from Abû Hanîfah in al-Fiqh'ul Akbar that he said, "Allâh is not described with the attributes of the creation. It is not said that His Hand is His Qudrah nor His blessings, since this is abolishing the attribute. This is the view of the Qadariyyah and the Mu'tazilah. However, His Hand is His attribute without delving into its howness."¹⁵⁶

He also said in al-Fiqh'ul Akbar,

﴿يَدُ اللَّهِ فَوْقَ أَيْدِيهِمْ﴾

"The hand of Allâh is above their hands." (al-Fath, 48/10)

"His hands are unlike the hands of His creation. Allâh Jalla wa Alâ is the Creator of hands. His face is unlike the faces of His creation. Allâh is the Creator of every face. His divine Self is unlike the selves of His creation, and He is the Creator of the selves.

﴿لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْءٌ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُ﴾

"There is nothing like unto Him, and He is as-Samî (the All-Hearer), al-Basîr (the All-Seer)." (ash-Shûrâ 42/11)¹⁵⁷

He also said in al-Fiqh'ul Akbar, "Allâhu Taâlâ has a hand, face, and a divine self without delving into its howness. Allâhu Taâlâ mentioned this in the Qur'ân. His wrath, pleasure, decree, and strength are from His attributes without delving into their howness. It is not said that His wrath is His punishment and that His pleasure is His rewards."¹⁵⁸

The quotation from Abû Hanîfah [in verbatim] ends here.


^155- Ibnu Taymiyyah, Bayânu Talbîs'il Jahmiyyah, 3/697-698, 3/32-34.

^156- With similar wording in al-Fiqh'ul Akbar, p. 27, 159.

^157- With similar wording in al-Fiqh'ul Akbar, p. 159-161.

^158- With similar wording in al-Fiqh'ul Akbar, p. 159.

[Subul’us Salâm]

Türkçe

Mentioning the View of Imâm Mâlik bin Anas Radiyallâhu Anh, the Imâm of the Abode of Migration

Abdullâh bin Nâfi said: Mâlik bin Anas said, "Allâh is in the skies, His knowledge is everywhere, and nothing is hidden from His knowledge."

This was narrated by Abdullâh the son of Imâm Ahmad.¹⁵⁹

Abu'sh Shaykh al-Ashbahânî and Abû Bakr al-Bayhaqî narrated from Yahyâ bin Yahyâ that he said: We were in the presence of Mâlik bin Anas. A man came to him and said, "O Abû Abdillâh!

﴿الرَّحْمَنُ عَلَى الْعَرْشِ اسْتَوَى﴾

"Ar-Rahmân did Istiwâ above the Throne." (Tâ-Hâ, 20/5)

How did He perform Istiwâ?"

Mâlik bowed his head until he was covered in sweat. Then he said, "Istiwâ is not unknown. Its howness is incomprehensible. Believing in it is obligatory. Asking about it is an innovation. I only see you as an innovator."

Then he ordered the man to be taken out.¹⁶⁰

Similar statements from his Shaykh Rabî'ah were previously mentioned. Thus, the statement by Mâlik and Rabî'ah, "Istiwâ is not unknown. Its howness is incomprehensible," is in agreement with the statements by the others, "Let them pass as they came without delving into their howness." They only negated the howness without negating the reality of the attribute.

If these people believed in the absolute phrase of Istiwâ without comprehending its meaning in a matter that suites Allâh Azza wa Jalla, they would not have said, "Istiwâ is not unknown. Its howness is incomprehensible." Likewise, they would not have said, "Let them pass as they came without delving into their howness." This is because then, Istiwâ would not be something known, rather it would be something unknown in the rank of the alphabet (that carries no meaning).

Likewise, when the meaning of a phrase is not understood, there is no need to negate the howness. There would only be a need to negate the howness when the attributes are established.

Again, those who negate the attributes have no need to say "without delving into their howness." If the Madhab of the Salaf were to negate the attribute in reality, then they would not have said, "without delving into their howness." Thus, whoever says "Allâh is not above the Arsh," he has no need to say, "without delving into its howness."

Also, their statement, "Let them pass as they came" requires leaving the indication of the attributes unchanged as it is, since these have come as phrases that indicate meanings. If their indications were negated, it would be obligatory to say, "Let their phrases pass while believing that their meaning is not intended." Or it would be obligatory to say, "Let their phrases pass while believing that Allâh is not described with what the phrases indicate to in reality." Then, they would not be "left to pass as they came." Again, it would not be said, "without delving into their howness." This is because negating the howness of something that is not established is nonsensical speech.

After mentioning the statements by Mâlik and Rabî'ah that we have mentioned, adh-Dhahabî said, "This is the view of Ahl'us Sunnah, all without exception: We cannot comprehend the howness of Istiwâ, rather we are ignorant of it. The Istiwâ of Allâh is known just as He mentioned in His Book and it is in a fashion that suites Him. Neither we delve into it, nor are we pedantic, or do we engross in what this necessitates of denial and affirming. Rather, we keep silent, stop as the Salaf stopped, and know that if this had a Ta'wîl (forceful interpretation), the Sahâbah and Tabi'ûn would have embarked upon it and in this circumstance, they would not be able to affirm them, let them pass, and keep silent regarding it. Alongside this, we believe with certainty that Allâh Jalla Jalâluhu has no equivalent to Himself in His attributes, His Istiwâ, and His descent; glorified and high above is Allâh from what the oppressors say by sublime greatness."¹⁶¹

The narration from al-Walîd bin Muslim from Mâlik was previously mentioned, and there is no need for its repetition.

Abû Hâtim ar-Râzî said: Maymûn bin Yahyâ al-Bakrî informed us that he said: Mâlik said, "Whoever says that the Qur'ân is created is asked to repent. If he repents, he repents. Otherwise, his neck is struck."<sup>162


159-</sup> Abdullâh bin Ahmad, as-Sunnah, 1/280, no. 532, 1/173, no. 213.

^160- Al-Bayhaqî, al-Asmâ wa's Sifât, 2/305-306, no. 867.

^161- With similar wording in adh-Dhahabî, al-Uluww, p. 139.

^162- Al-Lâlakâ'î, Sharhu Usûl'il I'tiqâd, 2/346, no. 495.

[Subul’us Salâm]

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Mentioning the View of Imâm Muhammad bin Idrîs ash-Shâfi'î Radiyallâhu Anh

Shaykh'ul Islâm Abu'l Hasan al-Hakkârî narrated from Abû Shu'ayb and Abû Thawr, both of whom narrated from Muhammad bin Idrîs Rahimahullâh that he said, "The view I am upon and the view of the likes of Sufyân, Mâlik, and others whom I have seen concerning the Sunnah is: Affirming the testimony that there is no -true- deity -worthy of worship- except Allâh and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allâh and affirming that Allâh is upon His Arsh in His skies, He comes close to His creation as He wills, and He descends to the heaven of this world as He wills."

Ash-Shâfi'î Rahimahullâh then mentioned the rest of the creed.¹⁶³

Ibnu Abû Hâtim said: Yûnus bin Abdi'l A'lâ narrated to us. He said: I heard ash-Shâfi'î say when he was asked about the attributes and what he believes in, "Allâhu Taâlâ has names and attributes mentioned in in His Book and informed by His Messenger to his nation. It is impossible for anyone from the creation of Allâh -to whom the proof was established- to reject these. This is because the Qur'ân was revealed with these and it was authentically narrated by the trustworthy ones from Rasûlullâh Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam that he stated these. If anyone opposes these after the proof is established to him then he is a Kâfir. As for the one who opposes these before the proof is established to him is excused by ignorance. This is because the knowledge of this cannot be attained by the intellect, sight, or contemplation. Takfîr cannot be declared upon anybody by means of their ignorance regarding these until the reports regarding these reach him. we affirm these attributes and negate Tashbîh from them just as Allâh Subhânahu negated Tashbîh from Himself and said,

﴿لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْءٌ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُ﴾

"There is nothing like unto Him, and He is as-Samî (the All-Hearer), al-Basîr (the All-Seer)." (ash-Shûrâ 42/11)¹⁶⁴

It was also authentically narrated from ash-Shâfi'î that he said, "The caliphate of Abû Bakr as-Siddîq Radiyallâhu Anh is true. Allâh decreed it in His sky, and the hearts of His slaves came together upon it."
Quotation from ash-Shâfi'î ends here.¹⁶⁵

It is known that what is decreed is in the earth. The decree is the action of Allâh Subhânahu which comprises His will and power.

Ash-Shâfi'î said in the preface of His Risâlah, "All praise is due to Allâh. He is as He described Himself and is above what His creation describes Him by."<sup>166


163-</sup> Adh-Dhahabî, al-Uluww, p. 165, no. 443.

^164- Muwaffaq'ud Dîn Ibnu Qudâmah al-Maqdisî, Ithbâtu Sifat'il Uluww, no. 93.

^165- Ibnu Taymiyyah, al-Fatwa'l Hamawiyyat'ul Kubrâ, p. 343.

^166- Ash-Shâfi'î, ar-Risâlah, p. 7-8.

[Subul’us Salâm]

Türkçe

Mentioning the View of Imâm Ahmad bin Hanbal Radiyallâhu Anh

Al-Khallâl said in his book, Kitâb'us Sunnah: Yûsuf bin Mûsâ narrated to us. He said: Abdullâh bin Ahmad informed us. I said to my father, "Our Rabb Tabâraka wa Taâlâ is above the seventh sky upon His Arsh separate from His creation, and His strength and knowledge is everywhere." My father said, "Yes, nothing is hidden from His knowledge."¹⁶⁷

Al-Khallâl said: Al-Maymûnî informed me. He said, "I asked Abû Abdillâh about the one who says "Allâh is not upon His Arsh." He said, "All of their speech revolves around Kufr."¹⁶⁸

Hanbal said, "It was said to Abû Abdillâh, "What is the meaning of the statement by Allâh,

﴿مَا يَكُونُ مِنْ نَجْوَى ثَلَاثَةٍ إِلَّا هُوَ رَابِعُهُمْ﴾

"There are not three in a private conversation but that He is the fourth of them." (al-Mujâdalah, 58/7)

And the meaning of His statement,

﴿وَهُوَ مَعَكُمْ﴾

"He is with you." (al-Hadîd, 57/4)

Ahmad said, "His knowledge has encompassed everything, and our Rabb is upon the Arsh without a limit or description.

﴿وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ﴾

"His Kursî extends over the heavens and the earth." (Al-Baqarah, 2/255)¹⁶⁹

Abû Tâlib said "I asked Ahmad about a man who says, "Allah is with us," and recites,

﴿مَا يَكُونُ مِنْ نَجْوَى ثَلَاثَةٍ إِلَّا هُوَ رَابِعُهُمْ﴾

"There are not three in a private conversation but that He is the fourth of them." (al-Mujâdalah, 58/7)
 
Ahmad said, "They take the last part of the verse while omitting its beginning. You should have recited the following to him,

﴿‌أَلَمْ ‌تَرَ ‌أَنَّ ‌اللَّهَ ‌يَعْلَمُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ﴾

"Have you not considered that Allâh knows what is in the heavens?" (Mujadilah 58/7)

He is with them with knowledge. Allâh also said in Sûratu Qâf,

﴿وَنَعْلَمُ مَا تُوَسْوِسُ بِهِ نَفْسُهُ وَنَحْنُ أَقْرَبُ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ حَبْلِ الْوَرِيدِ﴾

"And We know what his soul whispers to him. And We are closer to him than his jugular vein." (Qâf, 50/16)¹⁷⁰

Al-Marrûdhî said: I told Abû Abdillâh that a man says, "I say as Allâh says,

﴿مَا يَكُونُ مِنْ نَجْوَى ثَلَاثَةٍ إِلَّا هُوَ رَابِعُهُمْ﴾

"There are not three in a private conversation but that He is the fourth of them." (al-Mujâdalah, 58/7)

He says, "I say this, and I do not surpass this."

Abû Abdillâh said, "This is the speech of the Jahmiyyah."

I said: Then what do you say regarding,

﴿مَا يَكُونُ مِنْ نَجْوَى ثَلَاثَةٍ إِلَّا هُوَ رَابِعُهُمْ وَلَا خَمْسَةٍ إِلَّا هُوَ سَادِسُهُمْ﴾

"There are not three in a private conversation but that He is the fourth of them, nor are there five but that He is the sixth of them." (al-Mujâdalah, 58/7)

He said, "His knowledge is everywhere and His knowledge is with them." He also said, "The beginning of the verse denotes that this is His knowledge."¹⁷¹

Imâm Ahmad said elsewhere, "And Allâh Azza wa Jalla is upon His Arsh over the seventh sky. He knows what is under the lowest earth and He is not intermixed [touching] with anything from His creation. Allâh Tabâraka wa Taâlâ is separate from His creation, and His creation is separate from Him."<sup>172


167-</sup> With similar wording in Ibnu Battah, al-Ibânat'ul Kubrâ, 7/158, no. 115.

^168- With similar wording in Ahmad bin Hanbal, al-Ilal wa Ma'rifat'ur Rijâl, ad-Dâr'us Salafiyyah, p. 197, no. 349.

^169- With similar wording in al-Lâlakâ'î, Sharhu Usûl'il I'tiqâd, 3/446, no. 675.

^170- With similar wording in Ibnu Battah, al-Ibânat'ul Kubrâ, 7/159-160, no. 116.

^171- With similar wording in adh-Dhahabî, al-Arsh, 2/314.

^172- With similar wording in Ibn'ul Qayyim, Ijtimâ'ul Juyûsh'il Islâmiyyah, Dâru Atâ'ât'il Ilm, p. 305.

[Subul’us Salâm]

Türkçe

He said in the book ar-Raddu ala'l Jahmiyyah which al-Khallâl narrated and said, "I wrote this book from the handwriting of Abdullâh the son of Imâm Ahmad, and Abdullâh wrote it from the handwriting of his father," he said therein, "Chapter on the Clarification of what the Jahmiyyah Rejected of Allâh Being Upon the Arsh

Whereas Allâh Subhânahu said,

﴿الرَّحْمَنُ عَلَى الْعَرْشِ اسْتَوَى﴾

"Ar-Rahmân did Istiwâ above the Throne." (Tâ-Hâ, 20/5)

We said to them, "Why did you reject Allâh Subhânahu being upon the Arsh?"
Then, the Jahmîs said, "Allâh is below the seventh earth just as He is below the Arsh, He is in the heavens, in the earth[, and in every place."

And they recited,

﴿وَهُوَ اللَّهُ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَفِي الْأَرْضِ﴾

"And He is Allâh in the heavens and on the earth." (al-An'âm, 6/3)]

Ahmad said: Then we said [to them], "The Muslims know of many places wherein there is nothing of the greatness of the Rabb. Your bodies, your insides, the insides of the pigs, toilets, and places of filth are places wherein there is nothing of the greatness of the Rabb. Allâh Azza wa Jalla has informed us that He is in the sky. Thus, Allâh Subhânahu said in the two verses,

﴿أَأَمِنْتُمْ مَنْ فِي السَّمَاءِ أَنْ يَخْسِفَ بِكُمُ الْأَرْضَ﴾

"Do you feel secure that He, Who is in the heaven (Allâh), would not cause the earth to swallow you{, and suddenly it would sway? Or do you feel secure that He, Who is in the heaven (Allâh), would not send against you a storm of stones? So, you will soon come to know how was My warning!}" (al-Mulk, 67/16-17)

Allâh also said,

﴿إِلَيْهِ يَصْعَدُ الْكَلِمُ الطَّيِّبُ﴾

"Towards Him ascends the pure word." (Fâtir, 35/10)

[Allâh said to Îsâ Alayh'is Salâm,]

﴿إِنِّي مُتَوَفِّيكَ وَرَافِعُكَ إِلَيَّ﴾

"I will take you and raise you to Myself." (Âl-i Imrân, 3/55)

[Allâh also said,]

﴿بَلْ رَفَعَهُ اللهُ إِلَيْهِ﴾

"Rather, Allâh raised him to Himself." (an-Nisâ, 4/158)¹⁷³

Ahmad also said in the afore-mentioned book,

"Of the things rejected by the extremely misguided Jahmiyyah is Allâh being above the Arsh. Whereas Allâhu Taâlâ said,

﴿الرَّحْمَنُ عَلَى الْعَرْشِ اسْتَوَى﴾

"Ar-Rahmân did Istiwâ above the Throne." (Tâ-Hâ, 20/5)

Allâhu Taâlâ also said,

﴿ثُمَّ اسْتَوَى عَلَى الْعَرْشِ﴾

"Then He did Istiwâ (established) over the Arsh." (al-Furqân, 25/59; as-Sajdah, 32/4)¹⁷⁴

Then Imâm Ahmad cited evidences from the Qur'ân then said,

"The meaning of Allâh Jalla Thanâ'uhu's statement,

﴿وَهُوَ اللَّهُ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَفِي الْأَرْضِ﴾

"And He is Allâh in the heavens and on the earth." (al-An'âm, 6/3)

Allâh says that He is the Ilâh of those in the heavens and the Ilâh of those on earth. He is above the Arsh and His knowledge has encompassed everything below the Arsh. Not a single place is hidden from His knowledge. Allâh's knowledge being in one place while being absent in another is non-existent. This is because of the statement by Allâhu Taâlâ,

﴿لِتَعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ أَحَاطَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عِلْمًا﴾

"So that you may know that Allâh has power over all things, and that Allâh has encompassed everything in knowledge." (at-Talâq, 65/12)

Imâm Ahmad said: This is something to be contemplated over with this regard: If a man had a cup made of crystal in his hand which has something inside it, then the sight of the son of Âdam would encompass the cup without the son of Âdam being in the cup. Allâh Subhânahu -and the highest description belongs to Him- has encompassed all of His creation by way of knowledge without being in anything He created."<sup>175


173-</sup> With similar wording in Ahmad bin Hanbal, ar-Raddu ala'z Zanâdiqah wa'l Jahmiyyah, Dar Gheras, p. 287-290.

^174- With similar wording in Ahmad bin Hanbal, ar-Raddu ala'z Zanâdiqah wa'l Jahmiyyah, Dar Gheras, p. 287.

^175- With similar wording in Ahmad bin Hanbal, ar-Raddu ala'z Zanâdiqah wa'l Jahmiyyah, Dar Gheras, p. 292-294.