Speaking Regarding Allâh Without Knowledge
Ibn'ul Qayyim Rahimahullâh said concerning "speaking regarding Allâh without knowledge,"
"As for speaking regarding Allâh without knowledge, then it is the severest of all these prohibitions in unlawfulness and greatest in sin. This is why it was mentioned in the fourth rank of the prohibitions which all Sharî'ah's and religions agreed upon. These are not permitted in any circumstance, rather, they are always unlawful. These are unlike carcase, blood, and pork that are permitted in certain circumstances and not all.
Prohibitions are of two kinds, those that are unlawful because of their own essence and is not permitted in any circumstance, and those that are unlawful incidentally on certain circumstances. Allâhu Taâlâ said concerning those things that are unlawful because of their own essence,
"Say: My Lord has only forbidden open and secret immoralities..." (al-A'râf, 7/33)
Then, He Taâlâ moved on to mention those that are greater than that, and said,
"...and has forbidden sins and unjust oppression..." (al-A'râf, 7/33)
Then, He Taâlâ moved on to mention those that are greater than that, and said,
"...and has forbidden that you associate with Allâh that for which He has not sent down authority..." (al-A'râf, 7/33)
Then, He Taâlâ moved on to mention those that are greater than that, and said,
"...and has forbidden that you say things about Allâh that which you do not know." (al-A'râf, 7/33)
Thus, this is the greatest of prohibitions in the sight of Allâh and most severe in sin, as it consists of lying about Allâh, attributing to Him what does not befit Him, changing His religion and altering it, negating what He affirmed and affirming what He negates, determining what He declares false and false what He determines, showing enmity to those He befriends and befriending those He shows enmity to, loving what He dislikes and disliking what He loves, and attributing to Him what does not befit Him in His essence, attributes, words, and actions.
In the presence of Allâh, there is nothing greater and more severe in sin among the genus of prohibitions than speaking regarding Allâh without knowledge. This is the essence of Shirk and Kufr, and innovations and misguidance are based upon it. Thus, every innovated misguidance in religion is based on speaking regarding Allâh without knowledge.
This is the reason the Salaf and the Imâms' intensely disapproved of speaking regarding Allâh without knowledge, called out to its' people from every region of the earth, and severely warned against the tribulation they brought.
Their warning against this was more intense than their disapproving of immoralities, oppression, and transgression. This is because the harm of innovation, its' destruction of religion, and opposition to it is more severe."1
Ibn'ul Qayyim Rahimahullâh said in continuation,
"The essence of Shirk and Kufr is speaking regarding Allâh without knowledge. This is because the Mushrik claims that the being he worships besides Allâh draws him nearer to Allâh, intercedes in the presence of Allâh on his behalf, and just as kings have intermediaries, fulfills his needs through its mediation. Thus, every Mushrik speaks regarding Allâh without knowledge, not the other way around. Since speaking regarding Allâh without knowledge consists of denial and innovation in Allâh's religion, this is more general than Shirk. Shirk is one of its kinds."2
Allâmah Ibn'ul Qayyim Rahimahullâh mentioned these four ranks elsewhere and mentioned the scope of the prohibition of speaking regarding Allâh without knowledge with his following statement,
"Allâhu Taâlâ said,
"Say: My Lord has only forbidden open and secret immoralities, sins, unjust oppression, that you associate with Allâh that for which He has not sent down authority, and that you say things about Allâh that which you do not know." (al-A'râf, 7/33)
Thus, Allâh ranked the unlawful matters into four ranks. He began with the simplest which is immorality. Secondly, He mentioned what is more severe than it in unlawfulness, which is sinning and oppression. Thirdly, He mentioned what is more severe than both of them in unlawfulness, which is associating partners with Allâh Subhânahu. Fourthly, He mentioned what is more severe than all of them in unlawfulness, which is speaking regarding Allâh without knowledge. Speaking regarding Allâh without knowledge includes speaking regarding the names, attributes, actions, religion, and laws of Allâh Subhânahu without knowledge."3
1- Ibn'ul Qayyim, al-Madârij'us Sâlikîn, Dâr'ul Kitâb'il Arabî, 1/378.
2- Ibn'ul Qayyim, al-Madârij'us Sâlikîn, Dâr'ul Kitâb'il Arabî, 1/379.
3- Ibn'ul Qayyim, I'lâm'ul Muwaqqi'în, Dar Al-Kotob Al-ilmiyah, 1/31.
