Archive for December, 2006
adh-Dhahabi on Allah’s Hands
al-Imam al-Dhahabi says:
“Why do you say: ‘A hand in reality is this bodily limb’? Rather, a ‘hand’ is homonym, and it is in accordance with, and of the same category of what it is attributed to. Therefore, if the thing described therewith is an animal then the hand would be a bodily limb. If it [...]
The Position of the Salaf on Divine Attributes
16. His statement, “Indeed, we were once highly respected among the adherents of the various schools; but here we are today berated, expelled, repressed, etc.”—is an indication from him to the effect that our Salaf followed certain doctrines and that we follow others; that we have thus innovated doctrines other than theirs, for which we [...]
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )Ibn Aqil’s Retraction
5. The cause leading to his retractation, as related to me, was as follows: When this scandal had proceeded from him, Sharif Abu Ja’far[1] deemed his blood fit to be shed, and issued, together with his companions, legal decisions to permit the taking of his life. Ibn ’Aqil was in hiding for fear of being [...]
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )Author’s Introduction
IN THE NAME OF GOD, THE COMPASSIONATE, THE MERCIFUL
1. Praise be to God in due proportion to His gifts and with due thankfulness for His bounty. I testify, with the testimony of a person sincere in declaring the unity of God (tawhid), that there is no god save God alone, and that He has no [...]
About the Treatise
The treatise comes nearly a century after Ibn ’Aqil’s death, indicating his continuing influence over some of the Hanbalis. Ibn al-Jawzi, being one of the most prominent Hanbalis influenced by Ibn ’Aqil’s writings, does spring to mind as the one being addressed by Ibn Qudama in this treatise; however, the wording therein indicates that those [...]
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )Background
Ibn ’Aqil was one of the most notable, intelligent and eloquent Hanbalis of his time. However, in his early days, he was censured by his fellow Hanbalis for attending lessons with Ibn al-Walid and Ibn al-Tabban, the two renowned Mu’tazili Shaykhs. Ibn Rajab asserts that Ibn ’Aqil would study kalam with them in secret; that [...]
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )Prohibition of Studying Works on Speculative Theology
Preface
Indeed, all praise is due to Allah who continues to bestow His endless favours upon His creation, religious guidance being the most precious of them. May Allah’s peace and blessings be upon the noblest of Messengers, Muhammad, and all those adhered to his path, until the Day of Resurrection.
This small treatise is amongst the many [...]
How Ash’arism Spread – al-Maqrizi
The reality of the Ash’ari school
Taqi al-Din Ahmad b. ‘Ali al-Maqrizi (d. 845)
An excerpt from al-Khitat al-Maqriziyya 4/184-5
The reality of the school of al-Ash’ari – may Allah be merciful with him – is that he followed a way between the negation of attributes, that being the Mu’tazili school, and the affirmation thereof, that being the [...]
