As we have previously mentioned, the Prophet's companions and their associates referred to rules of the Arabic during dealing with expressions of the Quranic and prophetic texts. Whenever there is an intellectual or expressional presumption, metaphorical significances were preferred. They also referred to the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family), who spared no efforts in explicating intendments of Verses and hadiths. A curious view at their numerous usual inquiries, addressed at the Prophet and his most knowledgeable companions, concerning purports of Quranic and prophetic texts, it is noticeable that some questions were customary inquisition to certain conceptions and judgments. Some, in fact, were purposed for defining a definite meaning personally intended. Others were the cause of decline and ignorance of their mental levels and rhetoric.
Before he departed them for good, the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) had nominated the reference they should rest upon. "I am leaving with you the two weighty things; Book of Allah and my progeny; my household."
Unfortunately, they did not refer to these two things after the Prophet. Consequently, various ideological problems were originated in the midst of Muslims. This was because of variety of references commenting on Quranic and prophetic texts. By the same token, surmise, conjecture, exegeses and sayings of different companions of the Prophet, or their followers, were contrasted. Soon after, contradictory hadiths, all ascribed to the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family), emerged. In due course, a group opted for trend of interpretation. Some scholars, of the other sect, issued verdicts of obligation of keeping silence in the face of exegeses, so that they would keep their principal religion and evade committing a mistake in such a serious question. "Read them, find not any exegesis, and commend your affair regarding these questions to Allah, the Exalted." This was the advice commonly provided for followers of this trend; trend of commendation.
This is the exact meaning of commendation and abstinence from interpretation. This school became a formal trend for majority of Muslims in time of publicity of contradictory exegeses and supporting hadiths. The foremost text, respecting trend of commendation and forbiddingness of interpretation, I could
distinguish was that recorded by AsSuyouti, who relates it to Malik and Sufian Bin Uyeina, in AdDurrulManthour, part 3 page 91:
AlBeihaqi recorded: Abdullah Bin Wahab:
We were attending at Malik when a man entered and asked about the way of the Beneficent's settling on the Throne. For a considerable time, Malik nodded the head down and shivered. Finally, he raised his head and addressed at the man, "(The Beneficent settled on the Throne) is as exactly as He had described. It is impracticable to ask 'how' about Him. This word is canceled for Him. In addition, you are a heretic man!" Malik ordered of throwing that man out.
AlBeihaqi recorded: Ahmed Bin AbilHawari: Sufian Bin Uyeina stated:
The exegesis of whatsoever is accounted as Allah's describing His Entity with, is only reciting and acquiescing in it.
AlBeihaqi recorded: Isaaq Bin Musa: Sufian Bin Uyeina stated:
The exegesis of whatsoever is accounted as Allah's describing His Entity with, is only reciting. Saving Allah, the Exalted, and His Apostles (peace be upon them), none is admitted to interpret such matters.
AtThehbi's Siyeru A'laminNubela, part 8 page 466:
Mohammed Bin Isaaq AsSagani, Luwein:
As he was asked about hadiths regarding Allah's seeableness, Sufian Bin Uyeina answered, "They are right as long as we could perceive from our trustful and honest ones."
Ahmed Bin Ibrahim AdDawraqi: Ahmed Bin Nasr:
Importunately, I insisted on Sufian Bin Uyeina, seeking answers for my questions about the exegeses of the hadiths, "Allah bears the heavens on a single finger.", "Hearts of people are fixed between two of the Beneficent's fingers.", and "Allah laughs if He is mentioned in marts."
"These hadiths are as they were conveyed. We recognize without commenting." Sufian answered.
AtThehbi's Siyeru A'laminNubela, part 10 page 505:
Abu Mohammed Bin Alwan: Abdurrahman Bin Ibrahim: AbdulMughith Bin Zuheir: Ahmed Bin Ubeidullah: Mohammed Bin Ali AlAshari: AbulHassan AdDarqutni: Mohammed Bin Mukhalled: AlAbbas AdDawri:
Having mentioned hadiths of Allah's optical seeableness, the Chair, place of the two feet, laughter and previous space of the Lord, Abu Ubeid AlQasim Bin Selam commented, "These are authentic hadiths conveyed by hadithists and
jurisprudents one another. For us, these are doubtless. If an interpretation of the way of our Lord's laughter and place of feet is required, we should answer that we neither have an exegesis nor did we hear anyone interpret."
