Mohammed Abu Zuhra's Tarikhul Methahibil Islamiya, part 1 page 225:
Salafites modern radicalists are those who ascribed ensuing the worthy ancestors' trends to themselves. Later on, we shall discuss some of their beliefs. They came forth in the fourth Hijri century. They were Hanbalites. They claimed their beliefs are accredited to Ahmed Bin Hanbal who had enlivened and fought for the sake of the worthy ancestors' beliefs. In the seventh Hijri century, they re came forth. SheikulIslam Ibn Teimiya was extremous in advocating those beliefs. As a matter of fact, he added new matters, originated due to ideologies of his time, to the sect. In the twelfth Hijri century, Mohammed Bin AbdilWahab enlivened these beliefs in the Arab Peninsula. Wahabists, as well as some Muslims, have been fanatically soliciting to these beliefs. Hence, it is necessary to provide these beliefs.
Those Hanbalites discussed affairs of monotheism and connected it to shrines of the pious. They also controverted Quranic texts appertained to interpretation and anthropomorphism. This was first originated in the fourth Hijri century, and ascribed to Ahmed Bin Hanbal. However, some virtuous Hanbalite scholars argued their ascribing the beliefs to Ahmed Bin Hanbal.
Fatal combats against Asharites were occasionally broken out by those Salafites. Litigious dispute about whose party had been being the real followers of the worthy ancestors, was always arisen… The following is a scrutinizing critique to beliefs of the Salafites who ascribed this name to themselves. However, we are to discuss whether there is a relation between name and reality of its bearers.
Mohammed Abu Zuhra's Tarikhul Methahibil Islamiya, part 1 page 232:
They recognize attributes and affair of God, the Praised, mentioned by Quranic or prophetic texts. They recognize God's liking, ire, rage, satisfaction, calling, wording and descending to people in shadows of clouds. They also recognize the Lord's settling on the Throne, having a face and a hand, without any interpretation or nonextrinsic exegeses. Without attempting to finding a
suitable interpretation or condition, Ibn Teimiya saw that the worthy ancestors recognize God's having a hand and a face, and enjoying descending and ascending and the like affairs inferred from the extrinsic meanings of aspects of Quranic texts. He claimed that had been aiming at referring to the literal, not metaphorical, phenomena. He, nevertheless, claimed being neither corporalist, nor Tatilite. He states, "Sect of the worthy ancestors is between Tatilism depriving the Lord of the entire attributes for attaining denying His Existence and anthropomorphism. They do neither compare the Lord's attributes to these of His creatures, nor compare His Essence to His creatures' entities. In the same time, they do not negate attributes and affairs the Lord has used for Himself or the Prophet has used through describing his Lord. They claim they opt for so in order that they would not deprive the Lord of His divine names and excellent attributes, alter words from their proper places and blaspheme God's Names and Verses. As a matter of face, Tatilites and anthropomorphists are joining Tatilism to anthropomorphism.
Asserting the faith that Allah descends and occupies the top space and may be beneath, without a definite condition, Ibn Teimiya, in his AlHamawiyatul Kubra Fi Majmu'etir Resailul Kubra, page 419, adds:
"There is no single letter, whether in Book of Allah, the Prophet's traditions, the worthy ancestors' statements, the Prophet's companions' words, the followers' sayings or words the scholars who coincided in time of caprices and dispute, contradicts these faiths whether in meaning or in aspect. No single one from the forecited categories has been claiming Allah's being not in the heavens, not on the Throne, not in everywhere, not for Him all spaces are equal, not being neither in nor out of this cosmos, not connected, not disconnected and not indicated by material signs."
On that account, Ibn Teimiya decides that course of the worthy ancestors is shunning interpretation and recognizing the literal extrinsic meanings of aspects of Quranic and prophetic texts referring to God's being descending and ascending, and having a face and a hand and feeling affectionate and irate. Is this, by God, course of the worthy ancestors?
As an answer, we should emphasize that in the fourth Hijri century, Hanbalites arouse the same claim. Scholars of that time argued them and proved that their beliefs would have been leading to anthropomorphism and corporalism. They could never deny so since even material indication, according to their faith, was applicable to Allah! The Hanbalite master jurisprudent and orator, IbnulJawzi, undertook the mission of opposing these beliefs and asserted that course of the worthy ancestors should in no way be taking in these false principals. He also denied accrediting that school to Ahmed.
He stated, "I could cognize some improper ideas rendered by some of our acquaintances regarding principals of Islam. They wrote a book
in which they offended the sect. They were so lowly that they rested upon the material meanings of the divine attributes. As they perceived the text, 'Allah created Adam on his look.', they recognized Allah's having a definite look. They also accredited a face added to the Essence, a mouth, uvulas, dents, facial flash, hands, fingers, a palm, a little finger, a thumb, a chest, a thigh, legs and feet. Finally, they claim they had not been acquainted whether He had a head or not!! They rested upon the extrinsic meanings of aspects of the divine attributes and names texts. Heretically, they ascribed such false things to the divine attributes. They could cite no single proof neither mentally nor reportedly. They turned their faces against texts shunning the extrinsic meanings of aspects, and proving meanings inciting God's necessary attributes. They also disregarded cancellation of the extrinsic meanings leading to attributes of contingency. They transcended limits to the degree that they overstepped attributes of Essence, in addition to attributes of acts. When they proved these meanings' being attributes, they reject resting upon their interpretative linguistic meanings; such as 'hand' stands for grace and aptitude, 'coming' stands for forms of benevolence and compassion and 'leg' stands for incisiveness. On the contrary, they rested upon the familiar extrinsic meanings. Extrinsic meanings imply the familiar descriptions of people. Extrinsic meanings of aspects are rested upon only when it is mentally possible. If not, metaphoric meanings should be adopted.
While their words evidently refer to anthropomorphism, they shunned and scorned confessing of it. They claim their being AhlusSunna. A number of ordinary people ensued them. I did advise the heads and followers when I said, "O acquaintances! You are depending upon reports and traditions. While he was suffering lashes, Ahmed Bin Hanbal, the grand master, was shouting, 'How should I say what was not said?!' Hence, I warn you against ascribing false things to his sect. Then, you claim resting upon the extrinsic meaning of aspects of texts. This means that the word 'foot' alludes to that organ. Maintaining that Allah settles by His Essence, hints at accrediting materiality to Him, the Praised. You ought not to disdain the devise of recognizing principal; intellectuality. By our minds, we recognized Allah, the Exalted, and decided His anteriority. None would have censured you had you been sufficed by reading the texts and keeping peace! The unacceptable matter is your resting upon the extrinsic meaning of aspects of texts. You should not add new things to the sect of that Salafite follower of the worthy ancestors man."
IbnulJawzi, however, provided abundant explication and proofs on nullity of their beliefs and argumentation.
The judge Abu Yali, the famous Hanbalite jurisprudent, died in 457, was one of the adopters of beliefs criticized and contradicted by IbnulJawzi. His opinions were the basic reason beyond the harsh criticism and reproach addressed at
that Hanbalite judge. A Hanbalite jurisprudent said, "Abu Yali contaminated Hanbalism in such a way that waters of the entire oceans cannot clear away." An alike statement is expressed by IbnuzZaghawani, the Hanbalite, died in 527. A Hanbalite scholars says, "Abu Yali's statements of anthropomorphism are too bizarre to be understood by the exceptional intelligent."
Owing to the general denial, especially that declared by the master Hanbalites, these faction hid themselves during the fourth and fifth Hijri century, till Ibn Teimiya relived it so daringly and importunately.
It is important to mention that the claim of being followers of the worthy ancestors is problematic. Previously, IbnulJawzi's opinion respecting the subject has been forecited.
Linguistically, we should wonder whether expressions such as, (The hand of Allah is over their hands,) and (Everything is perishable except His face,), allude to material meanings, or they refer to other meanings fitting the Essence of Allah, the Exalted. It is quite true to interpret the hand of Allah into His might or grace, and His face into His Entity. Likewise, the Lord's descending to the lowest heaven can be interpreted into intimacy of His judgment and approach to His servants. Language is so extensive to subsume such interpretations. Majority of theologists, jurisprudents and researchists opted for such interpretations. Indisputably, interpretation is favored to opting for the extrinsic literal meanings of aspects of texts, and neglecting their conditions. They claim that Allah has a hand, but they neglect its trimming. Finally, they recognize that it is different from hands of contingent beings. Correspondingly, they declare there is an act of descending belonging to Allah, but they claim its being distinct from ours. Such claims are classified as committing to unknown substances purports and purposes of which are inconceivable. On the other hand, had such texts had been translated into familiar meanings admitted by language, we would have attained satisfactory results that lead to promoting the Lord against unbecoming affairs, and revealing any unreachable matters.
