WAHABISM AND MONOTHEISM

Al­Qazai's Furqanul Quran Beinè Sifatil Khaliqi Wè Sifatil Akwan, page 72 (Printed in the margin of Al­Beihaqi's Al­Asma'u Wes­Sifat):

Unanimously, the worthy ancestors and descendants of this nation agreed on evading resting upon the extrinsic material meaning of aspects of the allegorical Verses. Reckoning such courses with forsaken nonsense and irreliable redundant speech, exegesists and hadithists, as well as the worthy ancestors and descendants of this nation, named adopters of such physical meanings as corporalists and Hashawites.

We close this chapter by citing the verdict of the actual 'Sheikul­Islam' ­master of Islam­, head of proficient scholars, mentor of mentors, Sheik Salim Al­Bishri 

(May God embrace him to His mercy and elevate his rank in the uppermost Paradise), regarding this topic.

The following problem and its answer is literally quoted from the master prompter and the prosperous infallible teacher Ahmed Sheik Ali Badr's Shamsul Haqiqeti Wed Diraya Firreddi Ela Ehlid Dhelaleti Wel Ghiwaya. The question is addressed at Sheikul­Islam Al­Bishri:

Q. What do you see about a scholar, reckoned with jurisprudents, who shows his belief in recognizing Allah's ­material­ elevation? Meanwhile, he claims following the worthy ancestors' course. Few people followed him while majority of scholars deny his claims. I could hear from him personally, that the reason beyond his acceding to this sect is that he had read a statement ascribed to Ibn Teimiya, in a book written by an Indian scholar, regarding substantiating the Creator's occupying a locality.

Moreover, this man believes in the in essence elevation of Allah, the Glorified. In other words, he believes that Allah is physically over the Throne, but in a way becoming Him. He also decides falsity of Abul­Barakat Ad­Dirdir's saying, "­Allah be­ promoted against incarnation, occupancy, connection, disunion and ill­mindedness." He also decides Sheik Al­Liqai's saying, "It is impractical to the Bearer of the divine attributes to be like this universe in having locality." Generally, he decides falsity of any scholar, disregarding his objective status, who may deny Allah's having a locality. In addition to the forecited book, this scholar exhibits Al­Alusi's Rouhul­Me'ani (Exegesis of the Holy Quran), as his evidence. Al­Alusi's exegesis of God's saying, (And He is the Supreme, above His servants. 6:18), is revealing such an indication into having a definite locality, but, as a matter of fact, the exegesist expresses inaccuracy of this exegesis. He also cited Quranic Verses; such as (And He is the Supreme, above His servants. 6:61), (They fear their Lord above them. 16:50), (To Him do ascend the good words) and their likes, as other evidences. He also cites the deaf bondmaiden's indication towards the heavens as a sign to Allah, when the Prophet's asked her about the place of the Lord, as another evidence. He also refers to some books of Hijjetul­Islam Al­Ghezzali (God please him) as evidences on accuracy of his sect. Truly, Mohammed Murteda, at clarifying Al­Ghezzali's Ihya'u Uloumiddin, hints at such points. He also mentions the hadith that the Prophet (peace be upon him) pointed to the heavens with his finger when he said, "O Allah! Be the witness.", in the Farewell pilgrimage. He also quotes the Karramites' saying, "Denial of Allah's being in one of the six directions is an assertion of His nonexistence". As your excellency realizes, discussions about the Lord's having locality is commonly familiar. Still, the decisive judgment in this topic is your excellency's wording. God save you and support you as long as you are backers of Ahlus­Sunna sect. A. To Sheikh Ahmed Ali Badr, the virtuous scholar and servant of honorable Islamic mastery in Bilsfoura:

On 22nd, of Moharram, 1325, I received your missive comprising questioning about the judgment should be issued on those who substantiate Allah's occupying a locality. Hence, we write the following answer. It is, however, sufficient for followers of the right and fair. God may reward you good on behalf of Muslims.

It is to notice, may God give you His support and lead you, as well as us, to paths of equity, that course of the saved party and unanimity of Sunnis is promoting Allah, the Exalted, against being likened to the contingent beings. They rule that the Lord is far away from specifications of contingency. Likewise, He is highly promoted against being occupying a locality and a space. This is evidenced by conclusive proofs. God's being in a definite locality requires ruling of anteriority of that locality or space. Localities and spaces are part of this cosmos which is different from Allah, the Exalted. Ultimate credentials on contingency of all beings saving Allah, the Exalted, have been positively cited by both deniers and adopters of Allah's occupying a locality. Since entities of occupying substances is impossibly existed unless there is a space comprising, while it is possible for spaces to exist without occupying substances, because of permissibility of vacuums, this will require probability of necessary beings and necessity of probable beings. Both are void. Supposing the Lord has a definite point to occupy, He, then, shall inevitably be an atom, since it is impracticable for Him to be an accident. Supposing so, He shall be either divisible or indivisible. Both are void. Indivisible substances are the most diminutive. Allah is highly promoted against being a diminutive being. Divisible substances are compound corporealities. Complexity contradicts the intrinsic necessity. Compound substances are possible beings that lack influential cause. It is positively provable that Allah, the Exalted, is essential Aseity, Self­sufficient and Requisite by all beings. Allah be praised (Nothing like the likeness of Him, and He is the Hearing, the Seeing.)

Allah has disgraced some people who were deceived and mislead by the Satan. They ensued their caprices and adhered to unavailing things. This occurred only when they substantiated Allah's occupying a locality. Allah be exaltedly promoted against such a thing. They agreed upon identifying that locality. They claimed Allah's being occupying an elevated point. Soon afterward, they disagreed. Some believed that Allah is a corporeality touching the upper surface of the Throne. Jews and Karramites, whose atheism is indisputably decided, opted for so. Others substantiated the locality, but with promoting God against unbecoming matters. They ruled that God occupies the locality in a way different from corporealities' occupation. Those are also deviant and lacking true faith. The legislator impermitted such a sort of accreditation to Allah. In 

effect, faith irreverence is uglier and more unacceptable than limb irreverence, especially for leaders and masters.

Besides many personal misbeliefs contradicting unanimity of Muslims and inadmitted by the current scholars who issued decisive scandalous verdicts that attained to deciding atheism, Ahmed Bin Abdil­Halim Bin Abdis­Selam Bin Teimiya Al­Harrani Ad­Dimeshqi, the Hanbalite, one of scholars of the eighth Hijri century, adopted the misbelief of Allah's occupying a locality. This man suffered miscellaneous sorts of humiliation and ignominy for such ill beliefs. Some of his partisans, however, aimed at supporting and defending him by releasing him from the accusals addressed. He accredited some statements to his master, clarifying their purports and people's misunderstanding him. He also cited evident statements, said by his master, for refuting that accusal. He tried to prove that the man, for his honorable esteem and mastery, had not broken unanimity of Muslims.

Impotent illusory details, scholars adequately nullified, have been provided as evidences on the misbelief of Allah's occupying a locality. They adhered to extrinsic meanings of aspects of Quranic and prophetic texts; such as God's saying, (The Beneficent settled on the Throne), (To Him do ascend the good words;), (To Him ascend the angels and the Spirit; 70:4), (Are you secure of [that] in the heavens that He should not make the earth…), (He is the Supreme over His servants), the Prophet's saying, "Our Lord descends to the lowest heavens" and the deaf bondmaiden's indication towards the heavens as a sign to Allah, when the Prophet's asked her about the place of the Lord. The Prophet certified her being a believing individual.

As an answer of such texts, we may say that conjectural extrinsic meanings of aspects do not injure the persuasive decisive evidences referring to denial of Allah's occupying a definite space or locality. Such texts should be interpreted and made becoming true meanings certified by indications and doctrinal texts. Interpretation may be of two sorts. First, general interpretation without identifying the intended meaning. This is the worthy ancestors' course. Second, detailed interpretation by identifying the purports. This is the worthy descendants' course.

The latter interpreted 'settling' into prevalence, depending upon an example from Arabic poetry. They interpret 'ascending of the good wording' into the Lord's satisfaction and pleasingness. The rely upon impracticability of ­material­ ascending of words. They interpret 'that in the heavens' into God's affair, predominance or an angel undertaking the charge of irritating. Likewise, they interpret 'ascending of the angels and the Spirit' into their arising to a definite rank in which they seek favor of the Lord. God's being above His servants, is an indication to His supremacy and power, since the supreme and powerful is in a rank higher than the overcome. By the same token, God's 

descending to the lowest heavens alludes to descending of His mercy and kindness. It also indicates that Allah does not deal with His servants out of His elevation, might and supremacy. The Prophet's asking about the Lord with 'where' is a way of descrying whether that bondmaiden had believed in the Lord's having a certain point, like the pagans, or not. As she pointed at the heavens, the Prophet understood that she had intended to refer to the Creator of the heavens. Relying upon decisive convictional evidences and inclining the conjectural, scholars could find suitable interpretative construction for the entire Quranic and prophetic texts regarding the topic involved.

It is so strange for a Muslim to shun the unanimous sayings of Muslims and their masters, and consent to deviation and heresy of the dissidents. Has such an individual not heard God's saying, (And whoever acts hostilely to the Apostle after that guidance has become manifest to him, and follows other than the way of the believers, We will turn him to that to which he has himself turned and make him enter hell; and it is an evil resort. 4:115) I advise such individuals, who have been stained with such filthy things, to repent to Allah, the Exalted, and avoid ensuing steps of the Satan who enjoins obscenity and evil. I also warn them against being so obstinate that they would transgress in insisting on erroneous beliefs. The best correctness is returning to correctness. Indulging to excess in wrong is resulting in the most severest sort of torture. (Whomsoever Allah guides, he is the rightly guided one, and whomsoever he causes to err, you shall not find for him any friend to lead aright. 18:17)

We do implore our Lord to guide us all to the right path. On Him we do hold fast, and He is the best reliable. God's peace and blessings be upon Mohammed, our master, and his companions, entirely, and their virtuous followers to Day of Judgment.

The needy to God's mercy;

Salim Al­Bishri,

servant of scholarship and Malikite mastery in Al­Azhar.

Al­Qazai comments:

Sheik Al­Bishri's saying, "for his honorable esteem and mastery", reveals his good impression toward plea provided by that disciple.

It is indisputable, for deep viewers in books of Ibn Teimiya and Ibnul­Qeyim, to ascertain that they believe in corporalism, anthropomorphism and Allah's occupancy. Those two men release themselves from clinging to the terms and claim adopting for promoting the Lord against unfitting affairs. At any rate, they utter the word of promotion while they are so remote from its meanings. The current scholars of that man ­Ibn Teimiya­ are the most familiar of his 

personality. The pious master of Islam, Ali Bin Abdil­Kafi, who coincided in time of Ibn Teimiya, wrote various books in refutation of Ibn Teimiya's misbeliefs. In his Ad Durretul Mudhiya Firraddi Elebni Teimiya, this pious master refuted ideas of that heretic deviant man who decides invalidity of suspended divorcement on oath, and reckons it with violation to unanimity of Muslims and forging lies against the Prophet's companions and their followers.

The master scholar says, "Ibn Teimiya breached principals of Islamic doctrine, and repealed pillars of Islam while he was hidden under curtains of followership of the holy Book and the prophetic traditions, and proclaiming of soliciting the right and leading to the Paradise. He dissented from followership to heresy, and gainsaid the Muslims' unanimity. He advocated affairs of corporalism and complexity in the divine Essence. He ruled that lacking parts is not impossible. He also claimed incarnation of contingency in the Essence of Allah, the Exalted. He decided that the Quran is contingent that Allah spoke through it after it had been nothing, and that it might utter or keep peace. He also determined contingency of the Lord's Essence according to the creatures. He surpassed exceedingly when he ruled of anteriority of this cosmos. This required the claim of eternality of creatures. He affirmed that the anterior attribute had been contingent, and the contingent creature had been anterior. No single follower of any nation or creed had ever combined these two beliefs. Hence, he was out of the seventy three parties of this nation. Hence, he depended upon no single nation or creed. All the previous can be seen as nothing if measured to the ill matters he attached to branches of the religion."

It is a precious essay in which Sheik Ali Bin Abdil­Kafi refuted Ibn Teimiya's misbeliefs and exhibited the right creeds. The essay, however, was printed in Damascus.

Moreover, In his Tekmiletur Raddi Ela Nuniyatibnil Qeyim, Al­Kawthari provides adequate exhibition on this man and his faction. Allah may protect Muslims and us from following caprices.

Al­Qazai's Furqanul Quran Beinè Sifatil Khaliqi Wè Sifatil Akwan, page 17:

This faction was highly fond of forging false affairs and imputing them to the supreme scholars of this nation. Since first emergence till now, followers of this faction have been agitating and falsifying nearly in every century. On the other side, there have been troops of Ahlus­Sunna defending and exposing the right in private and general sessions of dispute and argumentation, as well as writings that used the illumination of logic reasons for removing darkness of such heretic confusedness. For seekers of guidance, these writings are reckoned as unexhausted fortune and interminable treasures. One of such ceaseless inheritance is the book of Abu Bakr Ahmed Bin Hussein Bin Ali Al­Beihaqi, the trustful supreme hadithist and jurisprudent who died in 458. In his time, 

unbecoming discussions about the divine names and attributes were far­reaching; therefore, he wrote his book Al­Asma'u Wes­Sifat. Tajuddin As­Sibki states, "I have never seen a written work equivalent to Al­Beihaqi's." This is quite true since the writer gathers every single text upon which the heretic anthropomorphists and Hashawites rested. He features perplexity of each text and removes every problematic affair by referring to the allegorical object and attaching the fitting Quranic Verses. In addition, he records sayings of scholars preceded him. God may reward him the best on behalf of the religion and nation of Mohammed (peace be upon him). It seems that Al­Beihaqi records this book as removing away the dishonor Ibn Khuzeima did pertain to hadithists. This man wrote a book named At­Tawhid in which he combined and misrepresented the allegorical texts in a way unfitting believing in Allah, the Exalted, and sayings of the worthy ancestors and descendants. Fakhruddin Ar­Razi threw at him a fatal shot. Through providing the exegesis of God's saying, (Nothing like the likeness of His;), Ar­Razi comments, "In his At­Tawhid, Mohammed Bin Isaaq Bin Khuzeima records our acquaintances' bringing this Verse as their evidence. Ibn Khuzeima's book is, in fact, a book of atheism. I am to comment on his wording since he was an unsound speaker and ill­minded man." Immediately, Ar­Razi affixes Ibn Khuzeima's wording. Since it is such an ill wording that it is unseemly for a sane believer, who recognizes his Lord, to utter, we shun recording it here so that a feeble would not be influenced. Ar­Razi, then, comments, "This poor ignorant adopted such fables since he lacked knowledge of analogy. Scholars of monotheism talked adequately about real monotheism. Because of his being remote from recognizing realities, that man ensued words of ordinary people and took pride in his wording. We do seek the Lord's granting us with the acceptable end result."

Readers of Ibn Khuzeima's At­Tawhid find excuses for Ar­Razi's sayings. We have already stated that mastery in hadithology does not necessarily lead to mastery in other fields of religious sciences. Hence, scholars should be taken in only in their field of specialization. Gainsaying this rule results in occurrence of flaws in principals and branches of religion. As much as I am concerned, I do advise seekers of safety to hold fast to books of Abu Mansur Al­Materidi and Abul­Hassan Al­Ashari in affairs respecting principals and creeds of Islam, since these two books demonstrate the path to which Book of Allah and the Prophet's tradition lead, without inclination, exaggeration or blemish.

In Ar­Razi's book of exegesis of the holy Quran, part 27 pages 150­3, third edition, Ihya At­Turath Al­Arabi publication, a detailed exposition of Ar­Razi's refuttal on Ibn Khuzeima An­Nisapuri's claims in his At­Tawhid, is rendered. Like defects regarding God's seeableness, already mentioned in the first chapter of this survey, Ar­Razi exhibits Ibn Khuzeima's defects regarding definitions of semblance and analogy aimed at proving God's corporeity. 

Ar-Razi pierced in such a way equivalent to Ibn Khuzeima's ugly failing. He paraphrased the actual definition of analogy of corporealities and proved God's being not analogous to such corporealities. In the next chapter, Ar­Razi's thesis in negating corporalism shall be rendered. It is worthy mentioning here that supreme scholars of Wahabism guide Muslims to Ibn Khuzeima's At-Tawhid, because of its comprising ideas of corporalism.

Al­Qazai's Furqanul Quran Beinè Sifatil Khaliqi Wè Sifatil Akwan, page 61:

It is necessarily provable that Allah is promoted against being compound or divisible or enjoying any quality of materiality and corporeality. This is averred by Verses of the holy Quran and addressed at hearing people and at those who give ear while they are witnesses. Ahlus­Sunna, who were unlike whimsical people and Jews and Christians who have been affected by unsoundness of anthropomorphism and corporalism, did thoroughly adopt this course.

It is a funny thing to see Ahmed Bin Abdil­Halim Ibn Teimiya, the supporter and master of corporalists, Karramites and ignorant hadithists who misunderstand what they retain, consider Imamul­Haramein and Hujjetul­Islam Al­Ghezzali, as more heretic than Jews and Christians, because of their opting for promoting God against unfitting affairs. This is mentioned in his Al­Muwafaqa, printed in the margin of Minhajus­Sunna. At any rate, principal of promoting God against corporeity and the like material affairs, is not adopted exclusively by these two masters. As a matter of fact, it is the principal adopted by majority of Muslim scholars, since the Prophet's companions time, up to the current, till Resurrection Day. The Prophet (peace be upon him) states, in an authentic hadith, "A party of this nation is still keeping the right, uninfluenced by dissidents or opposers, till the coming of God's affair." This party forms the greatest majority of the nation. This fact is averred by some ways of narrating the previous hadith. Further discussion of danger pursuance of this man, his written works and his faction, as well as opinions of master scholars regarding his misbeliefs, shall be rendered later on.

Parable exaltation is a common metaphorical style in Arabic:

Expressive exaltation is widespread in the holy Quran and common in Arabic. It is ordinarily used for accrediting suitable qualities to the Creator and His creatures. The following Quranic texts are examples. (And be not infirm, and be not grieving, and you shall have the upper hand. 3:139), (Saying; exalt not yourselves upon me. 27:31), (For surely if they prevail [above] you; 18:20), (And that do not exalt yourselves against Allah; 44:19), (Surely, Pharaoh exalted himself in the land. 28:4), (And that they might destroy whatever they gained in ascendancy; 17:7) and (Fear not, you are the uppermost. 20:68). When the polytheists tasted temporary victory upon Muslims, one of them shouted, "Exalt Hubal ­a pagan­." The Prophet ordered Muslims to reply, "Allah is more 

Exalted and glorified." Arabic poetry comprises such expressions. At any rate, a volume may not contain the entire expressions of metaphorical exaltation used in God's Book and Arabic texts. It is quite understandable that there is a difference between exaltation of a place and exaltation of power. Spatial exaltation is a corporal accidental perfection which is definitely different from the origin essential perfection. Allah be exalted against theses of the afield.

Through rendering exegesis of God's saying, (Everything is perishable except His face), Abu Jafar At­Tabari, according the ancestors, demonstrates that 'face' stands for the entity.

Al­Bukhari, through rendering exegesis of the same Verse, rules that 'face' stands for God's property or deeds intended exclusively for His sake. Hence, Al­Bukhari, whose being the best of the worthy ancestors is never suspected, asserts that 'face' stands for God's property. He also interprets God's holding creatures by their forelock, mentioned in the Verse, (There is no living creature but He holds it by its forelock. 11:56), into the Lord's property and prevalence.

God says, (And Allah is Ample, Knowing). It is familiarly known that 'ample' stands for material extension. However, no single scholar opted this meaning.

At­Tabari states, "From God's saying, (Allah is the light of the heavens and the earth; 24:35). No single individual from the worthy ancestors did refer to that light reflecting on walls and widespreading in air, as the intended in the Verse. Master scholars and exegesists are far away from taking in such an extrinsic odd meaning."

According to the authentic documentation of At­Tabari, Ibn Abbas explains the light in the forecited Verse as guidance. Anas Bin Malik opts for the same exegesis. Mujahid, however, interprets the light into superintendence. At­Tabari selects the earlier exegesis and shuns the other. He also interprets the Lord's encircling things into awareness, willingness and prevalence. None renders the material meaning of encircling. Allah be exalted against qualities of corporealities and specifications of contingency.

Sources of the worthy ancestors' sayings reveal the meanings becoming Allah, the Exalted, identifiably. Unidentification is communicated by illiberal researchers. Al­Bukhari's book of hadith and Ibn Jarir At­Tabari's book of exegesis ­of the holy Quran­ do assert what we have been suggesting. We have only shown examples for concluding our claims. Al­Beihaqi's Al­Asma'u Wes­Sifat is adequately enough in discussing this topic. Scholars rendered abundant explanation of the allegorical texts. We have already provided Abu Bakr Bin Al­Arabi's narration regarding Malik's interpreting the Lord's descending, mentioned in the Prophet's saying, "Allah descends to the lowest heavens;", into descending of His mercy, not moveableness. At any rate, Malik might have not been acquainted of the other prophetic saying explaining the 

previous. He might have suspected the hadith documentation; therefore, he evaded citing it as an evidence. The Hadith, however, is, "Allah respites till midnight. After that, he orders a declarant of expounding whether there is…"

Thus, it is explicative that God's descending is metaphorical expression. It is not unusual to use metaphor in documentation, not in the party. Meaning of God's saying, (When we have recited it), indicates to Gabriel's reciting it out of the Lord's order. Al­Bukhari, in the hadith related to Ibn Abbas, removes perplexity of such a topic. Pursuant to an authentic narration, Ibn Abbas opted for exaltation, not material sitting, as the exegesis of God's saying, (The Beneficent settled on the Throne.)

Moreover, we have previously demonstrated sayings of At­Tabari and At­Thehbi, referring to unanimity of scholars on denying conditions of Allah's settling. We have also explained this point so evidently that any confusion should be eliminated.

Master scholars preceded us in this field. They wrote a good deal of valuable, concised and elaborate, books appertained to the allegorical texts. Thus, readers should fill in their hearts with creed of promoting Allah, the Exalted, against corporeity and material phenomena.