Bismillah, Alhamdulillah wa-salatu was-salamu ‘ala Rasulillah,
Assalamu alaykum
I came across a translation of Ibn al Jawzi’s (ghafarAllahu lahu wa rahimah) argument regarding the belief that Allah is neither inside His creation nor outside of it.
Here is a part of it that I would like to comment on.
Quote:
Furthermore, from another point of view, it can be pointed out that He is neither in this world nor outside it because entering and exiting are inseparable attributes of things which occupy space. Entering and exiting are just like movement and stillness and all other accidents which apply to bodies only.Notice that Ibn al-Zaghūnī claims above [Ibn al-Jawzī had quoted from one of his books] that He did not create things in His Essence (dhāt); therefore, he presumes it is established that they are separate from Him. [In refutation of this claim] we declare [that is, Ibn al-Jawzī] that the Essence of the Transcendent God (dhātuhū al-muqaddasah) is
beyond having things created in it, or that things should occur in it. Now, material separation in relation to Him requires of Him what it requires of substances [namely, that He be defined by finite limits]. Indeed, the definition of location is that what occupies it prevents a similar thing from being found there; [whereas, nothing is similar to God in any way].
It is apparent that what [these anthropomorphists] presume is based on sensory analogy.
Their inability to conceive of a reality beyond material experience led them into bewilderment, and to liken the attributes of the Transcendent God to the attributes of originated things [that is, to commit tashbīh]. |
The last statement is exactly what he (rahimahu Allah), the Asha’irah and mutakalimeen were doing in relation to Allah’s attributes !
Because they could not comprehend a hand that is not like what we see and know, because of Their inability to conceive of a reality beyond material experience led them into bewilderment and to liken the attributes of the Transcendent God to the attributes of originated things [that is, to commit tashbīh] in their minds, which then caused them to reject its dhahir thinking it leads to tashbih, and choose a figurative meaning for it !
They did the same with most of Allah’s attributes.
What he said describes him (rahimahu Allah), the Ash’aris and the other groups who denied Allah’s attributes 0R made tawil of it.
It does not describe us at all.
How is that ?
Firstly: Islam did not come with anything that is irrational (contradicts intellect\reason\’aql)
Islam came with
محارات العقول
maharat al ‘uqool (what bewilders\puzzles the mind)
but did NOT come with
محالات العقول
mahalat al ‘uqool (what is impossible in the mind [unfeasible ?? is that also a correct word for it, excuse my bad English])
The belief in Allah having a yad (hand) that is different than that of creation, a hand that we could not imagine because of not seeing something similar to it, for Allah is not like anything, is not impossible.
Yes, it puzzles the mind, it is uncomprehendable because it is something that we have not seen anything like, but it is not impossible, only puzzling and bewildering.
If someone had told the people of the past, who came thousands of years before us, about the computer and internet that we have today, they would not beleive it because they wouldn’t be able to comprehend it since they have not seen anything even close to it, but does that mean it is impossible just because they couldn’t comprehend it, or seen anything like it? No.
The same with the fruits of al Jannah and its rivers, castles..etc. It basically shares the name and general meaning of the fruits, rivers..etc. of this dunya, but in its description (kayfiyyah), it is different, it is not like anything we have seen or imagined.
So our belief that Allah has a hand that is not like the of creation, or anything we have seen or know, or exists in creation, a hand that is befitting Allah, is not impossible, it is from the first category (maharat al uqool) not from the second (mahalat al uqool).
We all agree that Allah Has an Essence, and we have no problem believing that His Essence is not like that of any essence we have seen or can imagine, it is not something that is impossible in the mind, the same applies to all of Allah’s attributes.
Meanwhile, from my understanding, Asharis make it (believing Allah to have a hand that is not a limb) from mahalat al uqool (impossibilities of the mind), based on greek logic (ilm al kalam), which is purely derived from some human minds, concluded from limited human observation of the creation , with no backing from shar’i text, then they used this flawed limited human logic in understanding the ayah (nothing is like unto Him), applying it to the Creator’s [Allah] attributes.
Thus contradicting the ayah (nothing is like unto Him), since they used those mens’ conclusions from the limited observation of creation to accept or reject an attribute of the Creator, and give it another meaning that fits more with their logic.
Our belief is based on evidence from the Quran and Sunnah with the understanding of righteous Salaf and Imams of sunnah who came after them. Our beliefs are based on sama’ (hearing/the text), not based on human logic, but at the same time, our belief is not something that is impossible in the human mind, it does not contradict the sound mind.
While Asharis and other groups’ beliefs were affected by ilm al kalam and their flawed understanding of the ayah (Nothing is like unto Him) using their aql (mind) to apply that ayah, if the mind could not comprehend except a hand that is a limb, then it cannot be accepted.
In regards to the belief of the later Ashari’s that Allah is neither in His creation nor outside of it, and neither in contact/attached to His creation nor seperate from it, it is from mahalat al uqool (impossibilities in the mind).
Before Allah created creation, there was only Allah, then Allah created creation, all agree that Allah did not create it inside of Him, there is only one other choice that is possible in the mind, which is outside of Him.
Allah being neither inside the creation nor outside of it would only be possible if Allah was non-existent.
And Allah exists without any doubt, subhanahu wa Ta’ala.
This belief is not something that puzzles the mind, it is something that the mind finds impossible.
It is like saying that a person is neither alive nor dead, this would only be possible if your speaking about a non-existent person.
Our rejection of such a belief is because:
1. It contradicts the authentic texts stating that Allah is above the Throne, above His creation, which is supported by the statments of the Salaf and many scholars of ahl assunnah who came after them, including some of the early Asharis.
2. There is no text that supports such a belief, and Allah’s saying (laysa kamithlihi shay’ – nothing is like unto Him) is not evidence for such a belief. The Mu’tazilah and Jahmiya used the same ayah to support their false beliefs, they have no evidence for it except their own faulty understanding of the ayah.
3. They have no statments from the Salaf to support such a belief, not even a weak one, while there are many statments by the Salaf and early scholars of Sunnah, sahih and hasan narrations, that state Allah being above His Throne, above the Heavens, separate from His creation.
We didn’t reject it based on its impossibility, but its impossibility strengthens the belief that such a belief is not from shari’ah.
And even if it were possible, we wouldn’t accept it just based on its possibility, it must be supported by text and the understanding of the righteous Salaf.
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