TavhidMarkazi
07-26-2003, 05:44 AM
Prerequisites to Understanding the Correct Creed
prepared by Maaz Qureshi
1] A Censure of the Intellect:
Imaam Abul Mudhaffar as-Sam'aanee said:
"Know that the methodology of the people of the Sunnah is that the intellect does not obligate something upon a person, nor does it raise something from him. It does not determine something to be permissible or impermissible for him, nor good or bad. If the person who heard it does not want, it does not obligate anything upon anyone, and it does not have a reward or punishment." [1]
He also said:
"The people of the Sunnah say: 'The foundation of the Religion is following (al-Ittibaa`), and the intellect is subservient.' So if the foundation of the Religion was upon the intellect, the creation would have been in no need of Revelation, nor of Prophets, and the meaning of commanding and prohibiting would be false, and whoever wished could have said whatever he wished." [2]
From 'Abdullaah Ibn 'Umar who said:
"Indeed my brother and I were sitting in a gathering. When the elders from the Companions of the Messenger of Allaah came, they sat by one of the doors from his (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) doors. We hated to divide between them so we sat in a room. When they mentioned an aayah [3] from the Qur`aan, they argued about it until the raised their voices. So the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) came out angry. Indeed his face was red. He flung dust at them and said: 'Slow down o people! Nations before you were destroyed because of this, due to their differing about their prophets and due to abandoning parts of their books for other parts. Verily the Qur`aan was not sent down denying itself, rather it affirms itself. So whatever you know from it, then act upon it, and whatever you are ignorant of from it, then refer it to someone who is knowledgeable about it.'" [4]
Imaam Ahmad said:
"So we refer the Qur`aan to One who is knowledgeable about it, to Allaah the Blessed and Exalted. So He is the most knowledgeable about it." [5]
Imaam as-Sam'aanee said:
"Indeed they make their intellects callers to Allaah, and they take them at the level of messengers concerning what is between them. So if a person says: 'There is none worthy of worship except Allaah and my intellect is the Messenger of Allaah', it will not be objectionable to the people of rhetoric (kalaam) by way of its meaning."[6]
'Abdullaah Ibn Mas'ood said:
"Follow and do not innovate, for indeed you have been sufficed, and every innovation is misguidance." [7]
[2] The Salaf's Position on Rhetoric [kalaam] and Argumentation:
Imaam al-Baghawee said:
"So the scholars from the people of the Sunnah are united upon the prohibition of quarrelling and argumentation, and upon driving others away from the discussion of theological rhetoric (kalaam) and from learning it." [8]
Imaam ash-Shaafi'ee said:
"That a slave meets Allaah with everything He forbade except shirk is better for him than theological rhetoric. Indeed I have seen things from the people of kalaam (theological rhetoric) that I do not think a Muslim would say." [9]
He (rahimahullaah) also said:
"Whoever manifests nationalism or theological rhetoric and calls to it, then he has apostated from the testimony (shahaadah). That the servant meets his Lord the Mighty and Majestic with every sin except shirk is better than meeting Him with something from desires (ahwaa`). [10]
Imaam Ahmad said to al-Mu'tasim during the days of the trial:
"I am not a person of argumentation or theological rhetoric (kalaam). I am only a person or narrations and reports." [11]
[3] The Way of the Salaf is the Best Methodology and the Moderate Path:
Allaah says:
"The first predecessors from the Emigrants and the Helpers and those who followed them in goodness - Allaah is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him, and He has prepared for them gardens underneath which rivers flow. They will abide therein forever. That is the greatest achievement." [Sooratut-Tawbah 9:100]
Imaam al-Awzaa'ee said:
"Adhere to the narrations from the Salaf, even if the people oppose you and beware of the opinions of men, even if they beautify it with their speech. So indeed the matter is young and you are from it upon a straight path." [12]
He also said:
"So make yourself patient upon the Sunnah, and stop where the people stopped, and say what they said, and refrain from what they refrained from. Travel upon the path of your righteous Salaf, for verily sufficient for you is what was sufficient for them." [13]
prepared by Maaz Qureshi
1] A Censure of the Intellect:
Imaam Abul Mudhaffar as-Sam'aanee said:
"Know that the methodology of the people of the Sunnah is that the intellect does not obligate something upon a person, nor does it raise something from him. It does not determine something to be permissible or impermissible for him, nor good or bad. If the person who heard it does not want, it does not obligate anything upon anyone, and it does not have a reward or punishment." [1]
He also said:
"The people of the Sunnah say: 'The foundation of the Religion is following (al-Ittibaa`), and the intellect is subservient.' So if the foundation of the Religion was upon the intellect, the creation would have been in no need of Revelation, nor of Prophets, and the meaning of commanding and prohibiting would be false, and whoever wished could have said whatever he wished." [2]
From 'Abdullaah Ibn 'Umar who said:
"Indeed my brother and I were sitting in a gathering. When the elders from the Companions of the Messenger of Allaah came, they sat by one of the doors from his (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) doors. We hated to divide between them so we sat in a room. When they mentioned an aayah [3] from the Qur`aan, they argued about it until the raised their voices. So the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) came out angry. Indeed his face was red. He flung dust at them and said: 'Slow down o people! Nations before you were destroyed because of this, due to their differing about their prophets and due to abandoning parts of their books for other parts. Verily the Qur`aan was not sent down denying itself, rather it affirms itself. So whatever you know from it, then act upon it, and whatever you are ignorant of from it, then refer it to someone who is knowledgeable about it.'" [4]
Imaam Ahmad said:
"So we refer the Qur`aan to One who is knowledgeable about it, to Allaah the Blessed and Exalted. So He is the most knowledgeable about it." [5]
Imaam as-Sam'aanee said:
"Indeed they make their intellects callers to Allaah, and they take them at the level of messengers concerning what is between them. So if a person says: 'There is none worthy of worship except Allaah and my intellect is the Messenger of Allaah', it will not be objectionable to the people of rhetoric (kalaam) by way of its meaning."[6]
'Abdullaah Ibn Mas'ood said:
"Follow and do not innovate, for indeed you have been sufficed, and every innovation is misguidance." [7]
[2] The Salaf's Position on Rhetoric [kalaam] and Argumentation:
Imaam al-Baghawee said:
"So the scholars from the people of the Sunnah are united upon the prohibition of quarrelling and argumentation, and upon driving others away from the discussion of theological rhetoric (kalaam) and from learning it." [8]
Imaam ash-Shaafi'ee said:
"That a slave meets Allaah with everything He forbade except shirk is better for him than theological rhetoric. Indeed I have seen things from the people of kalaam (theological rhetoric) that I do not think a Muslim would say." [9]
He (rahimahullaah) also said:
"Whoever manifests nationalism or theological rhetoric and calls to it, then he has apostated from the testimony (shahaadah). That the servant meets his Lord the Mighty and Majestic with every sin except shirk is better than meeting Him with something from desires (ahwaa`). [10]
Imaam Ahmad said to al-Mu'tasim during the days of the trial:
"I am not a person of argumentation or theological rhetoric (kalaam). I am only a person or narrations and reports." [11]
[3] The Way of the Salaf is the Best Methodology and the Moderate Path:
Allaah says:
"The first predecessors from the Emigrants and the Helpers and those who followed them in goodness - Allaah is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him, and He has prepared for them gardens underneath which rivers flow. They will abide therein forever. That is the greatest achievement." [Sooratut-Tawbah 9:100]
Imaam al-Awzaa'ee said:
"Adhere to the narrations from the Salaf, even if the people oppose you and beware of the opinions of men, even if they beautify it with their speech. So indeed the matter is young and you are from it upon a straight path." [12]
He also said:
"So make yourself patient upon the Sunnah, and stop where the people stopped, and say what they said, and refrain from what they refrained from. Travel upon the path of your righteous Salaf, for verily sufficient for you is what was sufficient for them." [13]