MODELS OF INTERPRETATION OF AL-QASTALANI
On page 235, part 4 of Irshadus-Sari, Al-Qastalani records:
Rage of creatures is a feeling engaging minds. It is unbecoming to ascribe such a quality to the Creator, the Exalted. Thus, this should be interpreted in a way fitting Allah, the Exalted.
On page 319, part 5 of the same reference, Al-Qastalani writes down:
Abu Hureira: The Prophet (peace be upon him) stated, "Allah created Adam on his look."
This indicates that Allah suspends him on the look He had created on. This interpretation, however, is contrasted by another hadith, "Adam was created on the look of the Beneficent."
On page 36 part 7 of the same reference, the following is written down:
The judge: Regarding the Prophet's saying that Allah laughs to two men, Allah's laughter, however, is a metaphoric expression. Corporealities only may laugh. Allah is promoted against being a corporeality. Satisfaction is the significance of laughter mentioned in the hadith.
On page 187, part 9 of the same reference, Al-Qastalani says:
The descending mentioned in the hadith implies descending of God's mercy, affair or angels. AlBeidawi comments: It is proved, by positive evidences, that Allah is highly promoted against being a corporeality or occupying a definite space; therefore, it is impracticable to credit transferable descending to Him.
On page 348 part 9 of the same reference, it is recorded:
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13. Ahlus-Sunna stands for people of the Prophet's traditions. They are the Sunnis.
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The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Hell keeps on demanding with more till Lord of Dignity places His foot - precedence - in it." Some discussed that 'foot' in this regard refers to the most evil people God had prepared to be preceded to hell.
On page 250, part 10, he records:
Ire of Allah, the Exalted, stands for His desire to penalize.
On page 269, part 10, the following is written down:
God says, (The hand of Allah is above their hands). God named the Prophet's hand as the hand of Allah, since it advanced others'. Allah, the Praised the Elevated, is exaltedly promoted against having limbs and corporeal characteristics. Meaning of the Verse, however, is recognition that a covenant contracted with the Prophet (peace be upon him) is regarded as same as that contracted with Allah.
On page 388, part 10, Al-Qastalani states:
A man addressed at the Prophet (peace be upon him) that Allah holds the heavens with a single finger, and the earth with another. The Prophet (peace be upon him) laughed to excess. These characteristics are impracticable to Allah, the Exalted.
On page 391 part 10, the following is recorded:
God says, (Then He settled on the Throne. 7:54). Ahlus-Sunna state that Allah, the Praised the Exalted, describes Himself with 'on' which is one of attributes of Entity. Mutazilites state that the preposition stands for prevalence by means of power and pertinence. The corporalists claim that it indicates settlement.
On page 398, part 10 of the same reference, Al-Qastalani records:
The Prophet (peace be upon him) stated, "On Resurrection Day, you, tranquilly and peacefully, shall see your Lord as clear as this moon." This means that you shall not wrong each other on that situation since the Lord shall be seen from every side. Allah is exceedingly promoted against being having a definite space. Simile, here, is for the view, not the viewed.
God says, (Looking at [waiting for] their Lord). Ways, conditions and distances are nonexistent during looking at the Lord.
On page 402 part 10:
"…he keeps on supplicating till this causes God to laugh…". The matter intended is accomplice of laughter; satisfaction.
On page 420, part 10, AlQastalani records:
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God says, (Then He settled on the Throne). It is wrong to explain 'the Throne' as a bench and 'settled' as an act of stability. This explanation is adopted by anthropomorphists. Allah, the Exalted, was being before the Throne when there was no space. Now, He is as same as he was being. Moveableness is a characteristic of cosmoses.
On page 435, part 10, the following is recorded:
Abu Hureira: The Prophet (peace be upon him) stated, "Our Lord, the Blessed the Elevated, descends to the lowest heavens every night." This means that He orders an angel of descending. Ibn Hazm interpreted that this act is done by Allah in the lowest heavens for commencing responding supplications. Ibn Khuzeima adds, "At daybreak, He returns to the Throne."
Al-Qastalani tries to say that Ibn Khuzeima adopt for corporalism, as he states that Allah Himself descends and returns.
MANY OTHERS CONSENTED INTERPRETATION
In his
AtTasihil Fi UlumitTanzil, part 3 page 283, Ibn Jazi records:
Doctrinally, imputing characteristic of being up to Allah, the Elevated, is dedicated to the meaning fitting His divine region, not the meaning that may, illusively, refer to limitation.
AsSuheili, in his ArRawdulAnif, part 3 page 24, records:
IbnulLebban: Laying hands to Allah is a form of metaphor. He, the Exalted the Praised, is greatly promoted against having a limb.
On page 24, part 3 of the same reference, AsSuheili records:
Attaching shadow to Allah, the Elevated the Praised, is a form of honoring. He, the Exalted, is promoted against having a shadow which is one of specifications of corporealities. Shadow of His divine Throne is intended. This is clear in Selman's report.
On page 48, part 3 of the same reference, the following is recorded:
Significance of the Lord's laughter is pleasing to excess.
ArRazi's AlMettalibulAliya, volume 1 part 1 page 10:
Philosophers agreed upon proving the existence of beings that are neither occupying certain spaces nor falling in a locale. Intellects, souls and prime matters are examples of such beings. Like Muammar Bin Ebbad, the Mutazilite, and Mohammed Bin AnNuman, the Rafidite
14, a good number of grand masters of Muslims' scholars opted for this conception.
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14. Rafidism is a name Sunnis addressed at Shia. It stands for mutiny.
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Mohammed Bin AnNuman, previously mentioned by ArRazi, is Sheik AlMufid; one of the grand masters of Shias. Rivals of Shias accused him of opting for corporalism. ArRazi communicates AlMufid's opinion that there are beings selfsufficient from occupying spaces. Creator of these beings should be more willingly having this characteristic.
Ibn Hazm's AlFasl, volume 2 part 2 page 167:
The Prophet (peace be upon him) stated, "Hell keeps on demanding with more till Lord of Dignity places His foot precedence in it."
In this text, 'foot' stands for precedence. This meaning is mentioned in God's saying, (A footing of firmness with their Lord. 10:2). Hence, meaning of the hadith is that Allah should fill in hell with people who preceded others in evildoing. The same is said about the authentic hadith, "Allah created Adam on his look." This indicates that Allah had opted for the look according to which He created Adam.
MODELS OF RASHID RIDA'S UNRESPONSIVE INTERPRETATION
TafseerulMenar, part 3, page 2201:
Some claimed impermissibility of resting upon other than the Quran and the uninterruptedly documented hadiths regarding the divine attributes. Single reports, interpretation and narratives should not be admitted, engaged and regarded in this question, since these matters depend upon surmise.
This saying, however, is not that far away from fact, except that it is disagreeing the worthy ancestors' apparent modes. These reports and narratives were admitted, recorded and ruled of being authentic as the narrators were trustful. At any rate, there are two answers to be provided for this question.
First, followers of the Prophet's companions recognized, by doctrinal proofs, it is impermissible to accuse trustful individuals of fabrication, especially in matters pertaining to the divine attributes. Refuting a report narrated by AsSiddiq Abu Bakr (God please him), for example, and related directly to the Prophet (peace be upon him), is regarded as belying him and judging of his invention or inadvertence. On that account, followers of the Prophet's companions admitted and communicated such a narratives, accrediting them to Abu Bakr or Anas and, directly, to the Prophet (peace be upon him). From this cause, it is provable, by doctrinal evidences, that paths to accusing the pious and the decent, among the Prophet's companions, of fabrication, are totally blocked; how is it then obligatory to avoid accusing conjecture of reporters of single narratives? Similarly, how is it obligatory to treat with surmise as same as the decent's reporting, disregarding the fact that suspicion, in some cases, is a sin? The divine Legislator ordered of admitting, communicating and publicizing reports of decent individuals. This does, in no means, suggest that personal surmise and conjecture should be admitted, publicized and communicated. For
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that reason, we are to say that whatsoever is reported by other than the decent, concerning question of the divine attributes, should be shunned and neglected. Reports of admonition and examples should be scrutinized accurately.
Second, these reports were communicated by the Prophet's companions only after they had certainly heard from the Prophet personally. Their followers, likewise, admitted and communicated so. During their communication, the followers had been wont to refer to the Prophet's companions before they refer to the Prophet (peace be upon him). They were honest. As each hadith had a definite point, they neglected no single one except those bearing expressions that may convey a meaning opposite to the intended. As an example, the following hadith is cited.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) stated: "Our Lord descends to the lowest heavens every night …"
This hadith was communicated in this form for the purpose of urging on performing prayers and worshipping rites and practices. It has an enormous effect in driving towards night worship, which is the most excellent. This great advantage would have been negative had this text been let pass. Such an advantage should not be negligible. For children and ordinary people, the hadith may hint at Allah's practical descending. At any rate, it is an easy duty for the educated to plant pictures of glorifying and promoting Allah against practical descending. A wellgrounded may use the following style, "Providing God's descending to the lowest heavens is for making us perceive His call, this descending shall be useless since we could not perceive. The Lord, however, could have called at us from His Throne or the most elevated heavens."
This would make ordinary people understand nullity of practical descending. The following example can also be cited. It is futile for a man in the furthest west of the earth to advance just few steps for making a man in the east hear his call. This advancement should be reckoned with deeds of the insane. This amount, however, is so sufficient that ordinary people would understand the nullity of practical descending. It is also conceivable that corporealities are impracticable for Allah. This leads to the fact that impracticability of moveableness of other than corporealities is as same as impracticability of descending without moveableness.
This proves that advantage of communicating such reports is great, while harm is scanty. This should, by no means, be equal to question of communicating personal surmise as truths.
Rashid Rida, this welleducated exegesist, was guided, by his intellect, to the very right! He could prove that the serious questions of beliefs should not be admitted by a single report, series of its narrators is totally unrealizable. Avoiding this perplexity, the welleducated exegesist submitted his mind to
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deeds of the worthy ancestors who ruled of obligation of admitting reports of a single companion, even if concerning beliefs or contrasting the Holy Quran! On that account, they admitted hadiths of Allah's descending and seeableness although each was related by a single narrator. They issued the obligation of admitting relations of definite individuals, claiming Allah's giving orders of admitting such narratives. Correspondingly, the ruled of obligation of denying fabrication, making mistakes and inadvertence of such individuals. Finally, they proposed denial of any contradiction between any two narratives related by two of the Prophet's companions.
As if he had not been acquainted of confusion, troubles and conflicts broken out between Muslims due to the variant conceptions respecting beliefs, it is noticeable how that exegesist alleviated mischances probably encountered by Muslims and, sometimes, their scholars, owing to hadiths of corporalism and anthropomorphism. Such hadiths were the direct reason beyond publicity of reports and legends of the Jews, Christians and Magi, regarding the Lord's corporeity, appearance and descriptions. Some of such fables suppose that Allah, the short, roughhaired, breadless and youth, descends to the lowest heavens on the back of a donkey. The most pious and godly individuals went on searching for the Lord, inspecting the descriptions given, among boys. They also fabricated stories about their meeting, shaking hands and associating with the Lord. This is only a minute part of the misfortunes of corporalism and anthropomorphism opposed firmly by the Prophet's household, Aisha and other virtuous companions of the Prophet. They confronted flamers of spark of this disaster, warned Muslims against its dangers and demanded them with refuting and belying such matters.
Viewing at his saying, "It is an easy duty for the educated to plant pictures of glorifying and promoting Allah against practical descending.", we perceive how that exegesist allayed removal of effects and reports of corporalism. Had his claim been true, why, then, it would have been impossible for scholars and philosophers to persuade corporalists and anthropomorphists of the other opinion? As a matter of fact, those people could plant such misplaced beliefs in ordinary people's mentalities. In alike fashion, had the matter been so easily, let a wellgrounded scholar plant Allah's elevation and exaltation against corporalism in the hearts of Ibn Teimiya, Mohammed Bin AbdilWahab, Bin Baz and AlAlbani, and enlighten them with nullity of the practical descending.
Finally, how did this wellinformed exegesist espy that when Allah, the Exalted, intended to drive Muslims towards performing prayers and night worshipping rites, He used a funny style, "Every night, I descend to the lowest heavens; therefore, I order you of worshipping at night." This style duped and made them bear an illusive belief about the Lord.
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Reality of this matter is that Rashid Rida and his likes intend only to defend personality of Omar, the caliph, since he was the originator of Allah's corporeity and descending. What should we do, then, if it is not serviceable to defend such an unreasoning idea the caliph had taken in from Ka'bulAhbar's culture?
SCHOOL OF COMMENDATION AND FORBIDDING INTERPRETATION
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
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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
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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."
