We study the subject of rhetoric in the university, which includes the theory of metaphor and figurative interpretation (ta'wil) regarding the attributes of Allah. Should we abandon this study?
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Question:
He says: Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success. We study the subject of rhetoric in the university. It includes figurative interpretation (ta'wil) of the attributes of Allah, and they say that it is metaphorical (majaz), and if it were literal, it would necessitate such and such, as the author (may Allah have mercy on him) mentioned. The question is: What do we do? Do we abandon this study, given that my specialization is the Arabic language? And is there a book that discusses rhetoric without figurative interpretation of the attributes?
Answer:
My brothers, the matter of learning is not the same as the matter of belief. You may study and look at various opinions, even if they are opinions of misguidance, disbelief, or atheism. You study them in order to know their falsity and refute them. As for belief, you do not believe them. The study is for belief; you study them in order to know them so that you can warn against them and understand their doubts. There is no harm in studying the opinions of the Jahmiyyah, the Mu'tazilah, the Asha'irah, and the Qadariyyah in order to know their falsehood and their doubts in order to refute them.
So the matter of study and learning is not the same as belief, nor is it the same as issuing fatwas. You do not believe except what is correct, and you do not issue a fatwa except based on evidence from the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger that is established for you. As for looking at the opinions, there is no harm in that.
Study rhetoric and study what they say and look into it. There is no harm, but do not believe it. Do not believe it. Yes. You have a creed that you study according to the methodology of the people of the Sunnah and the community, and you follow it. And you read these things for the purpose of information only. Yes. He says: Honorable Shaykh, may Allah guide you. You study only rhetoric. They have decided that you study creed in order to have a foundation upon which to build. You return to it. Yes.
He says: Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success. We study the subject of rhetoric in the university. It includes figurative interpretation (ta'wil) of the attributes of Allah, and they say that it is metaphorical (majaz), and if it were literal, it would necessitate such and such, as the author (may Allah have mercy on him) mentioned. The question is: What do we do? Do we abandon this study, given that my specialization is the Arabic language? And is there a book that discusses rhetoric without figurative interpretation of the attributes?
Answer:
My brothers, the matter of learning is not the same as the matter of belief. You may study and look at various opinions, even if they are opinions of misguidance, disbelief, or atheism. You study them in order to know their falsity and refute them. As for belief, you do not believe them. The study is for belief; you study them in order to know them so that you can warn against them and understand their doubts. There is no harm in studying the opinions of the Jahmiyyah, the Mu'tazilah, the Asha'irah, and the Qadariyyah in order to know their falsehood and their doubts in order to refute them.
So the matter of study and learning is not the same as belief, nor is it the same as issuing fatwas. You do not believe except what is correct, and you do not issue a fatwa except based on evidence from the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger that is established for you. As for looking at the opinions, there is no harm in that.
Study rhetoric and study what they say and look into it. There is no harm, but do not believe it. Do not believe it. Yes. You have a creed that you study according to the methodology of the people of the Sunnah and the community, and you follow it. And you read these things for the purpose of information only. Yes. He says: Honorable Shaykh, may Allah guide you. You study only rhetoric. They have decided that you study creed in order to have a foundation upon which to build. You return to it. Yes.
Source
قناة «العلامة الدكتور صالح الفوزان»، [316 -1024] ندرس في الجامعة مادة البلاغة وفيها القول بالمجاز والتأويل في صفات الله فهل نترك الدراسة؟ — youtube.com
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.