The Description of the Coming
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The first question of Fatwa No. ( 5957 ):
Q1: As is known to you, there is a disagreement between the Salaf (the earliest generations) and the Khalaf (the later generations) regarding the issue of ta'wil (figurative interpretation). We are, if Allah wills, with the Salaf in what they held. However, a question was raised to me concerning the hadith mentioned by the Shaykh Al-Albani when he was working on the verification of [al-Jami' al-Saghir wa Ziyadatuhi] by the Hafidh al-Suyuti . The text of the hadith as it was reported is:Jami` at-Tirmidhi 3233Hasan (Darussalam) This hadith was narrated by al-Tirmidhi and Ahmad from Ibn 'Abbas, and the question is: how is this "coming" (ittiyān) to be interpreted? Is it interpreted according to its reality as a coming that befits His Majesty? Or is it subjected to ta'wil (figurative interpretation), as the Asha'irah (the Ash'ari theological school) do among us?
A1 : The coming (itiyan) in the hadith is interpreted as a real coming befitting the Majesty of the Exalted, which does not resemble the coming of the created beings. We do not interpret it as the coming of His mercy or an angel from among His angels, but we affirm it as the Salaf affirmed it in their interpretation of the saying of the Exalted:[Al-An'am 6:158]
, without likening Allah to creation, comparing Allah to creation, figurative interpretation, or denial of the divine attributes; because of the saying of the Exalted:[Ash-Shuraa 42:11] , and His saying: [Al-Ikhlas 112:2-4] . And success is from Allah. And may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Q1: As is known to you, there is a disagreement between the Salaf (the earliest generations) and the Khalaf (the later generations) regarding the issue of ta'wil (figurative interpretation). We are, if Allah wills, with the Salaf in what they held. However, a question was raised to me concerning the hadith mentioned by the Shaykh Al-Albani when he was working on the verification of [al-Jami' al-Saghir wa Ziyadatuhi] by the Hafidh al-Suyuti . The text of the hadith as it was reported is:
During the night, my Lord, Blessed is He, and Most High, came to me in the best of appearances." He (one of the narrators) said - I think he said it was during a dream - "So he said: 'O Muhammad! Do you know in what the most exalted group busy themselves with?'" He said: "I said: 'No.'" He said: "So He placed His Hand between my shoulders, until I sensed its coolness between my breast." - or he said: "on my throat, so I knew what was in the heavens, and what was in the earth.
أتاني الليلة ربي تبارك وتعالى في أحسن صورة، فقال: يا محمد، هل تدري فيما يختصم الملأ الأعلى؟ قلت: لا، فوضع يده بين كتفي، حتى وجدت بردها بين ثدي فعلمت ما في السماوات وما في الأرضA1 : The coming (itiyan) in the hadith is interpreted as a real coming befitting the Majesty of the Exalted, which does not resemble the coming of the created beings. We do not interpret it as the coming of His mercy or an angel from among His angels, but we affirm it as the Salaf affirmed it in their interpretation of the saying of the Exalted:
Do they [then] wait for anything except that the angels should come to them or your Lord should come or that there come some of the signs of your Lord?
هَلْ يَنْظُرُونَ إِلا أَنْ تَأْتِيَهُمُ الْمَلائِكَةُ أَوْ يَأْتِيَ رَبُّكَ أَوْ يَأْتِيَ بَعْضُ آيَاتِ رَبِّكَ, without likening Allah to creation, comparing Allah to creation, figurative interpretation, or denial of the divine attributes; because of the saying of the Exalted:
There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the Hearing, the Seeing.
لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْءٌ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُ(2) Allah, the Eternal Refuge. (3) He neither begets nor is born, (4) Nor is there to Him any equivalent."
اللَّهُ الصَّمَدُ (2) لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ (3) وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.