Clarifying what is attributed to Imam Ahmad regarding the figurative interpretation of the attributes
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It is narrated from Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him) that he said regarding the statement of Allah the Exalted: [al-Fajr:22] And the command of your Lord has come, so some of them cited this in one of his books,And he said: The school of Imam Ahmad is: tafwid (delegation), and Imam Ahmad—who is the imam of the people of the Sunnah—resorted to ta'wil (figurative interpretation) in this verse, so is the narration from Imam Ahmad authentic?
First: This must be established from Imam Ahmad.
Second: If it is assumed that he (may Allah have mercy on him) erred in this issue, which he does not approve of in the generality of his speech, that does not mean he is infallible, and his opinion is accepted.
Third: You mentioned that he delegates, and this, in its absolute sense, is subject to consideration;Because delegation is of two types: Delegation of the meaning.
And delegation of the modality.
So the people of the Sunnah and the community delegate the modality, and they do not delegate the meaning; rather, they affirm it, establish it, explain it, and categorize it, so whoever claims that the people of the Sunnah are those who say by delegation (meaning delegation of the meaning) has lied about them.
And Shaykh al-Islam (may Allah have mercy on him) mentioned in his book (Difa' Ta'arud al-'Aql wa al-Naql) that the statement of the people of delegation is among the worst of the statements of the people of innovation and deviation.
This is what some people say, that it is the school of the people of the Sunnah and the community, and it is delegation,And therefore they say: The people of the Sunnah are two groups: those who delegate.
And those who interpret figuratively.
And this is a great error, so the people of the Sunnah are those who interpret figuratively, and the people of the Sunnah are those who delegate; but they interpret figuratively when the evidence indicates figurative interpretation, and they delegate the modality, as for the meaning, they do not delegate it.
And the summary of the answer to your question: That we say: if this is authentic from Imam Ahmad, then Imam Ahmad is not infallible, but I do not think it is authentic.
And your Lord has come
وَجَاءَ رَبُّكَFirst: This must be established from Imam Ahmad.
Second: If it is assumed that he (may Allah have mercy on him) erred in this issue, which he does not approve of in the generality of his speech, that does not mean he is infallible, and his opinion is accepted.
Third: You mentioned that he delegates, and this, in its absolute sense, is subject to consideration;Because delegation is of two types: Delegation of the meaning.
And delegation of the modality.
So the people of the Sunnah and the community delegate the modality, and they do not delegate the meaning; rather, they affirm it, establish it, explain it, and categorize it, so whoever claims that the people of the Sunnah are those who say by delegation (meaning delegation of the meaning) has lied about them.
And Shaykh al-Islam (may Allah have mercy on him) mentioned in his book (Difa' Ta'arud al-'Aql wa al-Naql) that the statement of the people of delegation is among the worst of the statements of the people of innovation and deviation.
This is what some people say, that it is the school of the people of the Sunnah and the community, and it is delegation,And therefore they say: The people of the Sunnah are two groups: those who delegate.
And those who interpret figuratively.
And this is a great error, so the people of the Sunnah are those who interpret figuratively, and the people of the Sunnah are those who delegate; but they interpret figuratively when the evidence indicates figurative interpretation, and they delegate the modality, as for the meaning, they do not delegate it.
And the summary of the answer to your question: That we say: if this is authentic from Imam Ahmad, then Imam Ahmad is not infallible, but I do not think it is authentic.