It is reported from Ibn Taymiyyah that tashdiq (affirmation) is synonymous with iman (faith), as the Shaykh understood.
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The questioner : Then you asked me to bring some texts to support what I hold, and Allah guided me to them. Do you allow me to recite to you something from the words of the Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah that supports what I said?
The Shaykh : Please go ahead.
The questioner : The Shaykh al-Islam used to speak about the disbelief of obstinacy, and that Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, may punish the obstinate one, who is the one who acknowledges the truth outwardly and inwardly, yet does not submit to it out of hatred, arrogance, and mockery. I say that the Shaykh al-Islam was speaking about a secret among the secrets of Allah in His creation, that Allah may punish this obstinate one by causing his heart to deviate and become misguided. He said in his explanation of the al-Asfahani Creed:
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : The page is one hundred and twenty-three.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : “Then, if these people do not follow the affirmation with what it necessitates of the work of the heart and tongue and other things, it may be that their hearts are sealed until the affirmation departs from them, as Allah the Exalted said:[As-Saf 61:5] So these people were knowing, but when they deviated, Allah caused their hearts to deviate. The point here is that leaving what is obligatory of acting upon the knowledge, which is the implication of affirmation and knowledge, may lead to the removal of the affirmation and knowledge, as it was said: ‘Knowledge calls out to action, so if it responds, it remains; otherwise, it departs.’ The point of reference is his saying: ‘The point here is that leaving what is obligatory of acting upon the knowledge, which is the implication of affirmation and knowledge, may lead to the removal of the affirmation and knowledge.’”
He also said in al-Sarim al-Maslul, where he clarifies the disbelief of denial and the disbelief of obstinacy, saying: “If the servant commits a sin while believing that Allah has forbidden it, and believing his submission to Allah in what He has forbidden and obligated, then he is not a disbeliever. But if he believes that Allah has not forbidden it, or that He has forbidden it but he refuses to accept this prohibition and refuses to submit to Allah and obey Him, then he is either a denier or an obstinate one. For this reason, they said: ‘Whoever disobeys Allah in arrogance, like Iblis, is a disbeliever by consensus, and whoever disobeys out of desire is not a disbeliever according to the people of the Sunnah, but only the Khawarij declare him a disbeliever. Indeed, the disobedient one who is arrogant, even if he affirms that Allah is his Lord, his obstinacy and opposition to Him are incompatible with this affirmation.’” Until he said: “Its reality is disbelief, because he acknowledges to Allah and His Messenger everything they informed about, and he affirms everything the believers affirm, but he hates it, dislikes it, and is angry at it because it does not conform to his desire and his lust. He says: ‘I do not acknowledge it, I do not commit to it, I hate this truth, and I abhor it.’ This is a type different from the first type, and declaring this type a disbeliever is known by necessity from the religion of Islam, and the Qur'an is full of declaring this type a disbeliever.” And he said in Majmu' al-Fatawa, where he also speaks about the disbelief of obstinacy and also about the one who leaves the pillars of Islam, saying: “The second is that he does not deny their obligation, meaning the four pillars and foundations of Islam, but he refuses to commit to performing them out of arrogance, envy, or hatred for Allah and His Messenger. He says: ‘I know that Allah has obligated them upon the Muslims, and the Messenger is truthful in conveying the Qur'an, but I refuse to commit to the action out of arrogance, or envy for the Messenger, or tribalism for my religion, or hatred for what the Messenger brought.’ This is a disbeliever by consensus. Indeed, when Iblis left the prostration he was commanded to perform, he was not a denier of the obligation, for Allah addressed him directly; rather, he refused and was arrogant, and he was among the disbelievers. And likewise Abu Talib—and this is the point of reference—Abu Talib was affirming the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) in what was conveyed to him, but he feared following him out of tribalism for his religion, fear of the disgrace of submission, and arrogance that his head would be raised above others. So this is something one should be alert to.” Etc. This is the speech of the Shaykh al-Islam. So what is your comment? May Allah reward you and increase you in knowledge and understanding.
The Shaykh : May Allah reward you with good. First, I think my speech recently was arguing, as is the principle, with the Book and the Sunnah. You are now using the military system in use: “Stay in your position.” You did not bring anything but the verse about which the discussion took place between you and me, which is the saying of Musa to Pharaoh: “You know.” And remember what took place between you and me: that “you know” means “you recognize.” I would have liked to be granted a verse or an authentic hadith that clarifies that tashdiq (affirmation) is incompatible with iman (faith) and is not synonymous with it, just as we agreed regarding ma'rifah (knowledge).
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And we said frankly and clearly, without any disagreement, that everyone who is a believer is a knower, and not the reverse. So I disagreed with you: is it agreed that everyone who is a believer is an affirmer? Is everyone who is an affirmer a believer, or not? This is the point of disagreement between you and me, is it not?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Okay, now where is the binding legal evidence from the Book and the Sunnah that tashdiq (affirmation) is sometimes incompatible with iman (faith), sometimes incompatible, and sometimes coincides, as we said regarding ma'rifah (knowledge)? This is something that, up to now, I say I have not heard anything new except that Imam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) uses tashdiq in what I understand as the opposite of iman. Perhaps you remember; I do not say in the opposite of iman, but I want to say in the meaning of iman. So I say that Ibn Taymiyyah in this speech uses tashdiq in what I understand as the meaning of iman. And perhaps you remember that we recently brought a verse:[As-Saf 61:6] So we agreed that tashdiq here is exactly in the meaning of iman. And I would have liked to be granted from you a proof from the Book or the Sunnah that clarifies for me something new that I was unaware of in all that has passed, which is that tashdiq may come in the meaning of ma'rifah (knowledge) without iman (faith). So I say now, in the speech of Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him), I have not found that he uses tashdiq in the meaning that you explained recently, the summary of which is that the affirmer may not be a believer. So I say now, delete the word tashdiq in all of Ibn Taymiyyah's speech and put the word iman. Does the speech become disturbedThe Shaykh : with this verbal modification, or does it stand correct?
The questioner : And likewise Abu Talib was a believer
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : in the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) when it was conveyed to him, but he left following him out of tribalism for his religion.
The Shaykh : What is your opinion? Did the meaning stand correct?
The questioner : The meaning did not stand correct in the technical meaning of iman (faith).
The Shaykh : Why?
The questioner : For me to say that Abu Talib, and likewise Abu Talib was a believer, means that he came with the belief of the heart, the speech of the tongue, and the work of the heart as well. But I now remembered a noble verse,
The Shaykh : Please go ahead.
The questioner : which is His saying, the Exalted:[An-Naml 27:14]
The Shaykh: Okay
The questioner : So there is no doubt that certainty is a higher rank than the rank of affirmation, and by the argument of the stronger case, as the scholars say, my speech stands correct, as I think, very much.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner: So what is your opinion?
The Shaykh : My opinion is that what has settled in your heart as certainty is iman (faith), but this iman was removed by the many invalidators that we agree upon.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Among them is arrogance, which is the cause of Iblis's disbelief, and among them is denial, and among them... and so on.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : This is what I see. So the attributes that came in the speech of Ibn Taymiyyah exactly do not contradict the iman (faith) that is destroyed by any of those causes that destroy affirmation. So I do not see a difference between tashdiq (affirmation) and iman (faith) as long as there is now before us a single verse, which is the verse: And I do not think, and I do not know, perhaps you searched and did not find, or did not search and did not find. If we tracked the word tashdiq in the verses where it is mentioned, do we find it in the meaning of iman (faith) or in a meaning other than iman (faith) as you want to say? And what do you see now without returning to those verses that contain the word sidq (truth) and the word tashdiq? What comes to your mind now? And it is possible now, in a very quick way, to open the Noble Qur'an to some verses that contain the word sidq and what is derived from it, okay? Do we find in them this distinction that you are singing about?
The questioner : I promise you that I will search for the material of tashdiq in the Book of Allah.
The Shaykh : How?
The questioner : I promise you that I will search for the material of tashdiq.
The Shaykh : Good.
The questioner : In the texts of the Book and the Sunnah, and I will return to you, if Allah wills, with what I have reached.
The Shaykh : This is the straight path.
The questioner: May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : And may Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : Please go ahead.
The questioner : The Shaykh al-Islam used to speak about the disbelief of obstinacy, and that Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, may punish the obstinate one, who is the one who acknowledges the truth outwardly and inwardly, yet does not submit to it out of hatred, arrogance, and mockery. I say that the Shaykh al-Islam was speaking about a secret among the secrets of Allah in His creation, that Allah may punish this obstinate one by causing his heart to deviate and become misguided. He said in his explanation of the al-Asfahani Creed:
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : The page is one hundred and twenty-three.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : “Then, if these people do not follow the affirmation with what it necessitates of the work of the heart and tongue and other things, it may be that their hearts are sealed until the affirmation departs from them, as Allah the Exalted said:
And [mention, O Muhammad], when Moses said to his people, "O my people, why do you harm me while you certainly know that I am the messenger of Allah to you?" And when they deviated, Allah caused their hearts to deviate. And Allah does not guide the defiantly disobedient people.
وَإِذْ قَالَ مُوسَى لِقَوْمِهِ يَا قَوْمِ لِمَ تُؤْذُونَنِي وَقَدْ تَعْلَمُونَ أَنِّي رَسُولُ اللهِ إِلَيْكُمْ فَلَمَّا زَاغُوا أَزَاغَ اللهُ قُلُوبَهُمْ وَاللهُ لَا يَهْدِي القَوْمَ الفَاسِقِينَHe also said in al-Sarim al-Maslul, where he clarifies the disbelief of denial and the disbelief of obstinacy, saying: “If the servant commits a sin while believing that Allah has forbidden it, and believing his submission to Allah in what He has forbidden and obligated, then he is not a disbeliever. But if he believes that Allah has not forbidden it, or that He has forbidden it but he refuses to accept this prohibition and refuses to submit to Allah and obey Him, then he is either a denier or an obstinate one. For this reason, they said: ‘Whoever disobeys Allah in arrogance, like Iblis, is a disbeliever by consensus, and whoever disobeys out of desire is not a disbeliever according to the people of the Sunnah, but only the Khawarij declare him a disbeliever. Indeed, the disobedient one who is arrogant, even if he affirms that Allah is his Lord, his obstinacy and opposition to Him are incompatible with this affirmation.’” Until he said: “Its reality is disbelief, because he acknowledges to Allah and His Messenger everything they informed about, and he affirms everything the believers affirm, but he hates it, dislikes it, and is angry at it because it does not conform to his desire and his lust. He says: ‘I do not acknowledge it, I do not commit to it, I hate this truth, and I abhor it.’ This is a type different from the first type, and declaring this type a disbeliever is known by necessity from the religion of Islam, and the Qur'an is full of declaring this type a disbeliever.” And he said in Majmu' al-Fatawa, where he also speaks about the disbelief of obstinacy and also about the one who leaves the pillars of Islam, saying: “The second is that he does not deny their obligation, meaning the four pillars and foundations of Islam, but he refuses to commit to performing them out of arrogance, envy, or hatred for Allah and His Messenger. He says: ‘I know that Allah has obligated them upon the Muslims, and the Messenger is truthful in conveying the Qur'an, but I refuse to commit to the action out of arrogance, or envy for the Messenger, or tribalism for my religion, or hatred for what the Messenger brought.’ This is a disbeliever by consensus. Indeed, when Iblis left the prostration he was commanded to perform, he was not a denier of the obligation, for Allah addressed him directly; rather, he refused and was arrogant, and he was among the disbelievers. And likewise Abu Talib—and this is the point of reference—Abu Talib was affirming the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) in what was conveyed to him, but he feared following him out of tribalism for his religion, fear of the disgrace of submission, and arrogance that his head would be raised above others. So this is something one should be alert to.” Etc. This is the speech of the Shaykh al-Islam. So what is your comment? May Allah reward you and increase you in knowledge and understanding.
The Shaykh : May Allah reward you with good. First, I think my speech recently was arguing, as is the principle, with the Book and the Sunnah. You are now using the military system in use: “Stay in your position.” You did not bring anything but the verse about which the discussion took place between you and me, which is the saying of Musa to Pharaoh: “You know.” And remember what took place between you and me: that “you know” means “you recognize.” I would have liked to be granted a verse or an authentic hadith that clarifies that tashdiq (affirmation) is incompatible with iman (faith) and is not synonymous with it, just as we agreed regarding ma'rifah (knowledge).
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And we said frankly and clearly, without any disagreement, that everyone who is a believer is a knower, and not the reverse. So I disagreed with you: is it agreed that everyone who is a believer is an affirmer? Is everyone who is an affirmer a believer, or not? This is the point of disagreement between you and me, is it not?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Okay, now where is the binding legal evidence from the Book and the Sunnah that tashdiq (affirmation) is sometimes incompatible with iman (faith), sometimes incompatible, and sometimes coincides, as we said regarding ma'rifah (knowledge)? This is something that, up to now, I say I have not heard anything new except that Imam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) uses tashdiq in what I understand as the opposite of iman. Perhaps you remember; I do not say in the opposite of iman, but I want to say in the meaning of iman. So I say that Ibn Taymiyyah in this speech uses tashdiq in what I understand as the meaning of iman. And perhaps you remember that we recently brought a verse:
and bringing good tidings of a messenger to come after me, whose name is Ahmad.
ومُبشرا بِرَسُولٍ يَأْتِي مِنْ بَعْدِي اسْمُهُ أَحْمَدُThe questioner : And likewise Abu Talib was a believer
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : in the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) when it was conveyed to him, but he left following him out of tribalism for his religion.
The Shaykh : What is your opinion? Did the meaning stand correct?
The questioner : The meaning did not stand correct in the technical meaning of iman (faith).
The Shaykh : Why?
The questioner : For me to say that Abu Talib, and likewise Abu Talib was a believer, means that he came with the belief of the heart, the speech of the tongue, and the work of the heart as well. But I now remembered a noble verse,
The Shaykh : Please go ahead.
The questioner : which is His saying, the Exalted:
And they rejected them, while their [inner] selves were convinced thereof, out of injustice and haughtiness
وَجَحَدُوا بِهَا وَاسْتَيْقَنَتْهَا أَنْفُسُهُمْ ظُلْمًا وَعُلُوًّاThe Shaykh: Okay
The questioner : So there is no doubt that certainty is a higher rank than the rank of affirmation, and by the argument of the stronger case, as the scholars say, my speech stands correct, as I think, very much.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner: So what is your opinion?
The Shaykh : My opinion is that what has settled in your heart as certainty is iman (faith), but this iman was removed by the many invalidators that we agree upon.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Among them is arrogance, which is the cause of Iblis's disbelief, and among them is denial, and among them... and so on.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : This is what I see. So the attributes that came in the speech of Ibn Taymiyyah exactly do not contradict the iman (faith) that is destroyed by any of those causes that destroy affirmation. So I do not see a difference between tashdiq (affirmation) and iman (faith) as long as there is now before us a single verse, which is the verse:
and confirming
ومصدقاThe questioner : I promise you that I will search for the material of tashdiq in the Book of Allah.
The Shaykh : How?
The questioner : I promise you that I will search for the material of tashdiq.
The Shaykh : Good.
The questioner : In the texts of the Book and the Sunnah, and I will return to you, if Allah wills, with what I have reached.
The Shaykh : This is the straight path.
The questioner: May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : And may Allah reward you with good.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.