The People of the Sunnah accepted the texts with acceptance, whereas the people of ta'til (denial of the divine attributes) received them with denial, distortion, and tafwid (delegation of meaning), and its meaning is: Likewise, we accepted the texts of our Prophet***
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The Shaykh :"Likewise, we accepted the texts of our Prophet *** with acceptance of the truth and submission"
This means we accepted the texts with acceptance without rejection, and with submission through complete obedience to them, believing in their reports and acting upon their rulings
"without distortion, denial, or *** tafwid (delegation of meaning) by one who is ignorant without knowledge"
These are three paths that the people of bid'ah (religious innovation) follow: distortion, where they distort words from their proper places. For example, they say the meaning of the saying of Allah the Exalted: And they say the meaning of the saying of Allah the Exalted: [Al-Ma'idah 5:64] "But rather, His two hands are open" is distortion. He says: "and no denial", meaning negation. The one who distorts is a denier of the intended meaning while claiming another, so he has combined two things: denying the intended meaning and claiming the unintended meaning. Do you understand? For example, he says: [Al-Ma'idah 5:64] "The intended meaning is not the actual hands, but the two blessings." Look now, he denied the first meaning and claimed another meaning, so he combined two things, neither of which is acceptable. Good.
"and no tafwid (delegation of meaning)". And what do you know about tafwid (delegation of meaning)? The tafwid (delegation of meaning) that the ignorant claimed to be the methodology of the Salaf. They said: The methodology of the Salaf, or rather, they first said that the People of the Sunnah divided into two groups: those who interpret figuratively (mu'awwilah) and those who delegate (mufawwidah). The mu'awwilah means the distorters, and the mufawwidah means those who, when asked what is the meaning of the saying of Allah:, said "Allah knows best." What is the meaning of [Sad 38:75]? They said "Allah knows best." What is the meaning of ? "Allah knows best." What is the meaning of Mishkat al-Masabih 2601? "Allah knows best." The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: . So if you asked him, he would say "Allah knows best."
According to the people of tafwid (delegation of meaning), the prophets speak with words from the attributes of Allah without knowing their meaning. Glory be to Allah! Does any sane person speak with words whose meaning he does not know? Answer me, people! Never. They believe that the prophets, regarding the attributes, speak with words whose meaning they do not know. They say that even the Messenger does not know the meaning of what he says. These mufawwidah (those who delegate) claimed, in ignorance, that this is the methodology of the Salaf. But Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said in his book *Dar' Ta'arud al-'Aql wa al-Naql* (Repelling the Conflict Between Reason and Revelation): "The saying of the people of tafwid (delegation of meaning) is among the worst of the sayings of the people of bid'ah (religious innovation) and atheism". Among the worst of their sayings! How can one claim it is the methodology of the Salaf? And he said: "This is the methodology that opened the doors for the philosophers and the atheists". Because the philosophers and the atheists ascribe meanings to the texts, but according to their desires. And the one who ascribes a meaning is better than the illiterate who does not know the meaning. Yes, because if you ask one person, "What is the meaning?" and he says, "I don't know," and you ask another, "What is the meaning?" and he says, "The meaning is such and such," this one has more knowledge than the other, even if it may be knowledge based on falsehood. But the speech that gives life to the words is better than the one who does not know what it is. The important thing is that these people of ta'til (denial of the divine attributes), these opponents of the methodology of the Salaf, deal with the texts in this manner: distortion, denial, and tafwid (delegation of meaning). And for this reason he said: "tafwid (delegation of meaning) by one who is ignorant without knowledge"[Al-Baqarah 2:78].
This means we accepted the texts with acceptance without rejection, and with submission through complete obedience to them, believing in their reports and acting upon their rulings
"without distortion, denial, or *** tafwid (delegation of meaning) by one who is ignorant without knowledge"
These are three paths that the people of bid'ah (religious innovation) follow: distortion, where they distort words from their proper places. For example, they say the meaning of the saying of Allah the Exalted:
Then He rose above the Throne
ثم استوى على العرشRather, both His hands are extended
بل يداه مبسوطتانRather, both His hands are extended
بل يداه مبسوطتان"and no tafwid (delegation of meaning)". And what do you know about tafwid (delegation of meaning)? The tafwid (delegation of meaning) that the ignorant claimed to be the methodology of the Salaf. They said: The methodology of the Salaf, or rather, they first said that the People of the Sunnah divided into two groups: those who interpret figuratively (mu'awwilah) and those who delegate (mufawwidah). The mu'awwilah means the distorters, and the mufawwidah means those who, when asked what is the meaning of the saying of Allah:
He settled upon the Throne
استوى على العرشto that which I created with My hands
لما خلقت بيديAnd the Face of your Lord will remain
ويبقى وجه ربكdescends to the lowest heaven
ينزل إلى السماء الدنياOur Lord descends to the lowest heaven
ينزل ربنا إلى السماء الدنياAccording to the people of tafwid (delegation of meaning), the prophets speak with words from the attributes of Allah without knowing their meaning. Glory be to Allah! Does any sane person speak with words whose meaning he does not know? Answer me, people! Never. They believe that the prophets, regarding the attributes, speak with words whose meaning they do not know. They say that even the Messenger does not know the meaning of what he says. These mufawwidah (those who delegate) claimed, in ignorance, that this is the methodology of the Salaf. But Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said in his book *Dar' Ta'arud al-'Aql wa al-Naql* (Repelling the Conflict Between Reason and Revelation): "The saying of the people of tafwid (delegation of meaning) is among the worst of the sayings of the people of bid'ah (religious innovation) and atheism". Among the worst of their sayings! How can one claim it is the methodology of the Salaf? And he said: "This is the methodology that opened the doors for the philosophers and the atheists". Because the philosophers and the atheists ascribe meanings to the texts, but according to their desires. And the one who ascribes a meaning is better than the illiterate who does not know the meaning. Yes, because if you ask one person, "What is the meaning?" and he says, "I don't know," and you ask another, "What is the meaning?" and he says, "The meaning is such and such," this one has more knowledge than the other, even if it may be knowledge based on falsehood. But the speech that gives life to the words is better than the one who does not know what it is. The important thing is that these people of ta'til (denial of the divine attributes), these opponents of the methodology of the Salaf, deal with the texts in this manner: distortion, denial, and tafwid (delegation of meaning). And for this reason he said: "tafwid (delegation of meaning) by one who is ignorant without knowledge"