The Meaning of the Poet's Statement: "As the understanding falls short of..."; and Imam Ahmad's Response to the Verbal Question of Whether the Qur'an is Created or Uncreated
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The Shaykh : He said: "As the understanding falls short of *** The statement of the Great Imam al-Shaybani"
Who is he? Ahmad ibn Hanbal (may Allah have mercy on him).
"Regarding the word, when he negated the two opposites from it ***"
He means he said: Do not say "created" and do not say "uncreated." Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Do not say "my word regarding the Qur'an is created" and do not say "uncreated." So he negated the two opposites from it, and he said: "Whoever says 'my word regarding the Qur'an is created' is a Jahmi, and whoever says 'uncreated' is an innovator" So the meaning or implication of this statement here is: I should not say "created" or "uncreated," because it is problematic. If I say "created," I become a Jahmi. If I say "uncreated," I become an innovator. So I remain silent; I do not say this or that, neither this nor that. He says:
"As the understanding falls short of *** The statement of the Great Imam al-Shaybani
Regarding the word, when he negated the two opposites from it *** And the one with knowledge guided himself to negation
The wording serves as a source, which is our action *** "
He means the word may be intended as the verbal noun, which is our action, meaning: the act of uttering.
"*** Like uttering the recitation of the Qur'an
And likewise, it serves as the very thing spoken of *** and that is the Qur'an "
And in this case, the word means the thing that is uttered
"*** Which is the Qur'an, so these are two possibilities"
So if you say "my word regarding the Qur'an is created," the listener may understand that you intend by "word" the passive participle, and in that case, he takes the view of whom? The Jahmiyyah, because the Jahmiyyah say the thing that is uttered is created. So it is possible for this defective meaning. It is possible for a correct meaning, which is "my utterance of the Qur'an is created," and this is correct. But Imam Ahmad said it is a religious innovation, because the Salaf did not speak in this way. There is no statement from the Companions or the Tabi'un saying "my word regarding the Qur'an is created" or "uncreated." For this reason, he said it is a religious innovation. So do not use it generally. But when detailing, what happens? When detailing, the problem is resolved. So we say to the one who says: What do you intend by your statement "my word regarding the Qur'an is created"? He says: I intend what I uttered. Here?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : No, this is not correct. If he says: I intend by "my word regarding the Qur'an is created" what I uttered, then he is a Jahmi. We do not consider it correct, because its meaning is that he intended the Qur'an. And if he says: I intend by "my word regarding the Qur'an is created" my voice, my utterance of the thing, and my movements, we say: Your statement is correct, but do not use it generally, because if you use it generally, you imply a defective meaning. For this reason, Imam Ahmad prohibited this and this. He said:
"For this reason, Ahmad rejected the general use in *** Negation and affirmation without distinction"
And Allah knows best.
Who is he? Ahmad ibn Hanbal (may Allah have mercy on him).
"Regarding the word, when he negated the two opposites from it ***"
He means he said: Do not say "created" and do not say "uncreated." Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Do not say "my word regarding the Qur'an is created" and do not say "uncreated." So he negated the two opposites from it, and he said: "Whoever says 'my word regarding the Qur'an is created' is a Jahmi, and whoever says 'uncreated' is an innovator" So the meaning or implication of this statement here is: I should not say "created" or "uncreated," because it is problematic. If I say "created," I become a Jahmi. If I say "uncreated," I become an innovator. So I remain silent; I do not say this or that, neither this nor that. He says:
"As the understanding falls short of *** The statement of the Great Imam al-Shaybani
Regarding the word, when he negated the two opposites from it *** And the one with knowledge guided himself to negation
The wording serves as a source, which is our action *** "
He means the word may be intended as the verbal noun, which is our action, meaning: the act of uttering.
"*** Like uttering the recitation of the Qur'an
And likewise, it serves as the very thing spoken of *** and that is the Qur'an "
And in this case, the word means the thing that is uttered
"*** Which is the Qur'an, so these are two possibilities"
So if you say "my word regarding the Qur'an is created," the listener may understand that you intend by "word" the passive participle, and in that case, he takes the view of whom? The Jahmiyyah, because the Jahmiyyah say the thing that is uttered is created. So it is possible for this defective meaning. It is possible for a correct meaning, which is "my utterance of the Qur'an is created," and this is correct. But Imam Ahmad said it is a religious innovation, because the Salaf did not speak in this way. There is no statement from the Companions or the Tabi'un saying "my word regarding the Qur'an is created" or "uncreated." For this reason, he said it is a religious innovation. So do not use it generally. But when detailing, what happens? When detailing, the problem is resolved. So we say to the one who says: What do you intend by your statement "my word regarding the Qur'an is created"? He says: I intend what I uttered. Here?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : No, this is not correct. If he says: I intend by "my word regarding the Qur'an is created" what I uttered, then he is a Jahmi. We do not consider it correct, because its meaning is that he intended the Qur'an. And if he says: I intend by "my word regarding the Qur'an is created" my voice, my utterance of the thing, and my movements, we say: Your statement is correct, but do not use it generally, because if you use it generally, you imply a defective meaning. For this reason, Imam Ahmad prohibited this and this. He said:
"For this reason, Ahmad rejected the general use in *** Negation and affirmation without distinction"
And Allah knows best.