The Meaning of the Poet's Statement: And it is the answer to the opponent, for by it the claim is completed with sound pillars, but this is the very impossibility, even if the Lord of every tongue were to aid you in it
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The Shaykh : The fourth matter, he said:
"And it is the answer to the opponent, for by it the claim is completed with sound pillars"
The answer to the opponent. Who is the opponent of ta'wil (figurative interpretation)? It is the people of the Sunnah who took the texts at their apparent meaning and did not interpret them figuratively. For example, if they say that the intended meaning of "hand" is the actual hand, we say to them: Answer those who opposed you with ta'wil, where you said that the intended meaning of "hand" is power. We say: Answer their opposition to you and their claim that the intended meaning is the actual hand, because we ask: What prevents the actual hand from being intended? If they bring a preventer, then it is accepted from them at that time. But they cannot bring a preventer that stops the intention of the actual meaning. For this reason, he said:
"But this is the very impossibility, even if the Lord of every tongue were to aid you in it"
What is the impossibility? That they answer the evidence of the opponent.
"And it is the answer to the opponent, for by it the claim is completed with sound pillars"
The answer to the opponent. Who is the opponent of ta'wil (figurative interpretation)? It is the people of the Sunnah who took the texts at their apparent meaning and did not interpret them figuratively. For example, if they say that the intended meaning of "hand" is the actual hand, we say to them: Answer those who opposed you with ta'wil, where you said that the intended meaning of "hand" is power. We say: Answer their opposition to you and their claim that the intended meaning is the actual hand, because we ask: What prevents the actual hand from being intended? If they bring a preventer, then it is accepted from them at that time. But they cannot bring a preventer that stops the intention of the actual meaning. For this reason, he said:
"But this is the very impossibility, even if the Lord of every tongue were to aid you in it"
What is the impossibility? That they answer the evidence of the opponent.