What is the meaning of "al-ibarah" among the Asha'irah and "al-hikayah" among the Kalbites, and the difference between them?
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The questioner : Shaykh, what is the difference between "al-ibarah" and "al-hikayah"?
The Shaykh : Yes, "al-ibarah" means that Allah created this to express what is in His essence, while "al-hikayah" means that it is as if it did not reach what is in the essence of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), but it was narrated, just as it is said that so-and-so narrates so-and-so, meaning he imitates him, as if this heard thing narrates what is in the essence of Allah (Mighty and Majestic). The difference between them is very precise; the difference is precise, but "al-ibarah" is further from being the speech of Allah than the claim that it is "al-hikayah"; "al-hikayah" is closer, but all of these are false statements. Yes? Hmm?
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : I say "al-ibarah," hmm?
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : The three? Okay, the three statements.
First: the statement of the Mu'tazilah. They say: The Qur'an is truly the speech of Allah, but it is created, and it is attributed to Allah as a created thing is attributed to its Creator, just as the House of Allah is attributed to Allah and it is created, and the she-camel of Allah is attributed to Allah and it is created.
The Asha'irah say: No, this mushaf is not the speech of Allah, but it is an expression of it, and everyone agreed on what? That it is created. The Mu'tazilah say it is created, and the Asha'irah say it is created, which is the Qur'an. The Kalbites also say that it is created, and it is not the speech of Allah, but it is a narration of it, and all of these are false statements.
Yes, okay. The author (may Allah have mercy on him) says:
"This, and the reciters are not workers by it *** For they were content with the saying of so-and-so"
Meaning: These who recite the Book and describe it as created, if only they had limited themselves to this, but rather they do not act upon it, but they act upon the saying of so-and-so and so-and-so, so they committed two sins against it: first, in its origin, and second, in its application. He says:
"If it has passed through their throats *** Then only by the amount they understood of the Qur'an"
Meaning: If the Qur'an has passed through their throats, then only what they understood of the Qur'an passes through their throats, meaning: as for acting upon it, no, it does not reach them. So they resemble in some respects whom? The Khawarij. In fact, it passed us in the words of Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) that they are more severe than the Khawarij, because the Khawarij only declare disbelievers those who commit major sins, while the people of ta'til (denial of the divine attributes) declare disbelievers those who follow the Sunnah. They say that all those who affirm [the attributes] are disbelievers. It also passed us in this same chapter that they consider their blood and killing them permissible. So Ibn al-Qayyim says: The Khawarij are less severe than you, because the Khawarij do not declare disbelievers except the people of major sins, while you declare disbelievers the people of tawhid (the oneness of Allah) and faith. And secondly: the Khawarij only rebelled against those who disobeyed Allah.
The Shaykh : Yes, "al-ibarah" means that Allah created this to express what is in His essence, while "al-hikayah" means that it is as if it did not reach what is in the essence of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), but it was narrated, just as it is said that so-and-so narrates so-and-so, meaning he imitates him, as if this heard thing narrates what is in the essence of Allah (Mighty and Majestic). The difference between them is very precise; the difference is precise, but "al-ibarah" is further from being the speech of Allah than the claim that it is "al-hikayah"; "al-hikayah" is closer, but all of these are false statements. Yes? Hmm?
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : I say "al-ibarah," hmm?
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : The three? Okay, the three statements.
First: the statement of the Mu'tazilah. They say: The Qur'an is truly the speech of Allah, but it is created, and it is attributed to Allah as a created thing is attributed to its Creator, just as the House of Allah is attributed to Allah and it is created, and the she-camel of Allah is attributed to Allah and it is created.
The Asha'irah say: No, this mushaf is not the speech of Allah, but it is an expression of it, and everyone agreed on what? That it is created. The Mu'tazilah say it is created, and the Asha'irah say it is created, which is the Qur'an. The Kalbites also say that it is created, and it is not the speech of Allah, but it is a narration of it, and all of these are false statements.
Yes, okay. The author (may Allah have mercy on him) says:
"This, and the reciters are not workers by it *** For they were content with the saying of so-and-so"
Meaning: These who recite the Book and describe it as created, if only they had limited themselves to this, but rather they do not act upon it, but they act upon the saying of so-and-so and so-and-so, so they committed two sins against it: first, in its origin, and second, in its application. He says:
"If it has passed through their throats *** Then only by the amount they understood of the Qur'an"
Meaning: If the Qur'an has passed through their throats, then only what they understood of the Qur'an passes through their throats, meaning: as for acting upon it, no, it does not reach them. So they resemble in some respects whom? The Khawarij. In fact, it passed us in the words of Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) that they are more severe than the Khawarij, because the Khawarij only declare disbelievers those who commit major sins, while the people of ta'til (denial of the divine attributes) declare disbelievers those who follow the Sunnah. They say that all those who affirm [the attributes] are disbelievers. It also passed us in this same chapter that they consider their blood and killing them permissible. So Ibn al-Qayyim says: The Khawarij are less severe than you, because the Khawarij do not declare disbelievers except the people of major sins, while you declare disbelievers the people of tawhid (the oneness of Allah) and faith. And secondly: the Khawarij only rebelled against those who disobeyed Allah.