If this is established, then the apparent meaning of the texts of the attributes is what comes to mind from them.
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The Shaykh :"If this is established, then the apparent meaning of the texts of the attributes is what comes to mind from them". The phrase "if this is established" or "if this is the case" or similar expressions are frequently found in the speech of scholars. The meaning is not conditional, but rather declarative; that is, if this is proven, meaning it is indeed proven, then such and such follows from it.
The meaning is not that the scholar who spoke or wrote intends to say, "If this is proven, pay attention," because some people in argumentation or debate object and say, for example, "The author says 'if this is proven,' but in his view, it is not proven." However, we say that the author's statement "if this is proven" is declarative, meaning that it is proven. This is frequently found in the speech of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah and Ibn al-Qayyim, and it may pass us by. It may also be found in the speech of others, but one must not be misled by one who confuses the issue and says, "Shaykh al-Islam says 'if this is proven' or 'if this is the case,'" because his intent is declarative, meaning that it was the case and that it is proven. Here, we say "if this is established"; does that mean we have not established it until now? No, the meaning is that we are establishing that this is proven.
"The apparent meaning of the texts of the attributes is what comes to mind from them".
The meaning is not that the scholar who spoke or wrote intends to say, "If this is proven, pay attention," because some people in argumentation or debate object and say, for example, "The author says 'if this is proven,' but in his view, it is not proven." However, we say that the author's statement "if this is proven" is declarative, meaning that it is proven. This is frequently found in the speech of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah and Ibn al-Qayyim, and it may pass us by. It may also be found in the speech of others, but one must not be misled by one who confuses the issue and says, "Shaykh al-Islam says 'if this is proven' or 'if this is the case,'" because his intent is declarative, meaning that it was the case and that it is proven. Here, we say "if this is established"; does that mean we have not established it until now? No, the meaning is that we are establishing that this is proven.
"The apparent meaning of the texts of the attributes is what comes to mind from them".