Does one who interprets the attribute of mercy as a figure of speech become a disbeliever?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : One who interprets something like mercy...
The Shaykh : This does not make him a disbeliever. One who interprets mercy to mean excellence in worship or the intention of excellence in worship does not become a disbeliever. First, Allah named mercy as a created thing in His statement regarding Paradise:Sahih Muslim 2846a and He named rain as mercy [Ar-Rum 30:50] even though it is a created thing. So the important point is that if the figurative interpretation has a basis in the Arabic language, its proponent does not become a disbeliever.
The questioner : Is this not a denial of the truth?
The Shaykh : No, it is not a denial of the truth as long as the wording allows for it in the Arabic language, and the Qur'an was revealed in the Arabic language. But if he says: "Allah did not rise above the Throne," that is a denial of the truth. So if he says: "He rose, but it means He took control," we look to see if it has a basis in the Arabic language or not?
The questioner : Meaning, any figurative interpretation that is acceptable in the language?
The Shaykh : Any figurative interpretation that is acceptable in the language, then whoever follows it does not lead to disbelief, and that which has no basis in the language is disbelief.
The Shaykh : This does not make him a disbeliever. One who interprets mercy to mean excellence in worship or the intention of excellence in worship does not become a disbeliever. First, Allah named mercy as a created thing in His statement regarding Paradise:
You are only My Mercy by means of which 1 shall show mercy to those whom I wish
أنت رحمتي أرحم بك من أشاءSo observe the effects of the mercy of Allah - how He gives life to the earth after its lifelessness
فانظر إلى آثار رحمة الله كيف يحيي الله الأرض بعد موتهاThe questioner : Is this not a denial of the truth?
The Shaykh : No, it is not a denial of the truth as long as the wording allows for it in the Arabic language, and the Qur'an was revealed in the Arabic language. But if he says: "Allah did not rise above the Throne," that is a denial of the truth. So if he says: "He rose, but it means He took control," we look to see if it has a basis in the Arabic language or not?
The questioner : Meaning, any figurative interpretation that is acceptable in the language?
The Shaykh : Any figurative interpretation that is acceptable in the language, then whoever follows it does not lead to disbelief, and that which has no basis in the language is disbelief.