Chapter: Know that some of the people of figurative interpretation have raised a doubt against the people of the Sunnah regarding texts from the Book and the Sunnah concerning the attributes, claiming that the people of the Sunnah have diverted them from

The Shaykh : For this reason, he said: "Chapter: Know that some of the people of figurative interpretation have raised a doubt against the people of the Sunnah". And when we say "the people of figurative interpretation," we hope that Allah the Exalted will forgive us for this expression, because the correct term is "the people of distortion." For figurative interpretation, in the sense of exegesis, whether it agrees with the apparent meaning or contradicts it, is not blameworthy; rather, it is praiseworthy, and indeed obligatory. But figurative interpretation that has no evidence must be called by the name it deserves, which is what? Distortion. However, we may accommodate some people in the terms they use, out of fear of their aversion. For if you were to say to an Ash'ari, for example, "You are a distorter of the Book and the Sunnah," he would recoil from you and never accept that title. So accommodating people in the terms they use, provided there is no religious prohibition in it, is permissible.
And when we say: "provided there is no religious prohibition in it," we mean that we clarify what they say so that it deserves the appropriate description, which is distortion. He says: "raised a doubt against the people of the Sunnah". "Raised" is in the singular; is the plural permissible? Yes, it is permissible, because the word "some" includes both the individual and the group. "regarding texts from the Book and the Sunnah concerning the attributes, claiming", meaning this group of people, "that the people of the Sunnah have diverted them from their apparent meaning" for one of two reasons: "in order to compel the people of the Sunnah to agree to figurative interpretation", so that the people of the Sunnah would excuse them for their interpretation. For example, they say: "You have interpreted such-and-such, so excuse us when we interpret. You, the people of the Sunnah, have interpreted such-and-such based on evidence you have, so excuse us." Thus, they compel the people of the Sunnah to agree to figurative interpretation. "or to make a truce in it". Making a truce in it means: I remain silent about you, and you remain silent about me, as He the Exalted and Majestic said: , meaning: I remain silent, and we remain silent. It is called "making a truce" (mudāhanah) derived from "fat" (dahn), because fat softens the hard. So when a person makes a truce with another, it is as if he softened toward him and remained silent about his falsehood. "And he said: How do you deny to us the interpretation of what we have interpreted, while you commit the same in what you have interpreted?" This is, in reality, not an argument, but a doubt. For the people of the Sunnah have interpreted what they have interpreted based on evidence from the Shari'ah. And if that is based on evidence from the Shari'ah, then this interpretation, which is diverting the evidence from its apparent meaning, is considered what? Exegesis. It is considered exegesis. For this reason, you will find Ibn Jarir (may Allah have mercy on him), when he wants to interpret a verse, saying: "The statement on the interpretation of the saying of Allah the Exalted", meaning its exegesis.