Explanation of the author's statement: ". . . . This, and some of the fools have said: The way of the Salaf is safer, and the way of the Khalaf is more knowledgeable and wiser.
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The Shaykh :"This, and some of the fools have said", a good word, "some of the fools." You see this expression is from the expression of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah. This book is a summary or abridgment of the fatwa. "Some of the fools," and "the fool"—who is the fool?
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : The one who does not know is a fool. It is either in the sense of being affected by the matter, or in the sense that he is absent, hidden from matters, not knowing the matters.
"Some of the fools said: The way of the Salaf is safer, and the way of the Khalaf is more knowledgeable and wiser". Look at the difference. If you read it, you would say, "By Allah, this is a well-crafted, good expression." The way of the Salaf is safer, praise be to Allah for safety. But when it comes to the way of the Khalaf being more knowledgeable and wiser, that is a problem. It means that the way of the Salaf contains ignorance and foolishness. Ignorance is the opposite of knowledge, and foolishness is the opposite of wisdom. Yes. What is the origin of this statement? That is, this statement must have its origin. What is the reason that led them to say this unjust, false word? "Its origin is two things: First, the belief of its speaker that Allah does not—look, there is an interjected phrase, leave it— the belief of its speaker that Allah does not, in reality, possess a true attribute indicated by these texts"
The questioner : ... the belief of its speaker, due to the defective doubts he holds, that Allah does not, in reality...
The Shaykh : I told you, leave this interjected phrase... on it. The reason is that the speaker of this statement believes that Allah does not have a true attribute indicated by the texts. He believes that Allah does not have a true hand, that Allah did not truly rise above the Throne, that Allah does not have a true face, that Allah does not have a true eye, and so on. He believes this. The reason he believes this, we say, is "due to the defective doubts he holds". I hope it is clear, if Allah wills, the matter? Keep it in mind. This one who said that the way of the Khalaf is more knowledgeable and wiser, why did he say this? He said, "Because I believe that Allah does not have a true attribute indicated by the texts. I believe that Allah did not truly rise above the Throne. I believe that Allah does not have a true hand. I believe that Allah does not have a true eye. I believe that Allah does not have a true face. Yes, and so on. And he holds this belief. Do you understand? Is this belief true or false? False. Why did he hold this belief? Because he has a defective doubt. He says, "If I affirm these matters, I would be one who ascribes a body to Allah and compares Him to creation. If I affirm these matters, I would be one who ascribes a body to Allah and compares Him to creation. Therefore, I deny these matters, because ascribing a body to Allah and comparing Him to creation is false, and the false necessary consequence indicates the falsity of the necessitated thing. So I do not affirm that." Do you understand the first reason now?
The second origin is "his belief that the way of the Salaf is believing in the mere words of the texts of the attributes without establishing a meaning for them". You see, many of the people of figurative interpretation understand that the school of the Salaf is believing in the mere words without establishing a meaning, without establishing a meaning. He says, "The school of the Salaf says, 'I believe that Allah has a hand.' What is the meaning of the hand? There is nothing. I read and that is it. I believe that Allah rose above the Throne. What is the meaning of 'rose'? I don't know. What is the meaning of 'rose'? They think this is the school of the Salaf. Is this correct? If this were the school of the Salaf, we would agree with them that the school of the Khalaf is more knowledgeable and wiser. Because the school of the Khalaf says, 'I know what the meaning of the hand is? It means grace and power. And I know what the meaning of rising above the Throne is? It means He took possession of it. And I know what the meaning of 'the face of your Lord' is? It means His reward, and so on.' And the one who knows the meaning, or the one who does not know the meaning, which is more knowledgeable? The one who knows is more knowledgeable and wiser. More knowledgeable because he established the meaning, and wiser because he saw that it is not possible that Allah addresses us with words that have no meaning. Addressing with words that have no meaning, is that considered foolishness or wisdom? Foolishness. Therefore, the school of the Khalaf is more knowledgeable and wiser. Look at this false belief about the school of the Salaf. This is not the school of the Salaf. A man stood to address the people, then went up to the pulpit and said, "Alif, Ba, Ta, Tha, Jim, Ha, Kha, Dal, Dhal, Ra, Zay, and peace be upon you." And how is this sermon?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : It is effective. This has no meaning. They say that the speech regarding the names and attributes of Allah among the people of the Sunnah, among the Salaf, is like this. Like Alif, Ba, Ta, Tha, which have no meaning. It is impossible that the Salaf spoke with their meanings at all. This is their opinion of the people of the Salaf, of the Salaf. If they do not believe that Allah has a true attribute to believe in, and they do not believe that the Salaf establish a meaning, what remains of the way of the Khalaf? More knowledgeable and wiser, because they established meanings and did not establish the realities that these people say are false. Therefore, we have now, here?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Let us see now. The words of the author come. They say "safer" because if you ask a person about something he does not know and he says, "I don't know," is he safe or not safe? He is safe. They say, "He does not know what the meaning of these attributes is." So if they say, "By Allah, we do not establish a meaning for them," they are safe. Yes. But he will clarify this error.
The questioner : Shaykh, if he said... the meaning, they are safe... we said "safer" combines knowledge and...
The Shaykh : It comes to us now, it comes to us now. Yes, he says, "So the matter remains." Look, based on these two origins, and I hope you understood them, if Allah wills, good. The origin of the statement preferring the way of the Khalaf over the way of the Salaf in knowledge and wisdom, what is its origin? Two things:
The first thing is that the Khalaf believe that Allah does not have a true attribute. The second thing is that they, the Khalaf, believe that the Salaf do not establish meanings for the texts of the attributes, but they believe in the mere word only. As for the meaning, whether interpreted or in a true sense, they do not believe in it. "So the matter remains revolving between believing in empty words that have no meaning, which is the way of the Salaf in his claim, and establishing for the texts meanings that contradict their apparent indication of affirming attributes for Allah, which is the way of the Khalaf". Establishing for the texts meanings that contradict their apparent indication of affirming attributes of Allah, and this is the way of the Khalaf.
"There is no doubt that establishing the meanings of the texts is more eloquent in knowledge and wisdom than establishing empty words that have no meaning. Thus, this fool preferred the way of the Khalaf in knowledge and wisdom over the way of the Salaf". This page is enough for us, and I hope you memorize it completely. Yes, and strive to focus on these matters, because we are in a time when we fear for ourselves due to the multitude of people of figurative interpretation among us now. The people of figurative interpretation among us now have increased, and they have become confusing, and they have become writing what they call Islamic culture. When they come to the issue of attributes, they fully present the school of the people of figurative interpretation. In our schools now, some institutes that are not affiliated with Imam University present this school. And the student who has not read the school of the Salaf well before, what does he say? The matter becomes confused for him, and he stands either confused, not knowing whether to follow these or those, or he says, "We have nothing to do with you, neither you nor your arguments. We want to read the Qur'an and be silent," or he affirms what these people said and presented of the figurative interpretation, which is in reality distortion.
For this reason, I love for you, students of knowledge, to be eager in this matter and give it due attention, and not to say that this is a matter that has vanished. It is true that in this land, decades ago, we did not have this matter; we did not hear of it or know of it except in the pages of books. But now, we have come to know it in the pages of school textbooks. Yes, therefore, it is obligatory for us to care for this matter so that we understand it and understand the points of those who distorted the texts of the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) from their meanings befitting Allah, ...
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : The one who does not know is a fool. It is either in the sense of being affected by the matter, or in the sense that he is absent, hidden from matters, not knowing the matters.
"Some of the fools said: The way of the Salaf is safer, and the way of the Khalaf is more knowledgeable and wiser". Look at the difference. If you read it, you would say, "By Allah, this is a well-crafted, good expression." The way of the Salaf is safer, praise be to Allah for safety. But when it comes to the way of the Khalaf being more knowledgeable and wiser, that is a problem. It means that the way of the Salaf contains ignorance and foolishness. Ignorance is the opposite of knowledge, and foolishness is the opposite of wisdom. Yes. What is the origin of this statement? That is, this statement must have its origin. What is the reason that led them to say this unjust, false word? "Its origin is two things: First, the belief of its speaker that Allah does not—look, there is an interjected phrase, leave it— the belief of its speaker that Allah does not, in reality, possess a true attribute indicated by these texts"
The questioner : ... the belief of its speaker, due to the defective doubts he holds, that Allah does not, in reality...
The Shaykh : I told you, leave this interjected phrase... on it. The reason is that the speaker of this statement believes that Allah does not have a true attribute indicated by the texts. He believes that Allah does not have a true hand, that Allah did not truly rise above the Throne, that Allah does not have a true face, that Allah does not have a true eye, and so on. He believes this. The reason he believes this, we say, is "due to the defective doubts he holds". I hope it is clear, if Allah wills, the matter? Keep it in mind. This one who said that the way of the Khalaf is more knowledgeable and wiser, why did he say this? He said, "Because I believe that Allah does not have a true attribute indicated by the texts. I believe that Allah did not truly rise above the Throne. I believe that Allah does not have a true hand. I believe that Allah does not have a true eye. I believe that Allah does not have a true face. Yes, and so on. And he holds this belief. Do you understand? Is this belief true or false? False. Why did he hold this belief? Because he has a defective doubt. He says, "If I affirm these matters, I would be one who ascribes a body to Allah and compares Him to creation. If I affirm these matters, I would be one who ascribes a body to Allah and compares Him to creation. Therefore, I deny these matters, because ascribing a body to Allah and comparing Him to creation is false, and the false necessary consequence indicates the falsity of the necessitated thing. So I do not affirm that." Do you understand the first reason now?
The second origin is "his belief that the way of the Salaf is believing in the mere words of the texts of the attributes without establishing a meaning for them". You see, many of the people of figurative interpretation understand that the school of the Salaf is believing in the mere words without establishing a meaning, without establishing a meaning. He says, "The school of the Salaf says, 'I believe that Allah has a hand.' What is the meaning of the hand? There is nothing. I read
His two hands are outstretched
يداه مبسوطتانThe student: ...
The Shaykh : It is effective. This has no meaning. They say that the speech regarding the names and attributes of Allah among the people of the Sunnah, among the Salaf, is like this. Like Alif, Ba, Ta, Tha, which have no meaning. It is impossible that the Salaf spoke with their meanings at all. This is their opinion of the people of the Salaf, of the Salaf. If they do not believe that Allah has a true attribute to believe in, and they do not believe that the Salaf establish a meaning, what remains of the way of the Khalaf? More knowledgeable and wiser, because they established meanings and did not establish the realities that these people say are false. Therefore, we have now, here?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Let us see now. The words of the author come. They say "safer" because if you ask a person about something he does not know and he says, "I don't know," is he safe or not safe? He is safe. They say, "He does not know what the meaning of these attributes is." So if they say, "By Allah, we do not establish a meaning for them," they are safe. Yes. But he will clarify this error.
The questioner : Shaykh, if he said... the meaning, they are safe... we said "safer" combines knowledge and...
The Shaykh : It comes to us now, it comes to us now. Yes, he says, "So the matter remains." Look, based on these two origins, and I hope you understood them, if Allah wills, good. The origin of the statement preferring the way of the Khalaf over the way of the Salaf in knowledge and wisdom, what is its origin? Two things:
The first thing is that the Khalaf believe that Allah does not have a true attribute. The second thing is that they, the Khalaf, believe that the Salaf do not establish meanings for the texts of the attributes, but they believe in the mere word only. As for the meaning, whether interpreted or in a true sense, they do not believe in it. "So the matter remains revolving between believing in empty words that have no meaning, which is the way of the Salaf in his claim, and establishing for the texts meanings that contradict their apparent indication of affirming attributes for Allah, which is the way of the Khalaf". Establishing for the texts meanings that contradict their apparent indication of affirming attributes of Allah, and this is the way of the Khalaf.
"There is no doubt that establishing the meanings of the texts is more eloquent in knowledge and wisdom than establishing empty words that have no meaning. Thus, this fool preferred the way of the Khalaf in knowledge and wisdom over the way of the Salaf". This page is enough for us, and I hope you memorize it completely. Yes, and strive to focus on these matters, because we are in a time when we fear for ourselves due to the multitude of people of figurative interpretation among us now. The people of figurative interpretation among us now have increased, and they have become confusing, and they have become writing what they call Islamic culture. When they come to the issue of attributes, they fully present the school of the people of figurative interpretation. In our schools now, some institutes that are not affiliated with Imam University present this school. And the student who has not read the school of the Salaf well before, what does he say? The matter becomes confused for him, and he stands either confused, not knowing whether to follow these or those, or he says, "We have nothing to do with you, neither you nor your arguments. We want to read the Qur'an and be silent," or he affirms what these people said and presented of the figurative interpretation, which is in reality distortion.
For this reason, I love for you, students of knowledge, to be eager in this matter and give it due attention, and not to say that this is a matter that has vanished. It is true that in this land, decades ago, we did not have this matter; we did not hear of it or know of it except in the pages of books. But now, we have come to know it in the pages of school textbooks. Yes, therefore, it is obligatory for us to care for this matter so that we understand it and understand the points of those who distorted the texts of the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) from their meanings befitting Allah, ...