Explanation of the author's statement: ". . The fifth aspect: that these later generations who this fool preferred their method in knowledge and wisdom over the method of the Salaf were
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The Shaykh :"The fifth aspect is that these - and this is one of the strongest, the fifth aspect - that these later generations who this fool preferred their method in knowledge and wisdom over the method of the Salaf were bewildered and disturbed", by Allah, does the bewildered and disturbed one who does not know where he is, does he have knowledge?
The student: No.
The Shaykh : He does not have knowledge; if he had knowledge, he would not be bewildered or disturbed, and he would not say today one thing and tomorrow another, saying today "this intellect necessitates such and such" and tomorrow "the intellect forbids such and such and prevents it." This is disturbance. And his remaining bewildered, may Allah grant us safety and well-being, can we say this is more knowledgeable than a man who is certain, who believes in Allah and His names and attributes with true faith? No, it is not possible. This is impossible. We say, praise be to Allah, now you and I are weighing with the straight balance. Look at the state of the righteous Salaf: do they have bewilderment? Do they have disturbance in the names of Allah and His attributes, or is it one method? It is one method built on faith and certainty. And their method is bewilderment and doubt, until some of them say: "Most people are in doubt at death, the people of kalam", refuge with Allah. Doubt, bewilderment, and anxiety befall them because faith did not enter their hearts. And if faith does not enter the heart, its owner is in the greatest need of it, and that is at death. May Allah grant... a good ending. He says: "that these later generations who this fool preferred their method in knowledge and wisdom over the method of the Salaf were bewildered and disturbed because of" Look at the cause of their bewilderment: "because of their turning away from what Allah sent Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) with of clear proofs and guidance". This is the cause. They did not go to take the names of Allah and His attributes from what the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) was sent with. Where did they take them from? They sought them. He says: "and their seeking knowledge of knowing Allah from one who does not know Him, and their seeking knowledge of knowing Allah from one who does not know Him". And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) knows Allah by His names and attributes, and his successors and the imams of his community likewise. Take the knowledge of Allah by His names and attributes from the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger. Do not take it from what so-and-so said and so-and-so said from these who do not know Allah by their own admissions. Yes, I believe that if a man came to a blind person who had not left the town and said, "Get up, show me the way to Makkah," would that be correct? No. A man came to a blind person who had not left the town and said, "May Allah reward you with good, I want you to show me the way to Makkah." Is this acceptable or not?
The student: He and he would be lost.
The Shaykh : It is not acceptable. But if he came to a man who sees the roads, who is knowledgeable and hesitant, and said to him, "The way to Makkah: leave this town, and when you reach such and such, go right or left," and so on until he explained it to him as if he had walked with him, which one is more deserving of you seeking the knowledge of Makkah, the way to Makkah, from him? The student: ...
The Shaykh : The latter, without a doubt. Yes, this says: "You want to know Allah from one who does not know Him by his own admission and the testimony of the community against him, until al-Razi, who is one of their leaders". One of the leaders of the people of kalam. Al-Razi is known as al-Fakhr al-Razi, Fakhr al-Din al-Razi. He is one of the imams of the mutakallimun. He says: "clarifying what their matter ends up to: The end of the advance of the intellects is a halt". And if its end is a halt that binds him, then he is finished; he does not move right or left. This is the end of the advance of the intellects. The person who wants to know Allah by his intellect ends up standing bewildered, as long as our seeing of the sky[Al-Mulk 67:3-4] is something known by sense, yet it cannot be comprehended. How can the Lord, Mighty and Majestic, be comprehended by the reasoning of the intellects? It is not possible. He says:
"And most of the striving of the scholars is misguidance". Most of the striving of the scholars who are on his path, most of their striving is misguidance. "And our souls are in loneliness from our bodies". Yes, what do you think of a man whose soul is lonely from his body? Yes, it is lonely from him, or is it not lonely? A fortiori.
"And the end of our worldly life is harm and calamity". I seek refuge in Allah.
"And we have not benefited from our research for the length of our lives except that we have gathered therein 'they said' and 'they said'"
This is a good result. Yes, they did not reach certainty. All their research throughout their lives, all the research, so-and-so said and so-and-so ibn so-and-so said and so-and-so said, and so-and-so refuted, and so on. Debate and shaking and a vortex that does not reach certainty. How easy is the path of the Book and the Sunnah! The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) What does he do? A simple word that nowadays they might write volumes on, and they would not reach even half of its explanation and clarity. So all of them, all their speech is "they said" and "they said." And if you return to their books, it becomes clear to you that the poor ones are not on anything.
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : Listen, listen. Listen to another statement. He says, "I have considered." Al-Razi: "I have considered the verbal paths and the philosophical methodologies, and I did not see them to cure an ailment or quench a thirst". He is a man of... knowledge of kalam and philosophy. He says: "I have considered the verbal paths" all of them, "and the philosophical methodologies", which means the paths, but it is a difference in wording. "And I did not see them to cure an ailment", meaning from his illness, "or quench a thirst" from his thirst. What is their benefit? There is no benefit from them as long as they do not cure diseases or quench thirst, so there is no benefit from them. Look, now he transitions: "And I saw the closest of the paths to be the path of the Qur'an. I read in affirmation[Taha 20:5] So I affirm, what is the rising above the Throne? [Fatir 35:10] So I affirm the elevation. And I read in negation [Ash-Shuraa 42:11] So I affirm, I negate likeness, [Taha 20:110]" So I negate asking how, is that clear? And this is a sound method. [Taha 20:5] Yes. [Fatir 35:10] So where is this Throne? Above, above everything. [Fatir 35:10] Evidence of His exaltation, Blessed and Exalted is He. I affirm that Allah is established above His Throne, elevated by His essence above His creation. Is this rising above known in its modality? No. What is the evidence? [Taha 20:110] [Taha 20:110] Is it similar to our rising above the bed and the beast? No, by His saying [Ash-Shuraa 42:11] Look, meaning four words establish for you this creed that these people went to affirming it and negating it at one time, yes, and suspending in it at another time. But this is a sound method, and so it must be with all the attributes. And do not be repelled, my brother, from what Allah described Himself with. Do not say, "This necessitates such and such, this implies such and such." As long as Allah has affirmed it for Himself and the speech is clear and distinct, do not be repelled from it at all. For this reason, when Allah attributed to Himself what is not befitting Him, He clarified it. In the Qudsi hadith, Allah says to the servant on the Day of Resurrection: Is all this befitting Allah?
The student: No.
The Shaykh : It is not befitting, and for this reason Allah, Mighty and Majestic, clarified it in the same hadith, saying:
The student: ...
The Shaykh :Sahih Muslim 2569 He did not say, "I found that with Me," but rather, "I found Me with him." So there is a difference between this and what came before it. The point is, when the apparent meaning of a hadith is not befitting of Allah, did Allah leave it ambiguous? No, rather, He clarified it. So we take from this that every text that has come regarding the attributes of Allah, for which there was no interpretation from Allah or from His Messenger, is what? It is to be taken at its apparent meaning, in a manner befitting Allah, without asking how and without likening Him to creation.
The student: No.
The Shaykh : He does not have knowledge; if he had knowledge, he would not be bewildered or disturbed, and he would not say today one thing and tomorrow another, saying today "this intellect necessitates such and such" and tomorrow "the intellect forbids such and such and prevents it." This is disturbance. And his remaining bewildered, may Allah grant us safety and well-being, can we say this is more knowledgeable than a man who is certain, who believes in Allah and His names and attributes with true faith? No, it is not possible. This is impossible. We say, praise be to Allah, now you and I are weighing with the straight balance. Look at the state of the righteous Salaf: do they have bewilderment? Do they have disturbance in the names of Allah and His attributes, or is it one method? It is one method built on faith and certainty. And their method is bewilderment and doubt, until some of them say: "Most people are in doubt at death, the people of kalam", refuge with Allah. Doubt, bewilderment, and anxiety befall them because faith did not enter their hearts. And if faith does not enter the heart, its owner is in the greatest need of it, and that is at death. May Allah grant... a good ending. He says: "that these later generations who this fool preferred their method in knowledge and wisdom over the method of the Salaf were bewildered and disturbed because of" Look at the cause of their bewilderment: "because of their turning away from what Allah sent Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) with of clear proofs and guidance". This is the cause. They did not go to take the names of Allah and His attributes from what the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) was sent with. Where did they take them from? They sought them. He says: "and their seeking knowledge of knowing Allah from one who does not know Him, and their seeking knowledge of knowing Allah from one who does not know Him". And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) knows Allah by His names and attributes, and his successors and the imams of his community likewise. Take the knowledge of Allah by His names and attributes from the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger. Do not take it from what so-and-so said and so-and-so said from these who do not know Allah by their own admissions. Yes, I believe that if a man came to a blind person who had not left the town and said, "Get up, show me the way to Makkah," would that be correct? No. A man came to a blind person who had not left the town and said, "May Allah reward you with good, I want you to show me the way to Makkah." Is this acceptable or not?
The student: He and he would be lost.
The Shaykh : It is not acceptable. But if he came to a man who sees the roads, who is knowledgeable and hesitant, and said to him, "The way to Makkah: leave this town, and when you reach such and such, go right or left," and so on until he explained it to him as if he had walked with him, which one is more deserving of you seeking the knowledge of Makkah, the way to Makkah, from him? The student: ...
The Shaykh : The latter, without a doubt. Yes, this says: "You want to know Allah from one who does not know Him by his own admission and the testimony of the community against him, until al-Razi, who is one of their leaders". One of the leaders of the people of kalam. Al-Razi is known as al-Fakhr al-Razi, Fakhr al-Din al-Razi. He is one of the imams of the mutakallimun. He says: "clarifying what their matter ends up to: The end of the advance of the intellects is a halt". And if its end is a halt that binds him, then he is finished; he does not move right or left. This is the end of the advance of the intellects. The person who wants to know Allah by his intellect ends up standing bewildered, as long as our seeing of the sky
So return [your] vision [to the sky]; do you see any breaks? (4) Then return [your] vision twice again. [Your] vision will return to you humbled while it is fatigued.
فارجع البصر هل ترى ممن فطور ثم ارجع البصر كرتين ينقلب إليك البصر خاسئا وهو حسير"And most of the striving of the scholars is misguidance". Most of the striving of the scholars who are on his path, most of their striving is misguidance. "And our souls are in loneliness from our bodies". Yes, what do you think of a man whose soul is lonely from his body? Yes, it is lonely from him, or is it not lonely? A fortiori.
"And the end of our worldly life is harm and calamity". I seek refuge in Allah.
"And we have not benefited from our research for the length of our lives except that we have gathered therein 'they said' and 'they said'"
This is a good result. Yes, they did not reach certainty. All their research throughout their lives, all the research, so-and-so said and so-and-so ibn so-and-so said and so-and-so said, and so-and-so refuted, and so on. Debate and shaking and a vortex that does not reach certainty. How easy is the path of the Book and the Sunnah! The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him)
When the Companions complained to him that they found things in their hearts that they could not speak of, he ordered that when they felt that,
لما شكى إليه الصحابة أنهم يجدون في نفوسهم أشياء لا يستطيعون الكلام بها أمره إذا أحس بذلكHe said, "Let him seek refuge in Allah and let him stop."
قال فليستعذ بالله ولينتهThe questioner : ...
The Shaykh : Listen, listen. Listen to another statement. He says, "I have considered." Al-Razi: "I have considered the verbal paths and the philosophical methodologies, and I did not see them to cure an ailment or quench a thirst". He is a man of... knowledge of kalam and philosophy. He says: "I have considered the verbal paths" all of them, "and the philosophical methodologies", which means the paths, but it is a difference in wording. "And I did not see them to cure an ailment", meaning from his illness, "or quench a thirst" from his thirst. What is their benefit? There is no benefit from them as long as they do not cure diseases or quench thirst, so there is no benefit from them. Look, now he transitions: "And I saw the closest of the paths to be the path of the Qur'an. I read in affirmation
The Most Merciful [who is] above the Throne established.
الرحمن على العرش استوىTo Him ascends good speech
إليه يصعد الكلم الطيبThere is nothing like unto Him
ليس كمثله شيءbut they do not encompass it in knowledge.
ولا يحيطون به علماThe Most Merciful [who is] above the Throne established.
الرحمن على العرش استوىTo Him ascends good speech
إليه يصعد الكلم الطيبTo Him ascends good speech
وإليه يصعد الكلم الطيبbut they do not encompass it in knowledge.
ولا يحيطون به علماbut they do not encompass it in knowledge.
ولا يحيطون به علماThere is nothing like unto Him
ليس كمثله شيءO My servant, I invited you to eat, but you did not feed Me. I invited you to drink, but you did not give Me drink. I was sick, but you did not visit Me.
يا عبدي استطعمتك فلم تطعمني ، استسقيتك فلم تسقني ، مرضت فلم تعدنيThe student: No.
The Shaykh : It is not befitting, and for this reason Allah, Mighty and Majestic, clarified it in the same hadith, saying:
Did you not know that My servant so-and-so invited you to eat, but you did not feed him? Had you fed him, you would have found that with Me. Did you not know that My servant so-and-so invited you to drink, but you did not give him drink? Had you given him drink, you would have found that with Me. Did you not know that My servant so-and-so was sick, but you did not visit him? Did you not know that had he been sick, you would have found Me with him?
أما علمت أن عبدي فلانا استطعمك فلم تطعمه أما إنك لو أطعمته لوجدت ذلك عندي ، أما علمت أن عبدي فلانا استسقاك ولم تسقه أما إنك لو سقيته لوجدت ذلك عندي ، أما علمت أن عبدي فلانا مرض فلم تعده أما علمت أنه لو مرض لوجدتني عندهThe student: ...
The Shaykh :