Explanation of the author's statement: "Chapter Twenty-One: That each of the two groups of ta'til (denial of the divine attributes) and tashbih (likening Allah to creation) has combined ta'til and tashbih. The one who denies is the one who negated something of the names of Allah, or His attributes, such as the Jahmiyyah, the Mu'tazilah, the Asha'irah, and their like" (Discussion of Abu al-Hasan al-Ash'ari and his creed)
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The Shaykh : Unless there is something that necessitates the accusative case, in which case it is put in the accusative because it is defective. You say: "I read Chapter Twenty-First." But if it is in the nominative or genitive case, it is with a sukun (stillness), because it is not built (indeclinable).
"That each of the two groups of ta'til (denial of the divine attributes) and tashbih (likening Allah to creation) has combined ta'til and tashbih".
This means, for example, the one who denies (the mu'til) is the one who negated something of the names of Allah and His attributes, whether entirely or partially. We call this person a mu'til (one who denies).
It has passed us that among those who deny (the mu'tilun), some deny the names and attributes, some deny the attributes but not the names, and some deny some attributes and affirm the names and some attributes.
There are three categories. And among them are also deniers (mu'tilun) who are more extreme than this, the extremists, who deny the names and attributes, the names and attributes all together.
Now, among them are extremists who are even more severe, who say: Allah is not described by affirmation or negation, neither by affirmation nor negation. They deny both affirmation and negation. Do you understand? But the well-known ones are those who deny the names and attributes, those who deny the attributes but not the names, and those who deny some attributes.
"The one who denies is the one who negated something of the names of Allah or His attributes, such as the Jahmiyyah, the Mu'tazilah, the Asha'irah, and their like".
The Jahmiyyah are the followers of whom? Jahm ibn Safwan. And the Mu'tazilah are the followers of Wasil ibn 'Ata and 'Amr ibn 'Ubayd. And the Asha'irah are those who claim affiliation; we do not say they are followers of Abu al-Hasan, but those who claim affiliation to Abu al-Hasan al-Ash'ari, and they are not actually among his followers, because Abu al-Hasan al-Ash'ari (may Allah have mercy on him) explicitly stated in his last books that he is upon the madhhab (school of jurisprudence) of Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, and that he affirms the attributes of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), and that he refuted the Mu'tazilah and the deniers (mu'tilun). And this was a return from him from his madhhab that he was upon. Do you understand? Because he was for forty years upon the madhhab of the Mu'tazilah, forty years of his life he was upon the madhhab of the Mu'tazilah, striving for it, defending it, establishing it, and affirming it. Then he had a state of transition, a period of transition from this madhhab to a middle madhhab between the madhhab of the people of the Sunnah and the community and the madhhab of the deniers (mu'tilun). Then his matter settled upon the madhhab of the people of the Sunnah and the community. So he (may Allah have mercy on him) had three stages.
His followers who claim to be his followers were upon his middle madhhab. They took the moderate madhhab and began to say, "This is the madhhab of al-Ash'ari and we are upon it." But in reality, they are claimants, not followers.
Now, and their like, such as the Maturidiyyah and others. That is, the scholars are many in this chapter, or there is much disagreement in this chapter, even among those who claim affiliation to Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him). Among them are Asha'irah, and among them are people who waver between the Asha'irah and the madhhab of the Salaf. But, praise be to Allah, the madhhab of the Salaf is clear and distinct. I say this is the one who denies (the mu'til).
"That each of the two groups of ta'til (denial of the divine attributes) and tashbih (likening Allah to creation) has combined ta'til and tashbih".
This means, for example, the one who denies (the mu'til) is the one who negated something of the names of Allah and His attributes, whether entirely or partially. We call this person a mu'til (one who denies).
It has passed us that among those who deny (the mu'tilun), some deny the names and attributes, some deny the attributes but not the names, and some deny some attributes and affirm the names and some attributes.
There are three categories. And among them are also deniers (mu'tilun) who are more extreme than this, the extremists, who deny the names and attributes, the names and attributes all together.
Now, among them are extremists who are even more severe, who say: Allah is not described by affirmation or negation, neither by affirmation nor negation. They deny both affirmation and negation. Do you understand? But the well-known ones are those who deny the names and attributes, those who deny the attributes but not the names, and those who deny some attributes.
"The one who denies is the one who negated something of the names of Allah or His attributes, such as the Jahmiyyah, the Mu'tazilah, the Asha'irah, and their like".
The Jahmiyyah are the followers of whom? Jahm ibn Safwan. And the Mu'tazilah are the followers of Wasil ibn 'Ata and 'Amr ibn 'Ubayd. And the Asha'irah are those who claim affiliation; we do not say they are followers of Abu al-Hasan, but those who claim affiliation to Abu al-Hasan al-Ash'ari, and they are not actually among his followers, because Abu al-Hasan al-Ash'ari (may Allah have mercy on him) explicitly stated in his last books that he is upon the madhhab (school of jurisprudence) of Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, and that he affirms the attributes of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), and that he refuted the Mu'tazilah and the deniers (mu'tilun). And this was a return from him from his madhhab that he was upon. Do you understand? Because he was for forty years upon the madhhab of the Mu'tazilah, forty years of his life he was upon the madhhab of the Mu'tazilah, striving for it, defending it, establishing it, and affirming it. Then he had a state of transition, a period of transition from this madhhab to a middle madhhab between the madhhab of the people of the Sunnah and the community and the madhhab of the deniers (mu'tilun). Then his matter settled upon the madhhab of the people of the Sunnah and the community. So he (may Allah have mercy on him) had three stages.
His followers who claim to be his followers were upon his middle madhhab. They took the moderate madhhab and began to say, "This is the madhhab of al-Ash'ari and we are upon it." But in reality, they are claimants, not followers.
Now, and their like, such as the Maturidiyyah and others. That is, the scholars are many in this chapter, or there is much disagreement in this chapter, even among those who claim affiliation to Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him). Among them are Asha'irah, and among them are people who waver between the Asha'irah and the madhhab of the Salaf. But, praise be to Allah, the madhhab of the Salaf is clear and distinct. I say this is the one who denies (the mu'til).