Explanation of the author's statement: "And the expressions of the Salaf varied in warning against *kalam* and its people, because of the doubts and suspicions it leads to, until the Imam..."
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The Shaykh :"And the expressions of the Salaf varied in warning against *kalam* and its people, because of the doubts and suspicions it leads to, until the Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 'The one who engages in *kalam* will never succeed.'"
I seek refuge in Allah. The one who engages in *kalam* will not succeed, because if we look at the conditions of the *mutakallimun* (theologians), we find that they are in confusion, doubt, and anxiety, and that a person among them dies while still doubting his religion. Some of the Salaf said: "The people who are most in doubt at the time of death are the people of *kalam*". And some of them used to say at the time of his death: "I am dying upon the religion of the old women". The religion of the old women? Why? Because the religion of the old women is based on *fitrah* (innate natural disposition) and submission to the texts. The old woman does not know how to argue, nor does she know how to go and build her creed upon argumentation. She reads the Book and the Sunnah and acts upon them. So they wish they could return to the religion of the old women. But it does not happen for them because of the *fitnah* (trial, discord or temptation) in their hearts.
And some of them also said: "Whoever seeks the science of *kalam* becomes a *zindiq*", meaning: he becomes a *zindiq* (heretic).
Such expressions are sufficient as a warning against it.
And al-Shafi'i said: "My ruling regarding the people of *kalam* is that they should be beaten with palm branches and sandals, and paraded through the tribes and clans, and it should be said: This is the reward for one who abandoned the Book and the Sunnah and turned to the science of *kalam*" (may Allah have mercy on him). And they are deserving of this treatment, because they corrupted the creeds with this *kalam* that they brought, and they claim that they clarified the creeds, but in reality they violated the creeds.
They should be beaten with palm branches and sandals, just as the drinker of *khamr* (intoxicants) was beaten in the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). In addition to that, they should be paraded through the tribes and clans, and it should be said: This is the reward for one who abandoned the Book and the Sunnah and turned to the science of *kalam*. Why? As a *ta'zir* (discretionary punishment) and a warning. A *ta'zir* for them, and a warning for others, because they committed a forbidden matter, why did they not take their creed from the Book and the Sunnah.
I seek refuge in Allah. The one who engages in *kalam* will not succeed, because if we look at the conditions of the *mutakallimun* (theologians), we find that they are in confusion, doubt, and anxiety, and that a person among them dies while still doubting his religion. Some of the Salaf said: "The people who are most in doubt at the time of death are the people of *kalam*". And some of them used to say at the time of his death: "I am dying upon the religion of the old women". The religion of the old women? Why? Because the religion of the old women is based on *fitrah* (innate natural disposition) and submission to the texts. The old woman does not know how to argue, nor does she know how to go and build her creed upon argumentation. She reads the Book and the Sunnah and acts upon them. So they wish they could return to the religion of the old women. But it does not happen for them because of the *fitnah* (trial, discord or temptation) in their hearts.
And some of them also said: "Whoever seeks the science of *kalam* becomes a *zindiq*", meaning: he becomes a *zindiq* (heretic).
Such expressions are sufficient as a warning against it.
And al-Shafi'i said: "My ruling regarding the people of *kalam* is that they should be beaten with palm branches and sandals, and paraded through the tribes and clans, and it should be said: This is the reward for one who abandoned the Book and the Sunnah and turned to the science of *kalam*" (may Allah have mercy on him). And they are deserving of this treatment, because they corrupted the creeds with this *kalam* that they brought, and they claim that they clarified the creeds, but in reality they violated the creeds.
They should be beaten with palm branches and sandals, just as the drinker of *khamr* (intoxicants) was beaten in the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). In addition to that, they should be paraded through the tribes and clans, and it should be said: This is the reward for one who abandoned the Book and the Sunnah and turned to the science of *kalam*. Why? As a *ta'zir* (discretionary punishment) and a warning. A *ta'zir* for them, and a warning for others, because they committed a forbidden matter, why did they not take their creed from the Book and the Sunnah.