What is your opinion regarding one who uses reason to argue for the names and attributes and leaves aside the transmitted texts?
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The Shaykh : Some students of knowledge say that when a matter related to creed and the names and attributes is raised, they resort to arguing with rational proofs and leave aside the texts. When they are told about this, they say that the people of falsehood are not convinced by the texts, even though the gathering contains only students of knowledge. What do you say about this, O our Shaykh?
My opinion in this is that what relates to the names and attributes is from the matters of the unseen, and the matters of the unseen depend on pure report. It is not possible for reason to enter in detail in the chapter of the names and attributes, because Allah the Exalted is not like anything, so He is not measured by His creation. Accordingly, reason perceives in a general way that the Lord must be described with attributes of perfection. This is in a general sense. For this reason, we sometimes argue for the establishment of an attribute for Allah by hearing and reason, and we say our proof is from hearing, from reason, from the Shari'ah, such and such, and from reason, such and such. But the details of that cannot be perceived by reason. For this reason, he errs who relies on reason in the chapter of the names and attributes, until his error leads to the distortion of the Book and the Sunnah for the sake of what he claims is reason, but in reality it is reason, reason. Do you understand? Reason, reason, and not reason. That is, it is reason that is reasoned about, meaning that reason is prevented from what it should be. How can you judge Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) with your limited reason? Is this anything but reasoning about sound reason? For this reason, those who went astray among the people, who are on a level of intelligence and perceptive reason, are as the Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said about them: "They were given understanding but not knowledge, and they were given intelligence but not wisdom". We ask Allah for safety.
For example, if someone says that power is an attribute of perfection, that is known by reason, it is known in the intellect, it is known by reason, so we establish for Allah the attribute of power. But where are we from the many proofs indicating the establishment of power? We first bring the proof from hearing, then we bring the proof from reason, and the proof from reason supports the proof from hearing and testifies to its truth. Yes, sugar, this.
The reader: And blessings and peace be upon the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and his family.
The Shaykh : How do you say "and blessings and peace" and then say "peace and blessings be upon him"? If you first say "and blessings and peace," you do not say "peace and blessings be upon him" in the latter part. Yes.
The reader: He said, may Allah preserve him: "... Allah the Exalted, in detail or in summary, in affirmation or negation. But in that, we rely on the Book of our Lord and the Sunnah of our Prophet, and we follow the path of the Salaf of the Ummah and the Imams of guidance after them, after them. We see the obligation of applying the texts of the Book and the Sunnah to their apparent meaning and carrying them to their true meaning befitting Allah (Mighty and Majestic). And we disavow the path of those who distort them, who turned them away from what Allah and His Messenger intended"
The Shaykh : They turned them away
The reader: "from what Allah and His Messenger intended, and from the path of those who deny them, who denied them of the meaning that Allah and His Messenger intended, and from the path of those who exaggerate in them, who carried them to likening Allah to creation or forced upon their meaning a burdensome interpretation"
My opinion in this is that what relates to the names and attributes is from the matters of the unseen, and the matters of the unseen depend on pure report. It is not possible for reason to enter in detail in the chapter of the names and attributes, because Allah the Exalted is not like anything, so He is not measured by His creation. Accordingly, reason perceives in a general way that the Lord must be described with attributes of perfection. This is in a general sense. For this reason, we sometimes argue for the establishment of an attribute for Allah by hearing and reason, and we say our proof is from hearing, from reason, from the Shari'ah, such and such, and from reason, such and such. But the details of that cannot be perceived by reason. For this reason, he errs who relies on reason in the chapter of the names and attributes, until his error leads to the distortion of the Book and the Sunnah for the sake of what he claims is reason, but in reality it is reason, reason. Do you understand? Reason, reason, and not reason. That is, it is reason that is reasoned about, meaning that reason is prevented from what it should be. How can you judge Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) with your limited reason? Is this anything but reasoning about sound reason? For this reason, those who went astray among the people, who are on a level of intelligence and perceptive reason, are as the Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said about them: "They were given understanding but not knowledge, and they were given intelligence but not wisdom". We ask Allah for safety.
For example, if someone says that power is an attribute of perfection, that is known by reason, it is known in the intellect, it is known by reason, so we establish for Allah the attribute of power. But where are we from the many proofs indicating the establishment of power? We first bring the proof from hearing, then we bring the proof from reason, and the proof from reason supports the proof from hearing and testifies to its truth. Yes, sugar, this.
The reader: And blessings and peace be upon the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and his family.
The Shaykh : How do you say "and blessings and peace" and then say "peace and blessings be upon him"? If you first say "and blessings and peace," you do not say "peace and blessings be upon him" in the latter part. Yes.
The reader: He said, may Allah preserve him: "... Allah the Exalted, in detail or in summary, in affirmation or negation. But in that, we rely on the Book of our Lord and the Sunnah of our Prophet, and we follow the path of the Salaf of the Ummah and the Imams of guidance after them, after them. We see the obligation of applying the texts of the Book and the Sunnah to their apparent meaning and carrying them to their true meaning befitting Allah (Mighty and Majestic). And we disavow the path of those who distort them, who turned them away from what Allah and His Messenger intended"
The Shaykh : They turned them away
The reader: "from what Allah and His Messenger intended, and from the path of those who deny them, who denied them of the meaning that Allah and His Messenger intended, and from the path of those who exaggerate in them, who carried them to likening Allah to creation or forced upon their meaning a burdensome interpretation"