Post by IbnNurAlShanti on Apr 1, 2016 20:40:07 GMT
Contrasting Imām al-Dhahabis Creed
With Hāfidh Ibn Taymiyyah's
by Shaykh Mohammad Yasir al-Hanafi
With Hāfidh Ibn Taymiyyah's
by Shaykh Mohammad Yasir al-Hanafi
It is argued by the pseudo-Salafis of this age that Imām al-Dhahabi's creed was the same as Hāfidh Ibn Taymiyyah's in regards to the attributes of Allah Almighty. They usually quote Imām al-Dhahabi's earlier works, such as Kitab al-Uluww in order to establish that Imām al-Dhahabi understood the attributes of Allah Almighty literally (ala’l dhāhir) as per the methodology of Hāfidh Ibn Taymiyyah. There is no doubt that Imām al-Dhahabi was the student of Hāfidh Ibn Taymiyyah and that he was influenced by him. It was due to this influence that Imām al-Dhahabi had authored books like Kitab al-Uluww however, this does not necessitate that his final position in his life was the same as Hāfidh Ibn Taymiyyah, or that he died upon the same doctrine.
The reality is that Imām al-Dhahabī had authored many works and, over time, his views changed, as is evident from his latter works. Within this short analysis, it will be proven that Imām al-Dhahabi retracted from the beliefs expressed in his earlier works and became a Mufawwidh (one who consigns the meaning of Allah's attributes to Allah Himself).
The final work that he authored, which he had written in approximately 18 large volumes, is his masterpiece named Siyar A’lam al-Nubala (سير أعلام النلاء). In this work, there are copious clear texts which suggest that Imām al-Dhahabī had retracted from his previous works, such as Kitab al-Uluww, and he didn't die upon the same creed of Hāfidh Ibn Taymiyyah.
Before giving evidence that Imām al-Dhahabi retracted his position on how he understood the attributes of Allah Almighty, it will be proven that Siyar A’lam al-Nubala was his last and final work. There are two main evidences which clearly indicate that this was indeed his last work; firstly, within this work he has quoted almost all his previous other works and this is evidence to prove that he had written all his other books and works prior to his Siyar.
Secondly, and most importantly, in the biography of Imām Ahmad ibn Hanbal's son, Abdullah ibn Ahmad (volume 9), Imām al-Dhahabī talks about the Musnad of Imām Ahmad ibn Hanbal. Whilst doing so, he expresses the desire and wish that somebody ought to work on organising the Musnad in a certain manner, and he further mentions that if it wasn't for his weak eyesight, his lack of intention (of writing further works), and of being near to death, he would have carried out this work on the Musnad himself. Here is the Arabic text:
وَأَمّا ابْن الجَوْزِيِّ: فطَالَعَ الكِتَاب مَرَّات عِدَّة، وَملأَ تآلِيفه مِنْهُ، ثُمَّ صَنّف (جَامع المسَانيد) ، وَأَودعَ فِيْهِ أَكْثَرَ مُتُوْنِ (المُسْنَد)، وَرتَّب وَهَذَّب، وَلَكِن مَا اسْتوعبَ
فلَعَلَّ الله يُقَيِّضُ لِهَذَا الدِّيْوَان العَظِيْم مَنْ يُرَتّبهُ وَيهذِّبه، وَيَحْذِفُ مَا كُرِّرَ فِيْهِ، وَيُصْلِح مَا تَصَحَّفَ، وَيُوضِحُ حَال كَثِيْر مِنْرِجَاله، وَينبِّه عَلَى مُرْسله، وَيُوْهِنُ مَا يَنْبَغِي مِنْ مَنَاكِيْره، وَيُرَتِّبُ الصَّحَابَة عَلَى المُعْجَم، وَكَذَلِكَ أَصْحَابَهُم عَلَى المُعْجَم، وَيَرْمِزُ عَلَى رُؤُوْس الحَدِيْث بِأَسْمَاء الكُتُب السِّتَّة، وَإِن رتَّبه عَلَى الأَبْوَاب فَحَسَنٌ جَمِيلٌ، وَلَوْلاَ أَنِّي قَدْ عَجِزت عَنْ ذَلِكَ لِضَعْف الْبَصَر، وَعدم النيَّة، وَقُربِ الرَّحيل، لعملتُ فِي ذَلِكَ
In the above excerpt, the last line makes it crystal clear that Imām al-Dhahabi had no intention of writing further works due to his very old age. Hence, it will be inevitable to concede to the fact that this work (Siyar) is undoubtedly his last work.
Before I quote from Siyar in order to prove that Imām al-Dhahabi's creed was the creed of Ahl-Sunnah wa’l Jama’ah and that he was a Mufawwidh (one who consigns the meanings of the attributes of Allah to Allah), I would like to remind or rather inform the reader of what Hāfidh Ibn Taymiyyah's position was regarding Tafweedh and the attributes of Allah, such as Istiwā, etc. so one may see the clear contradistinction between the doctrine of Imām al-Dhahabi and Hāfidh Ibn Taymiyyah:
1. Hāfidh Ibn Taymiyyah believed that Tafweedh (to consign the meanings of the attributes of Allah) is amongst the worst statements of the innovators and heretics (Dar'u Ta'arudh al-Aql wa al-Naql: 1, 205).
2. Hāfidh Ibn Taymiyyah believed Allah is above the throne with his “essence”, that He is sitting on The Throne and that He will make the Prophet ﷺ sit next to him (refer to his Fatawā, chapter on I'tiqād).
3. Hāfidh Ibn Taymiyyah believed that Allah being seated on His throne and that he will seat the Prophet ﷺ next to him is the creed of the entire Ummah and that only some Jahmiyyah have repudiated this doctrine (refer to his Fatawā, chapter on I'tiqād).
Now I will present the quotes from Siyar, which clearly proves the fact that Imām al-Dhahabi's creed was totally against Hāfidh Ibn Taymiyyah's. Before I do so, I want to make it clear that some of these quotes are purely Imām al-Dhahabī's views, and he is not quoting another scholar. Hence, this will obliterate the argument of those who say that in his Siyar there are quotes which suggest otherwise:
1. The following Arabic text is from his Siyar, volume 5, under the biography of Abu al-Zanād Abdullah ibn Zakwān:
وَقَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ العُقَيْلِيُّ فِي تَرْجَمَةِ عَبْدِ اللهِ بنِ ذَكْوَانَ: حَدَّثَنَا مِقْدَامُ بنُ دَاوُدَ, حَدَّثَنَا الحَارِثُ بنُ مِسْكِيْنٍ, وَابْنُ أَبِي الغَمْرِ, قَالاَ: حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ القَاسِمِ, قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ مَالِكاً عَمَّنْ يُحَدِّثُ بِالحَدِيْثِ الَّذِي قَالُوا: "إِنَّ اللهَ خَلَقَ آدَمَ عَلَى صُوْرَتِهِ" ١ فَأَنْكَر ذَلِكَ إِنْكَاراً شَدِيْداً, وَنَهَى أَنْ يَتَحَدَّثَ بِهِ أَحَدٌ فَقِيْلَ إِنَّ نَاساً مِنْ أَهْلِ العِلْمِ يَتَحَدَّثُوْنَ بِهِ قَالَ: مَنْ هُم؟ قِيْلَ: ابْنُ عَجْلاَنَ، عَنْ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ فَقَالَ: لَمْ يَكُنْ يَعْرِفُ ابْنُ عَجْلاَنَ هَذِهِ الأَشْيَاءَ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ عَالِماً, وَلَمْ يَزَلْ أَبُو الزِّنَادِ عَامِلاً لِهَؤُلاَءِ حَتَّى مَاتَ, وَكَانَصَاحِبَ عُمَّالٍ يَتْبَعُهُ
قُلْتُ: الخَبَرُ لَمْ يَنْفَرِدْ بِهِ ابْنُ عَجْلاَنَ, بَلْ وَلاَ أَبُو الزِّنَادِ, فَقَدْ رَوَاهُ: شُعَيْبُ بنُ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ. وَرَوَاهُ: قَتَادَةُ، عَنْ أَبِي أَيُّوْبَ المَرَاغِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ. وَرَوَاهُ: ابْنُ لَهِيْعَةَ، عَنِ الأَعْرَجِ, وَأَبِي يُوْنُسَ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ وَرَوَاهُ: مَعْمَرٌ، عَنْ هَمَّامٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ. وَصحَّ أَيْضاً مِنْ حَدِيْثِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ وَقَدْ قَالَ إِسْحَاقُ بنُ رَاهُوَيْه عَالِمُ خُرَاسَانَ: صَحَّ هَذَا، عَنْ رَسُوْلِ اللهِ -صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ
فَهَذَا الصَّحِيْحُ مُخَرَّجٌ فِي كِتَابَيْ "البُخَارِيِّ" وَ"مُسْلِمٍ" فَنُؤْمِنُ بِهِ, وَنُفَوِّضُ, وَنُسِلِّمُ, وَلاَ نَخُوضُ فِيْمَا لاَ يَعْنِيْنَا, مَعَ عِلْمِنَا بِأَنَّ اللهَ لَيْسَ كَمِثلِهِ شَيْءٌ, وَهُوَ السَّمِيْعُ البَصِيْرُ
In the above text, Imām al-Dhahabī', in the last two lines, after saying 'Qultu', i.e. I have said or I say, clearly makes Tafweedh of those Hadīth which are ambiguous. The word Tafweedh has been made bold and underlined;
2. In volume 6, under the biography of Layth ibn Sa'd, Imām al-Dhahabī gives his own view on how we should approach the attributes of Allah:
قُلْتُ: قَدْ صَنَّفَ أَبُو عُبَيْدٍ كِتَابَ (غَرِيْبِ الحَدِيْثِ) ، وَمَا تَعرَّضَ لأَخْبَارِ الصِّفَاتِ الإِلَهِيَّةِ بِتَأْوِيلٍ أَبَداً، وَلاَ فَسَّرَ مِنْهَا شَيْئاً
وَقَدْ أَخَبَرَ بِأَنَّهُ مَا لَحِقَ أَحَداً يُفَسِّرُهَا، فَلَو كَانَ -وَاللهِ- تَفْسِيْرُهَا سَائِغاً، أَوْ حَتماً، لأَوْشَكَ أَنْ يَكُوْنَ اهْتِمَامُهُم بِذَلِكَ فَوْقَ اهْتِمَامِهِم بِأَحَادِيْثِ الفُرُوْعِ وَالآدَابِ، فَلَمَّا لَمْ يَتعَرَّضُوا لَهَا بِتَأْوِيلٍ، وَأَقَرُّوهَا
عَلَى مَا وَرَدَتْ عَلَيْهِ، عُلِمَ أَنَّ ذَلِكَ هُوَ الحَقُّ الَّذِي لاَ حَيْدَةَ عَنْهُ
عَلَى مَا وَرَدَتْ عَلَيْهِ، عُلِمَ أَنَّ ذَلِكَ هُوَ الحَقُّ الَّذِي لاَ حَيْدَةَ عَنْهُ
The above text is clear that NO ONE has done Tafseer (explanation) for such ahadīth pertaining to the attributes of Allah (whether the Tafseer is literal or metaphorical), and this is precisely what Tafweedh is;
3. In volume 7, page 600, Imām al-Dhahabi has mentioned that it is incumbent upon us to accept the Sifāt as they are, to remain silent and that it has NO Tafseer (whether it is literal or metaphorical):
قُلْتُ: قَدْ فَسَّرَ عُلَمَاءُ السَّلَفِ المُهِمَّ مِنَ الأَلْفَاظِ وَغَيْرَ المُهِمِّ، وَمَا أَبْقَوْا مُمْكِناً، وَآيَاتُ الصِّفَاتِ وَأَحَادِيْثُهَا لَمْ يَتَعَرَّضُوا لِتَأْوِيْلِهَا أَصْلاً، وَهِيَ أَهَمُّ الدِّيْنِ، فَلَو كَانَ تَأْوِيْلُهَا سَائِغاً أَوْ حَتْماً، لَبَادَرُوا إِلَيْهِ، فَعُلِمَ قَطْعاً أَنَّ قِرَاءتَهَا وإمرارها على ماجاءت هو الحق، ولا تَفْسِيْرَ لَهَا غَيْرُ ذَلِكَ، فَنُؤْمِنُ بِذَلِكَ، وَنَسْكُتُ اقتداء بالسلف، معتقدين أنها صفات الله -تعالى- استأثر الله بعلم حقائقها، ولأنها لاَ تُشْبِهُ صِفَاتِ المَخْلُوْقِينَ، كَمَا أَنَّ ذَاتَهُ المُقَدَّسَةَ لاَ تُمَاثِلُ ذَوَاتِ المَخْلُوْقِينَ، فَالكِتَابُ وَالسُّنَّةُ نَطَقَبِهَا، وَالرَّسُوْلُ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بَلَّغَ، وَمَا تَعَرَّضَ لِتَأْوِيْلٍ مَعَ كَوْنِ البَارِي قَالَ: {لِتُبَيِّنَ لِلنَّاسِ مَا نُزِّلَ إِلَيْهِمْ} [النَّحْلُ:٤٤] ، فَعَلَيْنَا الإِيْمَانُ وَالتَّسْلِيْمُ لِلنُّصُوْصِ، وَاللهُ يَهْدِي مَنْ يَشَاءُ إِلَى صرَاط مُسْتَقِيْم
4. The following quote is probably the clearest in proving that Imām al-Dhahabi was a Mufawwidh. Imām al-Dhahabi first mentions the quote of Ibn Khuzaimah: "Whoever doesn't acknowledge that Allah is above His throne, and has done Istiwā over His seven heavens, then he is a Kāfir whose blood is permissible, and his wealth is booty". After this quote of Ibn Khuzaimah, Imām al-Dhahabi explains the text by saying that whoever has Imān in Istiwā, and does TAFWEEDH of it's meaning to Allah and His Prophet ﷺ, then he is a true believing Muslim. Here is the Arabic text (volume 9, under the biography of Ibn Khuzaimah):
قَالَ الحَاكِمُ: سَمِعْتُ مُحَمَّدَ بنَ صَالِحِ بنِ هَانِئ، سَمِعْتُ ابْنَ خُزَيْمَةَ يَقُوْلُ: مَنْ لَمْ يُقِرَّ بِأَنَّ اللهَ عَلَى عَرشِه قَدِ اسْتوَى فَوْقَ سَبعِ سَمَاوَاتِه، فَهُوَ كَافِرٌ حَلاَلُ الدَّمِ، وكان ماله فيئا
قُلْتُ: مَنْ أَقَرَّ بِذَلِكَ تَصْدِيْقاً لِكِتَابِ اللهِ، وَلأَحَادِيْثِ رَسُول اللهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَآمَنَ بِهِ مُفَوِّضاً مَعْنَاهُ إِلَى اللهِ
وَرَسُوْلِهِ. وَلَمْ يَخُضْ فِي التَّأْوِيْلِ وَلاَ عَمَّقَ، فَهُوَ المُسْلِمُ المُتَّبِعُ، وَمَنْ أَنْكَرَ ذَلِكَ, فَلَمْ يَدْرِ بثبوت ذلك في الكتاب والسنة،فهو مُقَصِّرٌ وَاللهِ يَعْفُو عَنْهُ، إِذْ لَمْ يُوجِبِ اللهُ عَلَى كُلِّ مُسْلِمٍ حِفظَ مَا وَرَدَ فِي ذَلِكَ، وَمَنْ أَنكَرَ ذَلِكَ بَعْدَ العِلْمِ، وَقَفَا غَيْرَ سَبِيْلِ السَّلَفِ الصَّالِحِ، وَتَمَعقَلَ عَلَى النص، فأمره إلى الله، ونعوذ بِاللهِ مِنَ الضَّلاَلِ وَالهَوَى
In the above text, it is clear that Imām al-Dhahabi consigned the meaning of Istiwā to Allah and His Prophet ﷺ. The words Tafweedh al-Ma'na are in bold.
5. The following text is in volume 11, under the biography of Imām al-Haramyn Abu al-Ma'ālī al-Juwaynī:
قَالَ أَبُو المَعَالِي فِي كِتَابِ (الرِّسَالَة النّظَامِيَّة) :اخْتلفت مسَالكُ العُلَمَاء فِي الظَّوَاهر الَّتِي وَردت فِي الكِتَاب وَالسّنَّة، وَامْتَنَعَ عَلَى أَهْلِ الحَقِّ فَحوَاهَا ، فَرَأَى بَعْضُهم تَأْويلَهَا، وَالتَزَم ذَلِكَ فِي القُرْآن، وَمَا يَصح مِنَ السُّنَن وَذَهَبَ أَئِمَّة السَّلَف إِلَى الاَنكِفَاف، عَنِ التَّأْوِيْل وَإِجرَاءِ الظَّوَاهر عَلَى مَوَاردهَا، وَتَفويضِ معَانِيْهَا إِلَى الرَّب تَعَالَى، وَالَّذِي نَرْتَضِيْه رَأْياً، وَنَدينُ الله بِهِ عَقداً اتِّبَاعُ سلفِ الأُمَّة، فَالأُوْلَى الاَتِّبَاعُ ، وَالِدَّليلُ السَّمَعِيُّ القَاطعُ فِي ذَلِكَ أَنَّ إِجمَاع الأُمَّة حُجَّةٌ مُتَّبَعَة، وَهُوَ مُسْتَنَدُ مُعْظَم الشَّرِيعَة، وَقَدْ درج صَحْبُ الرَّسُول - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - عَلَى ترك التَّعرض لِمَعَانِيْهَا وَدَرْكِ مَا فِيْهَا وَهم صِفْوَة الإِسْلاَم المُسْتقلُّوْنَ بِأَعبَاءِ الشَّرِيعَة، وَكَانُوا لاَ يَأْلُوْنَ جهداً فِي ضبط قوَاعدِ الملَّة وَالتَّوَاصِي بحِفْظِهَا، وَتعَلِيْمِ النَّاس مَا يَحتَاجُوْنَ إِلَيْهِ مِنْهَا، فَلَو كَانَ تَأْويلُ هَذِهِ الظوَاهر مسوَغاً أَو محتُوْماً؛ لأَوشك أَنْ يَكُوْنَ اهتمَامُهم بِهَا فَوْقَ اهتمَامِهم بفُروع الشّرِيعَة، فَإِذَا تَصرَّم عصرُهم وَعصرُ التَّابِعِيْنَ عَلَى الإِضرَاب عَنِ التَّأْوِيْل؛ كَانَ ذَلِك قَاطعاً بِأَنَّهُ الوَجْهُ المُتَّبع، فَحقَّ عَلَىذِي الدِّيْن أَنْ يَعتقد تَنَزُّه البَارِي عَنْ صِفَات المُحْدَثِيْنَ، وَلاَ يَخوضَ فِي تَأْويل المشكلاَت، وَيَكِلَ معنَاهَا إِلَى الرب
The above text is explicit that the Imāms of the pious Salaf would make Tafweedh of the meaning. The words Tafweedh al-Ma'na have been underlined.
6. The neo-salafis believe that Allah is above the throne with His being (Dhāt), whilst Imām al-Dhahabi believes that there is NO need for saying Dhāt (being) as this causes trouble/disturbance to people, and it's best to abandon it. He has mentioned this in volume 12, under the biography of Abu al-Hasan ibn al-Zāghūnī:
:قَالَ ابْنُ الزَّاغونِيِّ فِي قَصِيدَةٍ لَهُ
إِنِّيْ سَأَذْكُرُ عَقْدَ دِيْنِي صَادِقاً ... نَهْجَ ابْنِ حَنْبَلٍ الإِمَامِ الأَوْحَدِ منهَا :عالٍ عَلَى العَرْشِ الرَّفِيْعِ بِذَاتِهِ ... سُبْحَانَهُ عَنْ قول غاوٍ ملحد
قد ذكرنَا أَن لفظَة "بِذَاته" لاَ حَاجَةَ إِلَيْهَا، وَهِيَ تَشْغَبُ النُّفُوْسَ، وَتركُهَا أَوْلَى، وَاللهُ أَعْلَم
7. Under the biography of Imām Malik, Imām al-Dhahabi states that Imām Malik severely disliked the narrating of particular ahadith (which indicate anthropomorphism) by the laity. Imām al-Dhahabi then said:
قلت: أنكر الإمام ذلك، لأنه لم يثبت عنده، ولا اتصل به، فهو معذور، كما أن صاحبي "الصحيحين" معذوران في إخراج ذلك -أعني: الحديث الأول والثاني- لثبوت سندهما، وأما الحديث الثالث، فلا أعرفه بهذا اللفظ، فقولنا في ذلك وبابه: الإقرار، والإمرار، وتفويض معناه إلى قائله الصادق المعصوم
"Our saying in this and what falls under it is: Submission to the text, passing it on as it came and consigning the knowledge of its meaning (tafwidh ma'nahu) to its Sacrosanct and Truthful Sayer."
In conclusion, many more quotes from Siyar can be given to prove that Imām al-Dhahabi retracted his position regarding the attributes of Allah Almighty however seven quotes are more than sufficient. For anybody who understands how naskh (abrogation) comes into effect then they will know that even a single statement or quote is sufficient to abrogate everything that somebody has previously said or held as a belief, six quotes go above and beyond this. It can confidently be said now without a shadow of a doubt, that Imām al-Dhahabi’s final creed was not in line with Hāfidh Ibn Taymiyyah's and that he was a true Mufawwidh as well as an Athari in its truest meaning, unlike the false claimants of today.
May this short analysis of the creed of Imām al-Dhahabi serve as a benefit to the sincere seeker. I thank my dear brother Maulana Mohammad Umar who gave his time and support in painstakingly locating the above quotes in the magnanimous 18 volume Siyar for me. I pray Allah keeps him steadfast, sincere and I pray Allah increases him in his knowledge, I request the reader to please also pray for the same.
- (Shaykh) Mohammad Yasir al-Hanafi