False Accusation against The Way of Salaf: Some Statements of Modern Authors Against the Methodology of the Salaf

False Accusation against The Way of Salaf: Some Statements of Modern Authors Against the Methodology of the Salaf

 

Some of the modern authors have said, “The methodology of the Salaf regarding the Attributes is taking the texts as they come, yet believing that their apparent meanings are not actually intended.”

 This statement, if taken unconditionally, contains a point of scrutiny. The wording, “their apparent meanings” is somewhat vague and needs clarification.

 If what is intended by “their aparent meanings” is what is evident from the texts of the attributes befitting Allaah without making Tashbeeh, then this is exactly what is intended.

 Whoever say that this is not intended meaning then he is misguided if he actually believes, that and he is a liar or mistaken if he attributes this meaning to the Salaf.

 If what is intended by “their apparent meanings” is what is evident to some of the people in that the apparent meaning is to make Tashbeeh of Allaah with His creation, then this is definitely not true and it is not the apparent meaning of the texts because the similarity of Allaah to His creation is something impossible. 

 And, the apparent meaning of the Qur’aan and Sunnah, would never be something impossible. Whoever thinks this is what is meant by “their apparent meanings,” then his mistake is to be clarified to him. It is to be clarified that the apparent meaning as well as the detailed meaning is to affirm the Attributes in a manner that befits Allaah and is specific to Him.

In this way, we would be giving the texts their right in wording and meaning, and Allaah knows best.

 (Explanation of a Summary of al-’Aqeedatul-Hamawiyyah of Ibn taymiyyah) (rahimahullah) explained by Imaam Muhammad ibn Saalih al-’Uthaymeen (rahimahullah) 

Medinah, 28 Shawwal 1431 / 7 October 2010
Shaykh Rabî’ b. Hâdî ‘Umayr Al-Madkhalî – Allâh preserve and protect him – was asked the following question after a recent lecture he delivered in Masjid Al-Qiblatayn, Medinah.