{"_id":"668da0780b76658b4c23381a","title":"{\"ops\":[{\"insert\":\"On matters of Aqeedah, what would be the standing of someone that says we recognize verses which describe Allah's attributes but we don't try to interpret them or go any deeper?\"}]}","question":"{\"ops\":[{\"insert\":\"On matters of Aqeedah, what would be the standing of someone that says we recognize verses which describe Allah's attributes (His hand, etc.) but we don't try to interpret them or go any deeper?\"}]}","answer":"{\"ops\":[{\"insert\":\"May Allah reward you for seeking scholarly input instead of passing judgment on your own. Making such judgments is extremely dangerous and utterly prohibited. I pray that Allah rids our ummah of this reckless tendency to judge each other's faith and morality. The sooner we abandon this ideology and rid ourselves of this cancer, the sooner we can start to work towards real unity as an ummah. May Allah bring us closer to that reality.\\n\\nRegarding your specific question, let me first draw your attention to something you mentioned. You referred to these verses as ones that \\\"describe Allah's attributes.\\\" However, is that really what these verses are doing? Are these verses saying \\\"Allah has limbs?”\\n\\nThe verse that mentions Allah's hand is verse 48:10:\\n\"},{\"attributes\":{\"bold\":true},\"insert\":\"إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يُبَايِعُونَكَ إِنَّمَا يُبَايِعُونَ ٱللَّهَ يَدُ ٱللَّهِ فَوْقَ أَيْدِيهِمْ ۚ فَمَن نَّكَثَ فَإِنَّمَا يَنكُثُ عَلَىٰ نَفْسِهِۦ ۖ وَمَنْ أَوْفَىٰ بِمَا عَـٰهَدَ عَلَيْهُ ٱللَّهَ فَسَيُؤْتِيهِ أَجْرًا عَظِيمًۭا\"},{\"insert\":\"\\n\"},{\"attributes\":{\"bold\":true,\"italic\":true},\"insert\":\"\\\"Indeed, those who pledge allegiance to you, [O Muhammad]—they are actually pledging allegiance to Allah. The Hand of Allah is over their hands. So whoever breaks his word only breaks it to the detriment of himself. And whoever fulfills what he has covenanted with Allah—He will give him a great reward.\\\" \"},{\"insert\":\"\\nThis verse was revealed regarding those companions who pledged allegiance (bay`a) to the Prophet ﷺ, and they would shake the hand of the Prophet ﷺ as they swore.\\n\\nNow, compare the above verse to verse 41:42, where Allah is describing the infallibility of the Quran:\\n\"},{\"attributes\":{\"bold\":true},\"insert\":\"لَّا يَأْتِيهِ ٱلْبَـٰطِلُ مِنۢ بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَلَا مِنْ خَلْفِهِۦ ۖ تَنزِيلٌۭ مِّنْ حَكِيمٍ حَمِيدٍۢ\"},{\"insert\":\"\\n\"},{\"attributes\":{\"bold\":true,\"italic\":true},\"insert\":\"\\\"Falsehood cannot approach it from between its two hands or from behind it; a revelation from one All-Wise and laudable beyond compare.\\\"\"},{\"insert\":\"\\nThe literal translation is \\\"from between its two hands,\\\" but does anyone understand this to mean the Quran has hands? Muslims understand it metaphorically, indicating the Quran's protection from falsehood.\\n\\nConsider these translations of the verse: \"},{\"attributes\":{\"bold\":true,\"italic\":true},\"insert\":\"\\\"It cannot be proven false from any angle.\\\" (Quran 41:42)\"},{\"insert\":\"\\n\\n\"},{\"attributes\":{\"italic\":true},\"insert\":\"˹It is˺ a revelation from the ˹One Who is˺ All-Wise, Praiseworthy.\\\" — Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran \"},{\"insert\":\"\\n\\n\"},{\"attributes\":{\"italic\":true},\"insert\":\"\\\"Falsehood cannot approach it from before it or from behind it; [it is] a revelation from a [Lord who is] Wise and Praiseworthy.\\\" — Saheeh International \"},{\"insert\":\"\\n\\n\"},{\"attributes\":{\"italic\":true},\"insert\":\"\\\"Falsehood cannot come at it from before it or from behind it. (It is) a revelation from the Wise, the Owner of Praise.\\\" \"},{\"insert\":\"\\n\"},{\"attributes\":{\"italic\":true},\"insert\":\"— M. Pickthall \"},{\"insert\":\"\\n\\n\"},{\"attributes\":{\"italic\":true},\"insert\":\"\\\"Falsehood may not enter it from the front or from the rear. It is a revelation that has been sent down from the Most Wise, the Immensely Praiseworthy.\\\" — A. Maududi \"},{\"insert\":\"\\n\\n\"},{\"attributes\":{\"italic\":true},\"insert\":\"\\\"It cannot be attacked by falsehood, neither from before it nor from behind it; a revelation from a Lord who is Wise and Praiseworthy.\\\" — M. Abdel Haleem \"},{\"insert\":\"\\n\\n\"},{\"attributes\":{\"italic\":true},\"insert\":\"\\\"Falsehood cannot come to it from before it or behind it: (it is) sent down by the All-Wise, Worthy of all praise (Allâh عز وجل).\\\" \"},{\"insert\":\"\\n\"},{\"attributes\":{\"italic\":true},\"insert\":\"— Al-Hilali & Khan\"},{\"insert\":\"\\n\\nNone of them even translate this verse literally. So, why do we not treat both verses in the same way? Why is there confusion regarding the first verse but not the second? It's because it's clear the Quran, as speech, cannot have physical attributes. The same applies to Allah ﷻ. He tells us \"},{\"attributes\":{\"bold\":true,\"italic\":true},\"insert\":\"there is nothing that resembles Him [42:11]\"},{\"attributes\":{\"bold\":true},\"insert\":\".\"},{\"insert\":\" Everything in existence has physical properties, but Allah is not like anything that exists in any way whatsoever. This means that Allah is not a physical entity with mass, bound by time and space, with a shape, size, color, or any other characteristic of anything else that exists. So, why would we ascribe physical attributes to Allah when we do not ascribe them to the Quran? If we deem it impossible for the Quran to have physical properties because it's not physical, then why not do the same for Allah? Are we suggesting there's a possibility that Allah has physical properties? But doesn't that contradict what Allah has told us about Himself? These are points for reflection.\\n\\nReturning to your question, these verses are not describing Allah's physical attributes, just as the verse about the Quran is not describing the Quran's physical attributes. In terms of \\\"recognizing\\\" these verses, if you mean to believe in them as part of the Quran and Allah's Speech, then absolutely, every Muslim believes that. However, if you mean to recognize them as affirming physical attributes to Allah, this is not the view of Ahl al-Sunnah wa'l-Jama'ah. It was an opinion taken by a fringe minority known as the Hashwiyya. You asked me what the person's standing is and to that I say the more important question is what is our standing vis-a-vis our fellow Muslims? We need to make efforts to educate ourselves and endeavor to spread the light of knowledge with the hope of opening hearts and minds and bring them closer together. Through continuous learning and sharing of knowledge, we can foster greater understanding and unity within our ummah. May Allah grant us assistance.\"}]}","tags":[{"_id":"668d9fe50b76658b4c232859","tag":"Aqeedah: Allah ﷻ‎","count":66},{"_id":"668d9fe70b76658b4c2328a0","tag":"Quran: Tafseer","count":34},{"_id":"668d9fe50b76658b4c232851","tag":"Contemporary Life: Knowledge","count":33},{"_id":"668d9fe60b76658b4c232887","tag":"Tafwidh","count":4}],"createdOn":"2024-07-09T20:41:28.906Z"}