al-Muqaddimah/Prelude
The Following-Risālah/Article is predicated upon 2-Former Rasā’il/Articles I authored, regarding the Theological-Ikhtilāf/Differring between Team-Atharī & Team-Ash`arī. The Theological-Ikhtilāf being over whether or not the Sifāt/Features of Allah should vs. shouldn’t be translated. This, ironically, is one of Several-Things which the Siblings of the Pen (Religio-Academic Colleagues Gareth Bryant & Tālib Nathaniel) have had constant/consistent Back&Forth-Debates about.
https://gbwrites.com/2023/09/21/natureofallah/
https://gbwrites.com/2024/03/19/tafwidhvstawil/
One will logically ask: “What’s the Big-Deal about translating the Sifāt of Allah?!!!
Good-Question…
…Answer:
Team-Atharī & Team-Ash`arī have a Lion vs. Hyena `Aqīdah/Theological-History. And, because of this, both `Aqīdah-Ahzāb/Camps are in Constant/Consistent-Competition against one another. They both are basically the Religio-Theological Versions of Dems vs. GOP via U.S. Political-History.
https://gbwrites.com/2024/05/13/uglyaqidahhistory/
So, because of the aforementioned: the Subject of `Ibārah/Interpretation of the Sifāt of Allah is always at play. The Theological/Philosophical-Tools thus used by both Team-Atharī & Team-Ash`arī are as follows:
at-Tafwīdh/Neutrality
(used predominantly via Team-Atharī and their Theological Lil-Niggas: Salafīs)
This is very specific to an Aspect of al-`Aqīdah/Islāmic-Theology, regarding the Sifāt/Features of Allah. The Maslahah/Purpose of at-Tafwīdh is to simply recognize/accept what is detailed about Allah, via at-Tanzīl/Revelation, without al-Kayfiyyah/at-Takyīf (Speculation). But, there’s Certain-Muslims whom attempt to posture that they alone are the “Gatekeepers” of at-Tafwīdh.
at-Ta’wīl/Commentary
(used predominantly via Team-Ash`arī and their Theological Lil-Niggas: Māturīdīs)
This is very specific to an Aspect of al-`Aqīdah/Islāmic-Theology, regarding the Sifāt/Features of Allah. The Maslahah/Purpose of at-Ta’wīl is to only comment on, interpret about Allah that which is Islāmically-Authorized to do. But, there’s Certain-Muslims whom attempt to posture that they alone are the “Gatekeepers” of at-Ta’wīl.
Now…let’s get into some Specific-Sifāt which Ash`arīs take issue with being translated
al-Wajh/Face
al-`Ayn/Eye
al-Yad/Hand
al-Kalām/Speech
Now…let’s investigate how/why Ash`arīs Bitch&Moan so much about These-Words being translated
The Ash`arī Signature-Pontification/Claim is that translating any Sifah/Feature of Allah is ash-Shirk. And, this is something Team-Ash`arī has openly/publicly accused Fellow-Muslims of publicly. This, of course, is in spite of the Progenitor/Founder of Team-Ash`arī: Abul-Hasan al-Ash`arī literally made at-Tawbah/Repentance (as per Unjust-Takfīr/Blasphemy against any Fellow-Muslim) on their Deathbed.
https://gbwrites.com/2024/04/18/qiblahvssunnah/
Now…let’s prove Team-Ash`arī Wrong…#Again
It’s a Mutawātir/Common-Knowledge Fact, that Allah (via at-Tanzīl/Revelation) refers directly to Themselves & to al-Makhlūq/Creatures, al-Akwān/Beings, etc. via the Words: Wajh/Face, `Ayn/Eye, Yad/Hand, “Kalām/Speech”, etc.
Allah using “Wajh” to describe Themselves:
Noble-Qur’ān: Chpt.28, V.88
Noble-Qur’ān: Chpt.55, V.27
Allah using “Wajh” to describe al-Makhlūq/al-Akwān:
Noble-Qur’ān: Chpt.2, V.112
Noble-Qur’ān: Chpt.3, V.106
Allah using “`Ayn” to describe Themselves:
Noble-Qur’ān: Chpt.11, V.37
Noble-Qur’ān: Chpt.54, V.14
Allah using “`Ayn” to describes al-Makhlūq/al-Akwān:
Noble-Qur’ān: Chpt.7, V.179
Noble-Qur’ān: Chpt.90, V.8
Allah using “Yad” to describe Themselves:
Noble-Qur’ān: Chpt.48, V.10
Noble-Qur’ān: Chpt.69, V.38-52
Allah using “Yad” to describe al-Makhlūq/al-Akwān:
Noble-Qur’ān: Chpt.69, V.19-24
Noble-Qur’ān: Chpt.69, V.25-37
Allah using “Kalām” to describe Themselves:
Noble-Qur’ān: Chpt.4, V.164
Noble-Qur’ān: Chpt.7, V.144
Now…of course Ash`arī-Niggas will try to Ta’wīl their Way outta this
By that, I mean this:
Team-Ash`arī will pontificate/claim their Signature-Citation/Quotation, of the Following-Āyah/Verse from al-Qur’ān, which Allah describes Themselves:
“There’s absolutely nothing like Them and They’re The All-Listening, The All-Seeing.”
(Noble-Qur’ān: Chpt.42, V.11)
Ash`arīs are hostorically notorious, for accusing Non-Ash`arīs of claiming that Allah possesses a “Jism (Anatomy, Body, etc.)”. So, this is how Ash`arīs play. They operate via the Rule-Of-Ghurūr/Illusion. No Muslim claims that Allah possesses any “Jism”. Ash`arīs literally, dangerously, attempt to imply that Muslim Non-Ash`arīs are Kuffār (Non-Muslims, Disbelievers, etc.).
https://gbwrites.com/2024/08/04/theologicalslander/
There’s Several-Questions which Gareth Bryant will impose upon Team-Ash`arī
1. Is the Face of a Mountain the same as the Face of a Building?!!!
2. Is the Eye of a Storm the same as the Eye of a Needle?!!!
3. Are the Hands of a Clock/Watch the same as the Hands of a Human?!!!
Anyone/everyone of Basic-Intelligence will respind: “Of course, they’re not the same.”. So, since that’s the Case: it literally defies Human-Intelligence to assume that any Muslim attempts to equate the Sifāt/Features-Of-Allah to the Sifāt of Makhlūq/Akwān (Created-Things/Beings). For any Muslim to dare accuse any Fellow-Muslim of attempting to equate Allah to Creation/Creation to Allah (at-Tajsīm [Anthropomorphism]/at-Tamthīl [Theophany]) is quite honestly a Dummy.
What’s to be concluded from the Facts which Gareth Bryant has presented?!!!
Good-Question…
…Answer:
Team-Ash`arī won’t dare to respond to this…
…not even my Sibling of the Pen: Tālib Nathaniel.
Or, would they now?!!!
I mean, let’s see how this Specific-Article circulates and let’s see what develops thereof.
It’s seemingly obvious though, that Gareth Bryant has once again crushed the Theological-Arguments of Team-Ash`arī. But, perhaps, just maybe, Team-Ash`arī will simply do what they do best…run, duck, hide, etc. behind the Religio-Academic `Amal/Labor of Tālib Nathaniel: Team-Ash`arī’s Usual-M.O. The Best-Case Scenario is that Tālib Nathaniel manages to save Team-Ash`arī again (via authoring a Risālah which’ll only Stalemate Gareth Bryant once more).
Gareth Bryant
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