Imaam Ahmad in ar-Rudd ‘ala al-Jahmiyyah begins
the book by explaining the doubts and contradictions of the Jahmiyyah in
understanding some of the Ayaat in the Quraan.
Most if not all of these Ayaat are misinterpreted
by them because of they have ignored looking at the texts holistically. Some of
the Aayaat are general but they apply it with a specific meaning and visa-versa.
What this means is that none of the texts can be ignored and there certainly is
no contradiction within it.
1- Allaah, the Most High, Said in describing
the punishment in the fire:
“As often as their skins
are roasted through, We shall change them for other skins that they may taste
the punishment.” [an-Nisaa 4:56]
The Jahmiyyah say that here is proof that Allaah
can punish without bad deeds, thus proving the idea of being compelled in Qadr
(Jabr) and that we lack any free-will. They also use this to prove that things
happen with the Will of Allaah and that He doesn’t act based on any Hikmah. The
point of evidence they bring is that the new skin of a person has not sinned and
thus punished without sin.
Response: we say the Tafseer of the Aayah is
clear - that their skin is recurrently being changed as form of enhanced
punishment.
Also there is a principle in Usool; something
that is directly connected to another (Mutasil) has the same ruling of what it
is connected to and doesn’t carry a separate ruling (Munfasil). So their bodies
are being punished for the sins they have incurred regardless of the type of
skin attached to it.
[TN: e.g. if someone wipes over his head in
Wudhoo and then shaves his hair off, does his Wudhoo become invalidated because
the hair that he wiped over is no longer attached to the body? We say: that the
hair that was connected to the body at the time of making Wudhoo has a Mutasil
ruling and not Munfasil one.]
2- Allaah, the Most High, Said, “That
will be a Day when they shall not speak (during some part of it),” [al-Mursalaat
77:35]
The Jahmiyyah deny that Allaah Will Talk on Day of Judgment.
They use this as proof to support the idea that Allaah can’t Talk. They also
use this to prove the idea that humans have no free-will and are compelled,
having an inability to talk.
Response: the Tafseer of this Aayah is that
they will not speak in denial of any of their sins. They will be subdued and
will not be in a position to debate with Allaah or present excuses for their
deeds.
3- Allaa, the Most High, Says: “and We shall
gather them together on the Day of Resurrection on their faces, blind, dumb and
deaf”
[al-Israa 17: 97] but
then Allaah Says: “And the dwellers of the Fire will call to the
dwellers of Paradise” [al-A’raaf 7:50]
They say this Aayah shows a contradiction;
they will be raised blind and deaf so how will they hear the call? Therefore,
not every text that talks about speech means actual speech and we must
interpret it otherwise, thus denying Speech as an Attribute of Allaah
(Ta’weel). It also supports the idea that Allaah has no Hikmah and that Qadr
(Pre-Decree of Allaah) is compulsion.
We say in response that the Tafseer of the
first Aayah describes the time when they will be resurrected; in state of
deafness and blindness. However, once they enter the fire, this will be lifted
from them so that they may fully experience the punishment of the fire.
Also another interpretation from the Salaf is
that the people of the fire will be deaf and blind once casted into the fire,
not being able or allowed to talk, only sighing and screaming. But before their
entering, they will be able to call one another in a plea to be saved.
4- Allaah, the Most High, Says: “Then, when
the Trumpet is blown, there will be no kinship among them that Day, nor will
they ask of one another” [al-Mu’minoon 23:101]
The Jahmiyyah say that there is a
contradiction, here lineage is negated but in another Aayah “And they will
turn to one another and question one another” [as-Saffaat 37:27]. Again, we must do
Ta’weel of the Quraan by ignoring and negating parts of it.
Response: after the people of the fire enter
it, they will lose any connection of lineage.
Others said it means that one cannot benefit the
other, no matter how close their relationship is to one another.
Others said ones concern will not be for the
other.
Therefore, there is no contradiction rather
it means that there is lineage but it will cease at some point.
5- The Jahmiyyah claim a contradiction in the
Statement of Allaah, the Most High: “They will say: "We
were not of those who used to offer their Salat (prayers)” [al-Mudatthir
77:43]
and “So woe unto those performers of Salat (prayers)
(hypocrites)”
[al-Ma’oon 107:4]
They say how can one be punished for not
praying and then be cursed in another place for praying? Whether you pray or
not, you will enter the fire if Allaah Wants, promoting the idea of no Hikmah
and no free-will.
Response: There are many ways of entering the
fire, either leaving Salaah or delaying it on purpose.
Ahl as-Sunnah affirm that those who pray whilst
having at-Tawheed will not stay in the fire forever, therefore both Aayaat can
be applied in a general and specific sense (Aaam and Khaas).
They argue that people will be in despair for
not praying, thus ones deeds is irrelevant but Allaah will punish or reward
people as He Pleases.
We say people who are in despair on the Day
of Judgment for not having prayed is what they perceive for themselves. They
think that they will be punished but may not be. This is similar to the word
despair in the Hadeeth reported by Muslim (2812) that the “Shaytaan has
despaired being worshipped in the Arabian Peninsula, so instead he plants seeds
of discord between the Muslims.”
In this Hadeeth we have the same idea of
despair: that Iblees has despaired of not being able to create Shirk in the
land of the Arabs but doesn’t mean it will happen, because we know through other
narrations that Shirk will occur.
It can also mean that his despair means that
al-Islaam will not cease to exist and doesn’t mean that people will not pray or
have Tawheed.
They argue the idea of being compelled and
lack of free-will by saying whether on prays or not, they are liable to what Allaah
wants and will be placed in the fire if He Wills.
We say in response that there is a difference
in these Aayaat between delaying and deficiency and complete abandonment.
To be continued…
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