Abdur Rahman ibn Yusuf Mangera – Where is Allah
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So let's go on to this next section. The next section, just
read this section that talks about anthropomorphism and how Allah
subhanaw. Taala is beyond and transcendent of any human quality
and the dangers of going into that. Now there's this whole
debate that has raged on for quite a while about that we'll end up
with these are two very famous concepts, very popular concepts,
the fried means to relegate the knowledge to someone else in this
context, you hear a verse, you see a verse of the Quran, something
ambiguous, that's not very clear that Allah might have mentioned
that this is one of the ambiguous Motorshow Behat verses of the
Quran or this is the Moto Shabbat in the Hadith, then you leave that
to Allah without trying to determine the exact meaning of it,
while saying that we believe in this as Allah has intended, that's
the meaning of the fluid. That will means to take that verse and
say, the most likely meaning, a possible meaning is this. So when
it says that Allah's hand is with a group, as the Hadith of the
Prophet said, Allah says, The Allahu Allah, Gemma to do that
we'll have that would mean, what is the most likely meaning of
this? It's a metaphor, the Arabs use this. In fact, in English, we
use this, don't worry, he's in my hands. Don't worry, I've got my
hands on this. Basically, even though physically you're not
touching the person. They're not physically under your hand, it
just means they're in your control. And likewise, in Arabic,
in sound, Arabic parlance, common parlance, that's the meaning
that's acceptable. So those who accept that will say this is a
possible meaning we're not insisting on it. But if you really
have to have this means something. Otherwise, you can't sleep at
night because of what the majestic Amma created this whole atmosphere
of anthropomorphism of human form and your human likeness. If you
really want some meaning, which doesn't go against laser committal
he shade while taking that into consideration, a meaning that is
not against the nature of Allah subhanaw taala. As the Anima have
explained to him as we have received, then this is the likely
meaning. So that's called that we've, I'm just describing. I'm
not saying what's permissible and what's not permissible. We haven't
got to that. By God explains the free differently. He adds an
additional point, he says that what the weed means relegation
consignment, what that basically means is that because Allah says
laser committed to his shape, there is nothing like him. Because
Allah says that, and while the whole method, Allah and many other
verses, it is necessary that any verse that you see, which could
insinuate The likeness to any creature, then you have to first
turn it away from that apparent meaning, and then you leave it to
Allah subhanaw taala. So you're basically doing two things, you're
taking it away from this harmful meaning, this problematic
interpretation, that when for example, Allah says, For a nama to
aloo for some wedge hula, that in whichever direction you face, you
will find the countenance of Allah the wedge on which means face of
Allah. Obviously, if you're going to take that for its literal
meaning it's going to go against Lisa Kamini he shaped because
people are faces. All right. So if you're going to think of this as a
limb, as a face as a limb, then immediately you're going against
another verse in the Quran, and the verses complement each other,
especially when they're unaware I've mentioned this, the company
is so important and this is a motor Shabbiha of the Quran. So
immediately you have to turn it away from the apparent indication
that you get other limb you turn that away, and even the Salafi
interpretations or commentaries of Arcada How do they make that very
clear? It's not a limit. It's not a limb. When it talks about Allah
your doula says, It's not God. Ha. It's not a limb. Everybody kind of
agrees with that except the serious majeste Seema, the
serious, the true anthropomorphise, they'll just
say, face Hollis, you know, face separate from the body different
from the interface.
So according to the jury, he said that the sell offs opinion was to
immediately take it away from the VA him and leave its knowledge to
Allah subhanaw taala both of those opinions are fine both the first
opinion I mentioned which is just a relegated to Allah, that's just
a brief way of saying it, because obviously the self would take away
the the hidden meaning the apparent
meaning that insinuates limb that insinuates body part that
insinuates human like nature, obviously they would take it away.
That's what by God just explained in more detail. So there's no
contradiction between those two interpretations. That will
basically then means to interpret make sense of assign a meaning to
give an interpretation
additional explanation to as in interpreting the same, let's just
say somebody said the king defeated the enemy, the king
defeated the enemy. Now, who exactly defeated the enemy? Was it
done at the king's hand? And he physically went and done it? Was
he part of the war? Not necessarily. That could happen,
but that's not necessary. This is a metaphor to explain that it was
done under his instruction, command and guidance. It was done
using his troops, he may have been part of it, he may not have been
part of it. And it's probably sitting on the throne somewhere.
When that said, if you do the fleet, literally the Freedmen's to
refer to another for decision or judgment. Okay, so you don't do it
yourself you consign it to somebody else. So in here we
consigning it to Allah.
So it means to leave any statement revealed about Allah Most High as
it was revealed without elucidating or interpreting it,
and consigning its intended explanation to Allah. For
instance, Allah says, Allah most gracious is firmly established on
the throne is stoer Arash hence, this information is mentioned in
the Quran, but the how of it is not known.
How exactly is he established? How exactly is this Stiva on the Arash
that's not known, asking about it is an innovation because somebody
came to Mr. Malik. And he asked him that question, when the person
came to Mr. Maliki asked,
How is this STR that Allah mentioned in the Quran, Imam Malik
initially lowered his head. And then he responded to him with
those famous lines sdwa over Euro module, the str is not unknown.
There's various ways that this has been related. But this seems to be
the stronger one Alyssa Ohira module while careful how you Roma
cool, while K four module and its diva Omar Allume, while K four
module and that's the other way it's related, but this one I think
is strong, especially in well careful how you do Mark cool, the
how of it, the description of it, the modality of it is not
comprehensible, as opposed to not known. It's not comprehensible.
It's not conceivable by us. So yes, the str is known because
Allah mentioned it, but its description and how is not
comprehensible. But Al Eman will be he worship? The Imam and belief
in it is necessary was to everyone who bidder. But asking about these
questions is an innovation not something done by the Sahaba which
basically proves that they did not address the prophets of Allah
Islam about the exact meaning of these things. But they were able
to understand that Allah mentions in terms of his guidance in the
other place, about not seeking such interpretation, except by
those who have deviance in their heart. And then
he says, We're not going to look at Illa darland. I have no thought
about you, except that you're deviant basically means that I
think you're deviant. But I'm gonna be here for operator, you
gave a command and he was taken out he was taken out of the
machinists because I mean, this causes confusion to the whole
group of people that were sitting there.
ZM actually asked us earlier about this idea
because he responded to him and he said if that's the Harlan daddy,
fair enough Cirque de que fi yet in oh a knitting vacay for yearly
could be OBU de Tico. And the SIF hooter Allah be Aina Okay, for one
more condition and Ehrlich, then he gave us a poem, that if you're
unable to even understand your own self, your intricate nature of
your own self, then how can you ask about Allah subhanho wa Taala
and understanding how is it even possible for your servitude, at
your level of servitude to even ask about Allah subhanaw taala
that you describe him with a Aina or a kefir? Like where is he Aina
Where is he? Okay for like, how is he? And that's something in a
hadith that probably some Lourdes and also prohibited by saying led
to photography that Allah don't brood over and ponder and reflect
over the essence of ALLAH, but think over his attributes, His
signs, His bounties around you. That's what gives us a window to
Allah, but not by thinking of his essence because it's too beyond
us. So now, in this verse put forward to Imam Malik, for
instance, Allah says that it's the VA. So he says that they still are
is known, but its description is unknown, or it's not
comprehensible. So if you're going to take this in detail, the word
Arusha throne is used in the Quran in Arabic, and sometimes it means
the elevated seed that is encircled by the angels. Like the
ash once the Arsh Arash means a special throne that's encircled by
angels. This is obviously the apparent understanding of the
Sharia.
But this word can also be used in Arabic accepted Arabic
conversation as Dominion Mulk as the poet says, When the throne or
the Arusha of the sons of Morocco
on what diminished, meaning that power and dominion diminished,
even though it didn't have any physical thrones, the word is the
word now can be used to mean a number of different things. Number
one, is the word could mean resting
or becoming settled.
Basically, in Arabic, another synonym to that would be
istikhara. To become settled to rest, as in the words of ALLAH,
the ark rested on mountain Judy is stoic either, Judy. So the word
this though is used there but in the meaning of Estacado that it
became to rest on Mount Judy.
It's also used to mean to straighten or stand up,
as opposed to becoming crooked, so to be straight, as in the words of
Allah. Then it stands on its own stem from Mustafa, Allah Sookie.
Your aji was Zahra so little hash
that's talking about the stem.
It's also used to mean completeness. As Allah Most High
says, When he reached his full age, and was firmly established.
What's the verse about use of fallen Bala or should the who was
stoer Falana Bella, who should do when he reached his full age, and
was firmly established was stoer. Just firmly established in terms
of settled and so on, that is yet achieved his full body strength is
also used to mean physical elevation or Highness above
something. But this meaning is inconceivable for Allah Most High,
because then you have to give him direction, you have to say, well,
he's in the above direction to us and we're below him, it puts him
in a place, when you put him in a place, then that means he's taking
a certain here's a certain spatial location, a location is something
which the air becomes cleared out of, for example, okay, so he's
taking up a position somewhere. And all of these things actually
are very, very unsuited for Allah subhanaw taala. That's why this
one meaning definitely should not be attributed to Allah. But some
people insist on this meaning, you know, those who do insist on a
particular meaning they insist on this meaning over and above all
other meanings, you know, rather than leave it completely to Allah,
they say, No, you have to believe it in this way. But then the exact
how of it we leave to Allah. But you have to say it's a direction,
it's like this physical direction. So this meaning obviously is
inconceivable for Allah mostly, along with the fact that physical
elevation doesn't necessarily imply exalted pneus, either.
Since it is possible that for instance, a leader, be physically
situated below his gods and his gods are standing above him,
doesn't mean that they're better than him. Rather, what is meant by
stoah? If anything, you know, if what is meant by Estiva, in terms
of a meaning that be fits Allah subhanaw taala possible meaning is
that have elevation in status and rank. So why not leave it at that?
Because that's agreeable, then to insist that he's in a physical
location above? That's where this whole question now comes up of
where it's Allah. And when you say everywhere, which is also wrong,
in a sense,
then they confuse the person to such a level and then they say,
look, Allah says, his stone arch, which basically means that his
resting on his arch and the arches above the seven heavens, and
that's above. So he's above interpretation of the physical
attributes of Allah. There's two things here one is the opinion of
the fleet that we were talking about. That was the opinion of the
self, the true self, that was their opinion, leave it to Allah
take away any meaning that may insinuate likeness to Allah
subhanaw taala. Some scholars that came later, because of the
problems of their time, they found that it became necessary for them
to give a suitable interpretation, while saying at the same time,
that the opinion of the self is the best opinion is the safest
opinion. But their opinion of interpreting a suitable inter
giving a suitable interpretation has been considered to be a wise
move for the time and circumstance has been considered the more
knowledgeable approach for the time.
So for example, you've got hand in the verse, The Hand of Allah is
over their hands, your doula he focal ad him. Obviously, that
can't mean a physical limb, that Allah has a hand and it's above
this. The how of it is unknown.
You can't say that it's a physical limb, but the how of it is
unknown, because that's not the opinion of the son of the literal
meaning of hand is the limb. So if you're going to take that meaning
it's problematic immediately.
This would be your dish B and that seems corporatism and
anthropomorphism. Now. Should you do that we don't know.
But
I remember there was a sister who was from a Hanafi background,
she's asked questions about Hanafi fiqh, and then she happened to get
married to a person of a Salafi background.
And they were constantly having problems. Finally, I got to speak
to the husband, it seems like you guys do realize it. I've never
done that with, right? It's not something I do every day that
wheel is gone. Do we have these verses? It's not something that we
exercise. She says, no, no, no, the Chinese do this. And I said,
well, the Chinese their belief is that it's permissible thing, just
as in numbers to the Allah one who actually did about Yama, you chef
one Sirkin during the time of the sahaba. I mean, that's mentioned
from the ambassador, Allah Han. So that we it is not haram. You know,
it's something which to sort of didn't do because it led to
problems, and there was no need for them to do it. But the whole
of the latest scholars found that there were problems in their time,
people trying to take people away, and trying to make them envisage
Allah in human form. So at least this was a suitable meaning that
you could get some people to rest on. So that at least there's
something in the mind. You know, because this is one of those
issues where as long as the youth is growing up, doesn't think about
marriage, it's fine. But once they start thinking of marriage, then
it's very difficult to subdue that the main difference, you need to
get married. Okay? Once you've given a place for that in your
mind, because it's a natural instinct, you want to get married
afterwards. This is one of those things, once somebody causes
confusion in your mind, it's easier than to settle on a
suitable meaning, it's a greater challenge to say, Okay, let's just
forget about it completely. So that's why the Scholars decided to
give that to the masses. So it's not something you do every day.
It's just something that was required, and that was done.
So as measured in others in Lacan, jovoto he'd mentioned as well,
that the that we'll have certain later scholars
has been mentioned, and it has been said that their way is more
judicious, it's more outcome and alum according to the demands of
their time. However, it has been related from some Shafi is for
example, that Imam Al Haramain, or Janie is a big name in a shady
theology, one of the great Imams of that Imam and HUD Amin
initially engaged in that wheel but left doing so at the end of
his life and rendered it unlawful. He related the consensus of the
predecessors on his prohibition. This is Mullah yo curry, who is
relating this now the matter is in general, stay a bit more further
away from that will Ashley's embrace it a bit more. This has
just been my observation, I could be wrong. But it seems like the
majority these mentioned it in the passing. And this is what's
mentioned in Article eight. He was most likely a Maliki scholar there
is a difference of opinion. But he was a great scholar and a very
neutral one. He followed the middle path in which he says that
the will of these attributes is acceptable, if the meaning is
close to the popular usage of the Arabs, something that's in common
usage of the Arabs and is permissible because that's what
that's an acceptable way of doing it. It is unacceptable if it's
some distant meaning, if not Hamam, one great Hanafi Matuidi.
theologian, both in fifth and in Arcada says that it depends on the
situation that we this call for if there is a problem in the
understanding of the people, otherwise it is to be left alone.
So you will only interpret if that situation demands where people
just need something to understand. Otherwise you leave it alone. So
finally, in order to conclude this discussion, where is Allah? This
is a question that comes about and it's confused a lot of people.
Number one, this question, the first answer to this question is
that
this question should not apply to Allah at all. We're only applying
it because of the way we see things and the way we relate to
things because everything is in a relative position to where we are,
and we relate to it that way. We can't deal with our Creator that
way. Because when you say Aina ain Allah Where is Allah no means am I
can, which place is in that means Allah is taking a place up and
that's problematic. That's the first answer to this. Another
answer to this is a very simple one. If you've got somebody who's
very insistent about nota wheel, and about asking you where Allah
is, says where is Allah? So you say, Who am I am Mr. Quinton
is with you, wherever you are? No, no brother, you need to tell me
exactly where he is. Well, Malcolm, a nama quantum No, no, I
need to really understand where is that? Exactly? Allah says in the
Quran, who am I? Who am I consuming? Leave it at that.
That's what Allah said. And that's what we go with. You see, you see
where this is going right? Or you say acquirable in a common humble
worried is closer to you than your jugular vein. No, no, but I want
more than that.
accruable ecoman Hublin worried finish?
Another answer wala Houma. Sabe wala who Marsabit in
you
Hola Hola. Hola. Vina taco will Lavina? Who me known?
There you go and leave it to Allah
just consign the meaning to Allah. And that's the response.
The third response, which is the best response, in a way, I asked
our chef, she couldn't even tell us about this. There was a
question about this here as well. What do we teach children because
in our families and in our background is like Allah is
everywhere. That is not necessarily entirely wrong.
It is wrong because of what it implies that Allah is physically
everywhere, which then begs the question, as these people will
ask, Is he in the cup? Is he in his bag, hold on a quarter La
Villa, or is in the toilet, and they really throw people off.
So saying he's everywhere insinuates his physical location.
However, if somebody means that he's everywhere, ie by his
knowledge, or in his knowledge, according to his sight, and
hearing, then obviously there's nothing wrong with that. But it
insinuates a problem. It insinuates a physical location.
insinuates Hello. And it had insinuates what they call being
infused in something that Allah is infused in everything. There's a
special word for this in Arabic, it's called a jihad. And hello,
that actually leads us to the third point, which is, where is
Allah? So I asked the sheikh, and he said, he is where he's always
been.
Where is Allah is where he's always been, before He created the
arch after he created the arch. He's where he's always been. What
do you teach children? I asked the sheikh Sheikh said, that's exactly
what you teach them, because children at a very young age, they
just want something to go by, they're not going to really think
about it much. But when you start talking about Allah say, Okay,
where is Allah? You just say Allah is where he's always been. Okay?
Allah is where he's always been. Afterwards, as they grow up, then
they'll wonder, what does that mean? What do you mean by where
he's always been? Why do we have to think of it in this vague kind
of term, then you explain to them that Allah is way beyond us, like,
give him an example, that you know, you get a calculator, the
calculator was made by the human being, can the calculator
understand the human being fully? You know, you give them some small
examples like that, to just kind of explain to them that look,
Allah is way beyond transcendent and pure and over and above
anything that we can think about. And we can't situate, you know, we
can't put a location on him. That's why when Mr. Abu Hanifa,
was asked about this, he said something very, very clear about
this, he said that we agree that Allah is established on the
throne, without his needing it or resting on it. So this is what he
said. He said, We agree that Allah is istilah on his ash, without his
needing it without any damage without being martyred of it. I'm
using the Arabic so that you know what exactly he used because the
English messes it up a bit. We agree that Allah is is still on
the throne. Without his the urge to it, or a sticker on it, he took
out the istikhara meaning because that is problematic, because that
means that is contained by this limited throne and everybody
agrees the throne is created by Allah. It's limited, though. It's
vast, but it's limited. And if that contains Hola, hola, hola.
Hola, como de la Vela, that gives a major problematic connotation.
Then he said, and he is the guardian of the throne, and all
besides the throne. And then he says, if he were in need, he would
not have been able to bring into existence the universe or
administrate over its affairs, just as creative beings cannot, if
he was in need of the throne in terms of sitting on it, or using
it for whatever he had need for it, then he would not have been
able to bring into existence just as creative beings cannot. And
then he says, if he was in need of sitting or settling on it,
istikhara would you lose on it? Then before the creation of the
throne? Where was he most high? That's what he said. If he needs
to sit on that and where was he before He created the throne, in
effect, he is transcendent of all of this.
He is above all of this such a beautiful way that is clarified
that see among the early humble is that's when this problem came
about of the theme. And it was initially a serious that seem pure
corporate lism if not Josie will fellowship no Josie, the great
scholar wrote a number of different works Hamdulillah he was
not on that path, but he used to complain a lot about his fellow
humbleness. And he said on one occasion that my hair stands on
end. When I hear what some of my fellow humble is saying.
They say that you can say that Allah has a face because Allah say
so in the Quran. You can say that he has a shin because he says so
you can say he has a hand because he
has that as well. He mentioned that as well. You can say Allah
runs because he mentioned that, but you can't say as ahead because
he doesn't mention that. What kind of a monster is somebody trying to
create here? You know to go into that level and talk like that on
these obscurities is where the problem arises. Now what happens
is after you know Tamia Rahim Allah time in his time and after
they stopped making this so blatant, then it was like, Look,
we have to believe that when Allah says hand it literally means hand
it's not metaphorical. They say Selim happy cutter who will fall
with K for Yetta. Who means affirm, its literal meaning but
leave the description of it to Allah so let's say we're doing
we're doing the fleet but they do it after taking one step. The
Salaf used to do it without taking any step or they will only do it
after taking away any unsuitable meaning from Allah. So the true
self like Abu Hanifa and so on, they say don't do that we'll leave
it completely to Allah don't insist that it's Hachiko OMA, just
leave it to Allah just take away any unsuitable connotation. Okay?
Whereas what the people today do that follow in this methodology of
even the Tamia Rahim, Allah and others is that they say,
initially, you have to insist on the Haqiqa that it's not majaz
it's not metaphorical. So when you say you're done, it is you're
done, literally, but we don't know it's description, and it's not a
limb, a lot of them will then clarify, it's not a limb, but it's
a year done. It's like they take you right there and they say no,
it's not that but for a lot of common people on the street, I
don't know where that's gonna get them. It's highly problematic in
the way that's being said.
So when they say their seller fee and that's a Salafi opinion,
that's completely incorrect. Because what they're doing is
they're doing one that we'll then they're doing stuff with, the
seller fees are doing at will, which is that first take away the
metaphorical meaning and insist on the literal meaning and then due
to fried, whereas the solid they said, No, we're not gonna worry
about literal and metaphorical. In fact, some people they say there's
no metaphor in the Quran at all. But for example, when Allah says
that woman can if he had the armor for who earth you know, the armor
or the loose Aveda, translate that literally in Surah Illustra, when
you destroy, Allah says, Whoever is blind in this world,
then he will be blind in the hereafter. Arma means blind. In
fact, he will be even more deviated a little looser Mila. Now
let's just say there's no metaphor in the Quran, then what happens to
the poor blind person, it's not their fault that they blind in
this world. You're blind in this world, you're going to be blind in
the hereafter. In fact, you're going to be even more deviated.
You have to take this metaphorically.
That it means blindness, meaning blindness of the heart from the
truth, not blindness of the eyes, which is the literal meaning. That
is the kind of extreme that some people go to, in fact, Shaco they
mean, Rahim Allah is passed away, Allah have mercy on him. He said,
that when somebody asked about the Hadith about the jewel that he
only has one I wa Rob Booker be our and then the prophets, Allah
lorrison said that your Lord is not one aid.
So the normal meaning that the other will take from that is our
Lord doesn't need eyes and have eyes, okay? And this individual is
going to call himself God, and he has this one eye and the other is
covered or it's not functioning. So theming says, Well, this proves
that Allah has two eyes.
Now is is as to are you on? I mean, you can see where they take
it because of the meaning. I mean, this is serious problem, even
though sometimes they go to great lengths and say, No, we don't mean
a limb. Lisa, Jerry, hi, it's not Jerry.
But then because of the way it said, insinuates that a lot of the
common people begin to believe that and that's where the problem
is.
So where is Allah?
He's where he's always been. I mean, it's not for us to determine
that. I mean, you're not going to be asked about that. So to get
away if somebody's going to persecute you for it's the eyelash
colors finish.