There is no doubt that Shaykh ‘Abdul-Qaadir
al-Jeelaanee – irrespective of what the Sufis have falsely attributed to
him - was upon the way of Imaam Ahmad not only in Fiqh but also belief. Yet
despite Kabbani’s attempts to portray for the reader - via ibn al-Jawzee
for the most part - the beliefs of the Hanbali scholars, we see from the
preceding quote at least three marked differences between Shaykh
‘Abdul-Qaadir al-Jeelaanee and Kabbani:
i. That the Attribute of Istawaa is taken upon its
apparent sense - vs - Kabbani’s criticism of those who uphold the
Attributes on their apparent meaning as well as al-Zahawi’s attack on the
Wahhabis for doing the same.
ii. Shaykh ‘Abdul-Qaadir al-Jeelaanee’s
rejection of the view of the Ashariyyah that Istawaa means grandeur and highness
(‘uluww).
According to al-Haytami and al-Qalyubi, as quoted by
Kabbani (pp. 30-31), this would render Shaykh ‘Abdul-Qaadir both an
innovator and outside the fold of Ahlus-Sunnah for not following the way of the
Ashariyyah or Maturidees.
iii. The rejection of interpreting Istawaa as Isteela
(Istawla) - vs - Kabbani who mentions this as one of the interpretations given
for this Attribute and indeed refers to it as: "Among the least injurious
and most befitting meanings..." (pp. 106, 139, 184-185).
Imaam al-Juwaynee, in his retraction from the madhab of
the Ash’arees, explains:
"Allaah expanded my chest about the state of those
Shaykhs who made ta’weel of Istawaa to isteelaa... and it is my belief
that they do not understand the Attributes of the Lord, the Most High, except
with what befits the creation. Therefore, they do not understand Istawaa as
truly befits Him... so this is why they distort the words from its proper
context and deny what Allaah has described Himself with."
(Risaalah Ithbaatul-Istawaa wal-Fawqiyyah, pp.176-186,
which is part of Majmoo’atur-Rasaa’il al-Muneeriyyah)
Ibn Qudaamah wrote:
"The one performing ta’weel combines the
ascription to Allaah of an Attribute which He did not ascribe or adjoin to
Himself, with the negation of an Attribute which Allaah did adjoin to Himself.
When he says: ‘The meaning of Istawaa is istawlaa,’ he is ascribing
to Allaah the attribute of isteelaa, but Allaah did not ascribe this attribute
to Himself. He is also thereby negating the Attribute of Istawaa, despite the
fact that Allaah has mentioned it in the Qur’aan in seven
places."
(Tahreem an-Nazar fee Kitaab Ahl al-Kalaam, no.58; p.23
of the translation)
Kabbani adds (p.107): "To those who object to
istawla on the grounds that it supposes prior opposition, Ibn Hajar remarked
that that assumption is discarded by clinging to the verse: ‘Allah was
ever Knower, Wise.’ (4:17), which the commentators, he says, have
explained to mean ‘He is ever Knower and Wise.’"
Ibn Hajar, however, goes on to say: "But it is
possible to refute some of these meanings for others as has preceded from ibn
Battaal... and the Reviver of the Sunnah, al-Baghawee quoted in his tafseer from
ibn Abbaas and the majority of the commentators that its meaning was to rise
above, similar statements were said by Abu Ubaid and
al-Faraa’…" (Fath al-Baaree 13/406)
Ibn Battaal’s declaration that Istawaa means to
rise above and that this is the true position of Ahlus-Sunnah, as well as the
similar meaning given by ibn Abbaas, are both mentioned by Kabbani (p.105). But
needless to say he is unable to resist attempting to interpret away even this
correct defintion and says (p.106): "‘To rise,’
‘ascend,’ and ‘rise above’ must be understood in the
sense of rank and lordship..." This, as we have seen, has already been
replied to by Shaykh ‘Abdul-Qaadir al-Jeelaanee in his words: "It is
essential to carry the Attribute of al-Istawaa (Allaah’s ascending) upon
its apparent sense without ta’weel... nor does it mean grandeur and
highness (‘uluww) as the Ashariyyah say..."
The language of the Arabs does not permit the meaning of
Istawaa to be designated as isteelaa, and this definition is not quoted from any
of the Imaams of the Language whose saying is depended upon. This is why ibn
al-Jawzee says in Zaad al-Maseer (3/213): "This meaning is rejected
according to the Linguists." And ibn Abdul Barr said in at-Tamheed (7/131):
"Their saying in explanation of Istawaa that it means isteelaa is not
correct according to the language."
On a quick side point, we have just seen al-Haafidh ibn
Hajar refer to Imaam al-Baghawee as the ‘Reviver of the Sunnah’. So
here is an example of the Sunnah which he revived: