Some people claim that the Ash’ari scholars prefer their intellect over Qur’an and Hadith, is this true?
Quran
Hadith
Islamic Text
Ash’ari scholars do not prefer their intellect, this is a dishonest statement against the Ash’ari scholars.
The Ash’ari scholars spent centuries opposing the Mu’tazila who did give precedence to their own understanding over Hadith. To claim that the Ash’ari scholars do the same is an absurdity. The books of the Ash’aris are filled with such examples.
واعلم أن أخبث من ذكرنا من المبتدعة، وأكثرهم شبهاً وأعظمهم استجلاباً لقلوب العوام. المعتزلة، فجعلوا يتطلبون أن يضلوا من ذكرنا في مسألة القدر، فلم يقدروا، وكذلك في مسألة الرؤية، فلم يقدروا وكذلك في مسألة الشفاعة والصراط والميزان، وعذاب القبر، وجميع ما أنكروه مما صحت فيه الآثار فلم يقدروا عليهم في شيء من ذلك
Know that the most abhorrent of the innovators, the most confusing, and those most likely to attract the uneducated are the Mu’tazilah. They sought to misguide them regarding the issue of Qadr (predestination) but were unable, also in the issue of the beatific vision but were unable. Likewise the issues of Shafa’ah (intercession), the bridge, the scale and punishment of the grave. Everything they rejected is well established through narration, so they were unable to uphold any of it. (Abu Bakr al-Baqilani, al-Insaaf).
The Mu’tazilah negated seeing Allah (Most High) in the Akhirah because they could not conceive of the finite seeing the infinite. However, the Ahl Sunnah Ash’ari scholars affirmed it due to multiple Hadith narrations.
رؤيته سبحانه وتعالى في الآخرة، فهي جائزة عقلا واجبة شرعا؛ لورود الآيات والأحاديث، وللإجماع على حصولها (شرح جوهرة التوحيد)
Seeing Allah Most High in the Akhirah is rationally possible and necessary according to revelation, because Quranic verses and Prophetic Hadith have been revealed regarding it, and there is scholarly consensus regarding its occurrence. (Imam al-Sawi, Sharh Jowharah).
وأما المعتزلة فانهم نفوا الجهة ولم يتمكنوا من إثبات الرؤية دونها، وخالفوا به قواطع الشرع (الاقتصاد في الاعتقاد)
And as for the Mu’tazilah they negate a direction (for Allah Most High) and could not conceive of seeing (Allah Most High) without it. In doing so they opposed that which is clear in revelation. (Imam al-Ghazali, al-Iqtisaad fi al-I’tiqaad).
And Allah (Most High) Knows Best.
– Answered by Shaykh Noorud-deen Rashid (23.08.2021)
See also:
Do we believe in punishment of the grave?
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