As-salaamu 'alaykum,

al-akh Abu Zubayr posted this on his sahwah forum:

as-Salaamu 'Alaikum,

I just finished reading a book by the great Hanbali Imam Ibn Qudamah al-Maqdisi (d. 620AH) where he describes his debate with the Ash'aris of his time, over the issue of Quran being the literal word of Allah.

The Sunnis from the four schools of Fiqh regard the Quran to be the literal word of Allah, including every single Surah it contains, begining with al-Fatiha and ending with al-Nas, along with every letter.

Ash'aris on the other hand, believe that Allah's Speech is without voice or letters, and that His Speech is indivisible and eternal, like Allah's knowledge. On this basis, they say that the words and letters that our Quran is composed of are created and not the words of Allah. In other words, the speech that exists in the Mushaf is created, as the Mu'tazila's believe. As for who actually spoke those words and letters, some of them say it was Jibril, while others say that the words are of Muhammad SallAllahu 'alaihi wa-sallam.

The following are some of the quotes from Ibn Qudama's rebuttal I really enjoyed:

<ul>
"Some of our [Hanbali] companions often ask us about the debate that took place between me and some of the heretics (i.e. Ash'aris)"
Ash'aris claim that the Speech of Allah - the Quran - is one whole entity which is indivisible, for anything eternal must be indivisible, as they claim. Ibn Qudamah responds to this saying, that their belief implies, that the Torah, the Bible and the Quran are all the same, and the one who memorises a verse has memorised the whole Quran, and that Allah's prohibitions are the same as what he permits, etc.
Ash'aris say that if Allah speaks with sound and letters, it implies that Allah has a tongue, a throat and lungs, since this is the only way one may speak. Ibn Qudamah says, the stones and trees of Makkah would say Salam to the Prophet - SallAllahu 'alaihi wasallam without any of that, and likewise ones hands will bear witness against him on the day of judgement, without the need of any tongue or throat etc. Moreover, by the same token, they should also deny that Allah is all hearing and seeing, as one cannot hear except through air waves hitting the air-drums, nor can one see except through lights hitting the retina.
Ibn Qudamah says that Ash'aris belief implies that for one to recite the Quran in his Salah, in fact renders his Salah null and void, because the Quran is actually the speech of Jibril, as they claim.
He says: "There is no dispute amongst all the Muslims that anyone who rejects a verse from the Quran, or a word, which is agreed upon, or even a letter which is agreed upon, is a Kafir... Whereas al-Ash'ari rejects the entire Quran and says: none of that is the Quran, rather it is the speech of Jibril"
He says: "What is amazing is that they are not bold enough to manifest their belief in public, nor do they explicitly state it except when they are alone. Even if they were the rulers, or governors of countries, and you were to attribute this belief to them, they would detest it and condemn it, and become obstinate. They would only pretend to honour the Quran respect the Mushaf, and stand up upon seeing it, whereas when they are alone they say: There is nothing in it but paper and ink, what else is there in it? And this is from the actions of Zanadiqah”
One of them said to Ibn Qudamah: I affirm that this Mushaf is actually the Quran, but it is not the eternal Quran, to which Ibn Qudamah replied: ‘So, do we have two Qurans?! … Some of our [Hanbali] companions said: ‘You (the Ash’aris) are the rulers and the governors over Islamic countries, so what prevents you from making your belief manifest to the common folk?
He said: ‘We do not know of a sect from the heretics who hide their beliefs, and who are not bold enough to manifest them, except the Zanadiqah and the Ash’aris.’
He said: ‘His belief (i.e. al-Ash’ari’s) is similar to that of the Mu’tazilah without doubt, except that al-Ash’ari wants to deceive. So he states his belief which appears to be agreeing with the beliefs of the people of truth. He then gives an explanation to his belief with a Mu’tazili twist.
He says: ‘The reality of the Ash’ari doctrine is that there is no God in the heavens, nor is there a Quran on this earth, and nor is Muhammad a messenger of God’. Ibn Fuwarrak was killed by the great ruler Ibn Subuktakin for claiming that the Prophet SallAllahu ‘alaihi wa-sallam was only a messenger when he was alive, and he isn’t a messenger anymore after his death.
He says: ‘What is amazing is that their leader (i.e. Abul-Hasan al-Ash’ari) who established their beliefs was a man not known for his religion or piety, nor was he known for any of the Sacred sciences. In fact, he belongs to no science except the science of blameworthy Kalam. All the while they acknowledge that he spent 40 years adhering to Mu’tazili doctrine, and then pretended to have retracted from it, however, nothing could be seen from him after his repentance except this Bid’ah.’</ul>
I guess, these highlights from this great Hanbali Imam prove that the Sunnis have been traditionally in opposition to the Ash’aris and regarded them to be heretics; as it also proves that Imam Ibn Qudamah, the great Hanbali scholar was a staunch enemy of the Ash’aris.

This also refutes the claim of some pseudo-Hanbalis who claim that Ibn Qudamah was lenient or accommodating towards the Ash’aris, since he used to share ‘Aqidah books with Salah al-Din al-Ayyubi – apparently.

As a final note, not everyone who attaches the title ‘al-Hanbali’ to his name or Kunya or founds some ‘Hanbali Text Society’ becomes a Hanbali. So beware of impostors!

This refutation of Imam Muwaffaq al-Din Ibn Qudamah al-Maqdisi - rahimahullah - has been edited and translated more then once.

There exist an manuscript of this work in Leiden Library, the Netherlands.

Its quite amazing how he refutes the false Ash'arite notions, and their ridiculous views on the Words of Allah, the Qur'an al-Karim.

Insha'Allah I shall transcribe it here in full or else scan that edition here in full.

as-Salamu 'alaykum,

Here are some words which he uses in describing the ash'ariyya...So a question comes to mind; did he consider them kuffar? Or was it the case that proof had to be established against them etc.?


"heretics"

"There is no dispute amongst all the Muslims that anyone who rejects a verse from the Quran, or a word, which is agreed upon, or even a letter which is agreed upon, is a Kafir... Whereas al-Ash'ari rejects the entire Quran and says: none of that is the Quran, rather it is the speech of Jibril"

"this is from the actions of Zanadiqah"

"We do not know of a sect from the heretics who hide their beliefs, and who are not bold enough to manifest them, except the Zanadiqah and the Ash’aris"

"The reality of the Ash’ari doctrine is that there is no God in the heavens, nor is there a Quran on this earth, and nor is Muhammad a messenger of God"

PS which books has he written against the ash'ariyya?

Taken from: http://s8.invisionfree.com/Sunnah/index ... wtopic=352

al-Salamu Alaikum


Muwaffaq al-Din Ibn Qudamah al-Maqdisi al-Jamma'ili al-
Dimashqi, the Hanbalite scholar, student of Shaykh Abd al-Qadir
al-Jilani, Abu'l-Faraj Ibn al-Jawziy, Ibn al-Muna and others, was
born in 541/1146 near al-Quds (Jerusalem) and died at the age
of 80 in Damascus, in the year 620/1223.

Ibn Qudamah's works are many; the best known is his great
Mughni, a comparitive Fiqh-compilation. He's also the author of
al-Tahrim al-Nazar fi Kutub Ahl al-Kalam, i.e. The Forbiddance of
Looiking into Books of The People of Kalam, translated by
G.Makdisi as 'The censure of speculative theology' , and
published by Luzac & Company Ltd in 1962.

The book can be purchased at http://www.joppabooks.com/ .
Those who are interested in more detail of Ibn Qudamah's life and theological beliefs can find the latters 'Aqidah, al-Lum'at al-I'tiqad, on the web with a lifesketch by Ali al-Timimi.

Excerpts from this book wil follow:


[note; all texts from now on are quoted from the translation with a
bit freedom in wording, sometimes giving the original Arabic
instead of the translated words]

"There is no question about the fact that the doctrine of the
Ancestors, in this regard, consisted in acknowledgment,
unreserved approval, and avoidance of the temerity of using
ta'wil, tamthil, tajsim and tashbih." p.7

"Let him who claims that they (i.e. the Salaf) did interpret them
allegorically produce evidence in support of his statement.
..there is no way of knowing this save by the transmission and
relation of traditions. Let him then transmit to us traditions of this
effect on the authorirty of the Messenger of Allah or that of his
Companions, or on the authority of one of the Tabi'in or one of
the approved Imams. Furthermore, he who claims this is one of
the partisans of Kalam; and they are the most ignorant of men
with regard to the traditions of the Companions, the least
possessed of knowledge with regard to those of the Tabi'in, and
the most neglectful of their transmission. Whence then would
they have knowledge of traditions such as these? Even so,
should anyone among them transmit something, his
transmission would not be acceped, nor would he be heeded.
The sole possessions of these people consist in forgery,
falsehood, and false witness. " p.7

"It is agreed among Traditionists, orthodox and schismatics
alike, that the doctrine of the Salaf as regards the attributes of
Allah, consisted in acknowledging them, allowing them to pass
intact, ubmitting unreservedly to their Author, and avoiding the
temerity of undertaking their interpretation. It is with this
information that the Traditions have come down to us on their
authority, both in general terms and detail. Thus, it has been
related on the authority of Malik b. Anas, al-Awza'i, Sufyan al-
Thawri, Sufyan b. 'Uyayna, and Ma'mar b. Rashid, with regard to
the traditions treating of the divine attributes, that they allowed
them to pass intact as they had come down from the Prophet."
p.7-8

"Now as for us (i.e. Ahl al-Hadith, the Hanbali's and the majority
of the Shafi'iyyah, Malikiyyah etc.), we follow the path of our Salaf,
and the beaten track of our Imams, and the Sunnah of our
Prophet. We have not innovated any doctrine, nor have we made
any innovative additions to theirs. On the contrary, we believe in
the traditions which have come down to us, and allow them to
pass intact, exactly as they have come down from the Prophet;
we uphold their teachings; we hold our tongue from discussing
those things about which they were silent; we pursue the same
course of conduct as they did. Therefore, there is no reason to
accuse us (!) of disagreement and innovation." p.9

"..the Ahl al-Sunnah who follow the traditions and pursue the
path of the Salaf al-Salih, no imperfection taints them, nor does
any disgrace occur to them. Among them are the active learned
men (for example Ibn Taymiyyah, Ibn al-Qayyim), the Awliyyah of
Allah (cf. Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani) and the virtuous men (cf. Abu
Umar al-Maqdisi), the God-fearing an pious (like Sharif Abu
Ja'far and Ibn al-Banna), the pure and the righteous (many other
from the Ahl al-Hadith); those who have attained the state of
sainthood and the performance of miracles, and those who
worship in humility and exert themselves in the study of religious
law (allusion to the Shayk al-'Azim, Abd al-Qadir?). It is with their
praise that books and registers are adorned. Their annals
embellish the congregations and assemblies. Hearts become
alive at the mention of their life histories, and happiness ensues
from following in their footsteps. They are supported by religion;
and religion is by the enforced. Of the the Qur'an speaks; and
through the Qur'an they themselves express. And they are a
refuge to men when events afflict them: for kings, and others of
lesser rank, seek their visits, regarding their supplications to
Allah as a mean of obtaining blessings, and asking them to
intercede for them with Allah.." p.10

"..We, then, are the authors of excellent exhortations; to us
belong the glory of this world and the next. He who looks into the
books which learned men have devoted to the praise of Allah's
Awliyyah, will find mention there only of our kind. When relations
of miracles are transmitted, they are transmitted only as
proceeding from us; and when a preacher, or any other learned
person, wishes to render his exhortation pleasing and embellish
it, he does so by relating the lives of some of our ascetics, or the
miracles of our devotees, or the potraits of our learned men. And
at the mention of our pious, the mercy of Allah settles upon men,
hearts become calm, prayers are anwsered, and afflictions are
removed." p.10-11

(Indeed, when asked to Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani if there was any
Wali of Allah upon an Aqidah other then that of Ahmad he said,
'NO, and that will NEVER be')

About the Ahl al-Kalam, Ibn Qudamah al-Hanbali says:

"To speak of them is but to censure them, to caution against
them, to inspire with avresion against associating with them, to
order abandoning and shunning them, and to abstain from
studying their works. Not a single one among them can gain a
firm foothold in Wilayah (sainthood); nor will any banner of theirs
establish itslef among the pious; nor will any among them be
able to claim a miracle; nor will they see, in the life to come,
either their Lord or His highly esteemed saints. They declare the
miracles of the pious to be false, and they deny the favours
bestowed by Allah upon His believing servants. They are
therefore intensely hated in this world, and they will be tortured in
the next. None among them will prosper, nor will he succees in
following the right direction." p.11

"It has been established with certainty that the doctrine of the Salaf and the Imams who succeeded them, as regards these
Qoranic verses consists in acknowledgment, unimpaired
transmission, agreement and unreserved approval, without
allegorical interpretation (Ta'wil) and without divesting Allah of
His Attributes (i.e. Ta'til). We have already clearly proved that their
doctrine is the true one and that they pursue the right direction;
therefore, it is not lawful to oppose their course, nor to deviate
from their path." p.21

"The censurer of this discourse (i.e. Ibn Qudamah's explanation
of the sound ' Aqidah) must either censure belief in the Qoranic
expressions or he must censure that act of abstaining from their
interpreting them, or both. Now if he censures belief in the
Qur'anic espressions, these expressions were spoken by the
Lord of the Worlds and by His truthful and faithful Messenger,
and therefore the censurer would be denying Allah, 'Azza wa-jall.
He who censures belief in them both must either believe in them
both or deny them. If he believes in them, how can he censure
that to which he conforms? And if he denies them, he secedes
from the religion of Islam and declares himself quit of Iman.
Allah has said, 'None reject Our Ayat but the unbelievers'" p.24

"Furthermore, the censurer of this discourse condemns those
entrenched in knowledge whom Allah has commended, and the
matter in respect of which Allah praised the, namely, unreserved
approval and faith. Moreover, he is ridiculing all of the Salaf. Now
there is no doubt as to the transgression of him who blames all
of these people, nor is there any doubt as to his heretical
innovation and error." p.25

"..We have no doctrine for which we might be blamed. If we be
blamed for the Quranic expressions in which we believe, no one
is being blamed but Him who said the, nor are the censurers
disacknowledging anyone excep Him who gave utterance to
them. It is He who will punish them for their unbelief and heresy."
p.25

Lastly, i shall finish this post with an excellent Nasiha (advice) of
the Muwaffaq al-Din:

"I bid you, my brothers, may Allah guide you rightly!, to adhere to
the Book of your Lord and to the Sunnah of your Prophet, to hold
fast thereto, and to avoid all innovations. For every innovation is a
heretical innovation, and every heretical innovation is an error.
Do not allow yourselves to be deceived by the discourse of a
person who will turn you away from the orthodox path which you
have been following, no matter who he may be. For he is incapable of adding anything to that which has been said by your
Prophet, or by his worthy Companions or by your Imam, Imam al-
Sunnah by Idjma;, Abu Abdallah Ahmad b. Muhammd b. Hanbal,
or by the Imams who were his contemporaries or his predecessors. You have already heard, and we have already mentioned to you, some of the doctrines which they followed and some of their counsels; do not deviate therefrom through the doctrine of someone, though you may think him to be a great Imam." p.41

Wa-Salamu alaikum.

I have given some references, see the post in:

viewtopic.php?t=2856

Therein I mentioned the work referred to above, known as:

"Munazarat.. ba’d al-Ash’ariyyin fi’l-Qur’an wa-Radd ‘alayh.." and there's also a different title for it.

In the link you see also,

"Burhan fi Mas’alat al-Qur’an wa-Radd ‘ala’l-Ash’ariyyah"

The Damm al-Ta'wil is also against them and other Mu'awwilun, besides of course the Ithbat al-Sifat al-'Uluww.

I do not know of any other specific works against them by him, at least not from memory. Maybe I have to go back to the biographical works.