Re: Can someone please substantiate/confirm
JazakAllahuKhair brother Ibn Sadique … and Wa’alaikumuSalam
My purpose for providing the link was to fulfil the OP’s question, which is substantiation for the said beliefs. There are references to that effect and for whatever reason … they are there. Perhaps some interpretation is required, perhaps in some cases rejection is required … I didn’t give my take on the subject. Rather I provided the reason why some have that belief … in others words I was showing the belief is based on something and not just picked out of thin air. Further matters are based on how well both sides of the argument can be presented and how well they can be debated … the onus is on the individual to make up their own mind based on the guidance of the scholars who they feel open their hearts towards sincerity.
In terms of scholarship - it is true that some have more scholarship than others, but it is also true that Islam is not just one subject area - it has many subject areas all of which have different experts. For me negation of a matter is clearer than deriving negation from hadith. For example the hadith may state something and another hadith may state another thing, but it takes the one who interprets those hadith in order to say something based on them. And then there is the matter of perception and the matter of poetic description and the matter of checking translation - all could be quite a task.
For me dogmatically shadow or no shadow - there is no conflict with aqeedah in this matter - however, I have started to lean towards such an idea as being a really good way for me to increase in respect and love for him (SAW). That does not mean I am saying one thing or another - I am leaving it open until perhaps I can study more about it … I take your points and accept the line of the argumentation, but I have not made up my mind on this matter until I can honestly say that I have exhausted the subject in researching the matter myself. Picking or finding hadith to contradict the said position is only the beginning of the journey. For every hadith we find to contradict another we create the problem of discontinuity and imbalance - it then becomes more important to find the balance carefully and I feel I must not resort to a previously biased position to settle very easily at an answer that suits my personal state, but to pursue the truth and continue doing so.