Do Salafis take literal meaning of the Quran?

Society Religion & Philosophy
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First of all, I'm not a loner who believe in this, majority of Muslim Ummah have and still believe in it. Hence, I don't find it appropriate to address me by "your" as if there is only me or handful people who have such a belief. This is the belief of Ahlus Sunnah, period! As far your question, let's have a look at the ahadeeth:
Narrated Anas: The Prophet said, "The people will be thrown into the (Hell) Fire and it will say: "Are there any more (to come)?' (50.30) till Allah puts His Foot over it and it will say, 'Qati! Qati! (Enough Enough!)'" [Saheeh Bukharee: 6.60.371]

   Narrated Abu Huraira: (that the Prophet said) "It will be said to the Hell, 'Are you       filled?' It will say, 'Are there any more (to come)?' On that Allah       will put His Foot on it, and it will say 'Qati! Qati! (Enough!       Enough!)." [Saheeh Bukharee: 6.60.372]


   Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet said, "Paradise and the Fire (Hell) argued, and the Fire       (Hell) said, "I have been given the privilege of receiving the       arrogant and the tyrants.' Paradise said, 'What is the matter with me?      Why do only the weak and the humble among the people enter me?' On       that, Allah said to Paradise. 'You are My Mercy which I bestow on       whoever I wish of my servants.' Then Allah said to the (Hell) Fire,       'You are my (means of) punishment by which I punish whoever I wish of       my slaves. And each of you will have its fill.' As for the Fire       (Hell), it will not be filled till Allah puts His Foot over it       whereupon it will say, 'Qati! Qati!' At that time it will be filled,       and its different parts will come closer to each other; and Allah will      not wrong any of His created beings. As regards Paradise, Allah will       create a new creation to fill it with." [Saheeh Bukharee: 6.60.373]

Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as say- ing: The Hell and the Paradise fell into dispute and the Hell said: I have been dis- tinguished by the proud and the haughty. And the Paradise said: What is the matter with me that the meek and the humble amongst people and the downtrodden and the simple enter me? Thereupon Allah said to the Paradise: You are (the means) of My Mercy whereby I show mercy to those of My servants whom 1 wish, and He said to the Hell: You are (the means) of punishment whereby 1 punish those of My servants whoml wish. Both of you will be full. The Hell will riot be filled up until Allah puts down His foot in it. The Hell would say: Enough, enough, enough, and at that time it will be filled up, all its parts integrated together. [Saheeh Muslim: 40.6819]
this is what the Messenger of Allah (sal-allahu 'alayhi wa salam) has told us and we believe in it and understand it how the Salaf understood it, which is not negating the dahir, not resmbling Allah to His creation and not asking the "howness".

Wallahu A'lam

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Allah Ta'ala's knowledge is everywhere, not He, Himself, is everywhere! Since according to you He is everywhere, it means He is inside and outside of His creation. Then is Allah Ta'ala in your toilet too? Does He sleep with you? This is plain kufr! Why do you raise your hands above when He is supposedly everywhere? Why was Prophet Isa ('alayhi as-salam) raised above to His Lord if His Lord is everywhere? Did Allah's Messenger (sal-allahu 'alayhi wa salam) lie when He affirmed the belief of the slave girl who said that Allah Ta'ala is above the heavens. Or did the Salaf lie when they affirmed that He is above the heavens over His throne? Why does Allah Ta'ala descend to the lowest heaven in the last 3rd of every night when He is everywhere? How is Allah being above the heavens over His throne limit His other attributes?

Let's answer these questions before moving on


I asked the same question to other brother and I'm asking you the same question, according to who they are to be understood figuratively? So, Allah Ta'ala says that He created the Adam ('alayhi as-salam) with His two hands. Please tell me what is the figurative interpretation of it? and why is it so and according to who? The messenger of Allah (sal-allahu 'alayhi wa salam) informed in the Saheeh hadith reported in Saheeh Muslim that Dajjaal is one eyed but Allah Ta'ala is not one eyed. What is your figurative interpretation?


Qur'aan is not contradicting itself, it is your understanding and lack of knowledge about this whole issue. I said that we understand the Qur'aan how the Salaf understood it. The Salaf said that Allah is above the heavens but He is everywhere in knowledge. He is closer to us than our jugular vein in knowledge not that He, Himself, is closer to us than our juglar vein. If you affirm the latar, it is kufr statemtent; it means Allah Ta'ala is inside His creation.

Why do you not tell me according to who what you say is what we should believe in? Because you're a layman like myself; therefore, not an authority in Islaam from whom we take our opinions from.

do you relaize that this ayah is a proof against you? Why did Allah Ta'ala sent His book down? Why didn't the book come from left or right since He is everywhere? Why did it come from above and send down? The issue of mutashabiha doesn't prove anything. allhamdulillah, the Ahlu Sunnah believe in the whole Qur'aan unlike those who reject the clear ayaat?
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Re: Do Salafis take literal meaning of the Quran?

Then you are agreeing that you are not taking literally but how Salaaf interpreted the Quran, the literal and the figurative?

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AllahKaBanda bhai- according to salafis what i have said is not Kufr.

We read in the famous book Forty Hadith Qudsi, this hadith copied from Sahih Muslim as its Salafi authors state:
Hadith Qudsi 18:

On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah said: Allah (mighty and sublime be He) will say on the Day of Resurrection:

O son of Adam, I fell ill and you visited Me not. He will say: O Lord, and how should I visit You when You are the Lord of the worlds? He will say: Did you not know that My servant So-and-so had fallen ill and you visited him not?

Did you not know that had you visited him you would have found Me with him? O son of Adam, I asked you for food and you fed Me not. He will say: O Lord, and how should I feed You when You are the Lord of the worlds? He will say: Did you not know that My servant So-and-so asked you for food and you fed him not? Did you not know that had you fed him you would surely have found that (the reward for doing so) with Me? O son of Adam, I asked you to give Me to drink and you gave Me not to drink. He will say: O Lord, how should I give You to drink when You are the Lord of the worlds? He will say: My servant So-and-so asked you to give him to drink and you gave him not to drink. Had you given him to drink you would have surely found that with Me.

If we interpret this Hadith Qudsi literally, then it becomes clear that Salafis believe that:

1 Allah (swt) is hungry too and eats food

2 Allah (swt) is thirsty too and drinks water

Timepass- December 2012
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Re: Do Salafis take literal meaning of the Quran?

So which of the following statements is more objectionable

God has eyes.

God does not have eyes.

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So Allah according to sunni belief has eyes, ears, mouth, legs, hands, eats and drinks. Basically resembles human being except he is supreme right?

How long did you sleep yesterday ?
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Both.

Count to 25 Before a MOD Posts
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Re: Do Salafis take literal meaning of the Quran?

Allahkabanda

"Today We forget you as you have forgotten this day of yours" (Qur'an 45:34), ..........

Does this mean Allah can forget (audhubillah) and thus He's imperfect?

Timepass- December 2012
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Brother please read this excerpt from the article by Shaykh Nuh Haa Meem Keller:

This naturally drew the criticism of neo-Hanbalis, at their forefront Ibn Taymiya and Ibn al-Qayyim, as it still does of today’s "reformers" of Islam, who echo these two’s arguments that figurative interpretation (ta’wil) was a reprehensible departure (bid‘a) by Ash‘aris and others from the way of the early Muslims (salaf); and who call for a "return to the sunna," that is, to anthropomorphic literalism. Now, the obvious question in the face of such "reforms" is whether literalism is really identical with pristine Islamic faith (‘aqida). Or rather did figurative interpretation (ta’wil) exist among the salaf? We will answer this question with actual examples of mutashabihat or ‘unapparent in meaning’ Qur'anic verses and hadiths, and examine how the earliest scholars interpreted them:

  1. Forgetting. We have mentioned above the Qur'anic verse, "Today We forget you as you have forgotten this day of yours" (Qur'an 45:34), which the early Muslims used to interpret figuratively, as reported by a scholar who was himself an early Muslim (salafi) and indeed, the sheikh of the early Muslims in Qur'anic exegesis, the hadith master (hafiz) Ibn Jarir al-Tabari who died 310 years after the Hijra, and who explains the above verse as meaning: "‘This day, Resurrection Day, We shall forget them,’ so as to say, ‘We shall abandon them to their punishment.’" Now, this is precisely ta’wil, or interpretation in other than the verse’s ostensive sense. Al-Tabari ascribes this interpretation, through his chains of transmission, to the Companion (Sahabi) Ibn ‘Abbas (Allah be well pleased with him) as well as to Mujahid, Ibn ‘Abbas’s main student in Qur'anic exegesis (Jami‘ al-bayan, 8.202).

  2. Hands. In the verse, "And the sky We built with hands; verily We outspread [it]" (Qur'an 51:47),

al-Tabari ascribes the figurative explanation (ta’wil) of with hands as meaning "with power (bi quwwa)" through five chains of transmission to Ibn ‘Abbas, who died 68 years after the Hijra, Mujahid who died 104 years after the Hijra, Qatada [ibn Da‘ama] who died 118 years after the Hijra, Mansur [ibn Zadhan al-Thaqafi] who died 131 years after the Hijra, and Sufyan al-Thawri who died 161 years after the Hijra (Jami‘ al-bayan, 27.7–8). I mention these dates to show just how early they were.

  1. Shin. Of the Qur'anic verse, "On a day when shin shall be exposed, they shall be ordered to prostrate, but be unable" (Qur'an 68:42),

al-Tabari says, "A number of the exegetes of the Companions (Sahaba) and their students (tabi‘in) held that it a day when shin shall be exposed] means that a dire matter (amrun shadid) shall be disclosed" (Jami‘ al-bayan, 29.38)—the shin’s association with direness being that it was customary for Arab warriors fighting in the desert to ready themselves to move fast and hard through the sand in the thick of the fight by lifting the hems of their garments above the shin. This was apparently lost upon later anthropomorphists, who said the verse proved ‘Allah has a shin,’ or, according to others, ‘two shins, since one would be unbecoming.’ Al-Tabari also relates from Muhammad ibn ‘Ubayd al-Muharibi, who relates from Ibn al-Mubarak, from Usama ibn Zayd, from ‘Ikrima, from Ibn ‘Abbas that shin in the above verse means "a day of war and direness (harbin wa shidda)" (ibid., 29.38). All of these narrators are those of the sahih or rigorously authenticated collections except Usama ibn Zayd, whose hadiths are hasan or ‘well authenticated.’

  1. Laughter. Of the hadith related in Sahih al-Bukhari from Abu Hurayra that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, Allah Most High laughs about two men, one of whom kills the other, but both of whom enter paradise: the one fights in the path of Allah and is killed, and afterwards Allah forgives the killer, and then he fights in the path of Allah and is martyred, the hadith master al-Bayhaqi records that the scribe of Bukhari [Muhammad ibn Yusuf] al-Farabri related that Imam al-Bukhari said, "The meaning of laughter in it is mercy" (Kitab al-asma’ wa al-sifat, 298).

  2. Coming. The hadith master (hafiz) Ibn Kathir reports that Imam al-Bayhaqi related from al-Hakim from Abu ‘Amr ibn al-Sammak, from Hanbal, the son of the brother of Ahmad ibn Hanbal’s father, that Ahmad ibn Hanbal figuratively interpreted the word of Allah Most High,"And your Lord shall come . . ." (Qur'an 89:22), as meaning "His recompense (thawab) shall come."

Al-Bayhaqi said, "This chain of narrators has absolutely nothing wrong in it" (al-Bidaya wa al-nihaya,10.342). In other words, Ahmad ibn Hanbal, like the Companions (Sahaba) and other early Muslims mentioned above, sometimes also gave figurative interpretations (ta’wil) to scriptural expressions that might otherwise have been misinterpreted anthropomorphically. This was also the way of Abul Hasan al-Ash‘ari, founder of the Ash‘ari school of Islamic belief, who had two views about the mutashabihat, the first being tafwid, or ‘consigning the knowledge of what is meant to Allah,’ and the second being ta’wil or ‘figurative interpretation’ when needed to avoid the suggestion of the anthropomorphism that is explicitly rejected by the Qur'an.

In light of the examples quoted above about such words about Allah as ‘forgetting,’ ‘hands,’ ‘shin,’ ‘laughter,’ ‘coming,’ and so forth, it is plain that Muslims scholars of ‘Aqida, whether of the Ash‘ari school or any other, did not originate ta’wil or figurative interpretation, but rather it had been with Muslims from the beginning, because that was the nature of the Arabic language. And if the above figures are not the salaf or ‘early Muslims,’ who are? Ibn Taymiya and Ibn al-Qayyim, who died more than seven centuries after the Hijra?

In view of the foregoing examples of figurative interpretation by early Muslims, we have to ask, Whose ‘early Islam’ would today’s reformers of ‘Aqida have us return to? Imam Abu Hanifa first noted, "Two depraved opinions have reached us from East, those of Jahm [ibn Safwan], the nullifier of the divine attributes, and those of Muqatil [ibn Sulayman al-Balkhi, the likener of Allah to His creation" (Siyar a‘lam al-nubala,’ 7.202).

These are not an either-or for Muslims. Jahm’s brand of Mu‘tazilism has been dead for over a thousand years, while anthropomorphic literalism is a heresy that in previous centuries was confined to a handful of sects like the Hanbalis addressed by Imam Ibn al-Jawzi in his Daf‘ shubah al-tashbih, or like the forgers of Kitab al-sunna who ascribed it to Imam Ahmad’s son ‘Abdullah, or like the Karramiyya, an early sect who believed Allah to be a corporeal entity "sitting in person on His Throne."

As for Islamic orthodoxy, the Imam of Ahl al-Sunna in tenets of faith, ‘Abd al-Qahir al-Baghdadi says in his ‘aqida manual Usul al-din [The fundamentals of the religion]

Anyone who considers his Lord to resemble the form of a person . . . ] is only worshipping a person like himself. As for the permissibility of eating the meat he slaughters or of marriage with him, his ruling is that of an idol-worshipper.

.. . Regarding the anthropomorphists of Khurasan, of the Karramiyya, it is obligatory to consider them unbelievers because they affirm that Allah has a physical limit and boundary from underneath, from whence He is contact with His Throne (al-Baghdadi, Usul al-din [Istanbul: Matba‘a al-Dawla, 1346/1929], 337).

In previous Islamic centuries, someone who worshipped a god who ‘sits,’ moves about, and so forth, was considered to be in serious trouble in his faith (‘aqida). Our question should be: If anthropomorphic literalism were an acceptable Islamic school of thought, why was it counted among heresies and rejected for the first seven centuries of Islam that preceded Ibn Taymiya and his student Ibn al-Qayyim, and condemned by the scholars of Ahl al-Sunna thereafter?

To summarize everything I have said tonight, we have seen three ways of understanding the mutashabihat, or ‘unapparent in meaning’ verses and hadiths: tafwid, ‘consigning the knowledge of what is meant to Allah,’ ta’wil, ‘figurative interpretation within the parameters of classical Arabic usage,’ and lastly tashbih, or ‘anthropomorphic literalism.’

We saw that the way of tafwid or ‘consigning the knowledge of what is meant to Allah,’ was the way of Shafi‘i, Ahmad, and many of the early Muslims. A second interpretive possibility, the way of ta’wil, or ‘figurative interpretation,’ was also done by the Companions (Sahaba) and many other early Muslims as reported above. In classical scholarship, both have been considered Islamic, and both seem needed, though tafwid is superior where it does not lead to confusion about Allah’s transcendence beyond the attributes of created things, in accordance with the Qur'anic verse,

There is nothing whatsoever like unto Him" (Qur'an 42:11).

As for anthropomorphism, it is clear from this verse and from the entire history of the Umma, that it is not an Islamic school of thought, and never has been. In all times and places, Islam has invited non-Muslims to faith in the Incomparable Reality called Allah; not making man a god, and not making God a man.
Wa jazakum Allah khayran, wa l-hamdu li Llahi Rabbil ‘Alamin.

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Re: Do Salafis take literal meaning of the Quran?

Since Salafis claim that the Qur'an is literal, then it is only natural that the following are their true beliefs, which they conceal. After all, they are based on literalist readings and interpretations of the Qur'an!

*1. Allah Mocks at His Creation: *

Mockery is a sin, and has been condemned in the Qur’an and Hadith. It is also a sign of ignorance and immaturity. How would the citizens of Saudi Arabia feel about their King if he comes on Television to mock them? Yet, they have no hesitation in attributing such stupidity to Allah (swt), courtesy of their literal interpretation of these verses:

“Allah mocks at them and gives them increase in their wrongdoing to wonder blindly”.
Qur’an 2:15.

“Allah mocks at them (sakhirallahu minhum) and they shall have a painful torment”.
Qur’an 9:79.

2. Allah Plots Against His Creation:

You plot when you have evil intentions and plans which you are hiding. Salafis think Allah (swt) is hiding some evil intentions and plans from us:

“And they plotted and Allah plotted too”.
Qur’an 3:54.

3. Allah Deceives His Creation:

Deception is an act of hypocrisy when there is no moral justification for it. Salafis thus love their god for his hypocrisy:

“Verily, the hypocrites seek to deceive Allah, but it is He who deceives them”.
Qur’an 4:142.

Salafism equate Allah (swt) and hypocrites in a tough game of deception.

4. Allah Forget His Creation:

Forgetfulness is an imperfection. To Salafis, Allah (swt) is still below it:

“They have forgotten Allah. So He has forgotten them”.
Qur’an 9:67.

They also believe that Allah (swt) always forgets His creatures. But, whenever one of them remembers Him, He too remembers him, and forgets him again:

“Therefore, remember Me, I will remember you”.
Qur’an 2:152.

So, there is a way to escape His punishment on the Day of Judgment. Just forget Him and He will never remember that He ever created you:

“So this Day we shall forget them as they forgot their meeting of this Day”.
Qur’an 7:51.

“Surely, we too will forget you”.
Qur’an 32:14

“This Day We will forget you as you forgot the meeting of this day of yours”.
Qur’an 45:34.

In his commentary of this verse, Ibn Jarir al-Tabari has cited Ibn ‘Abbas, through his chains, interpreting it as meaning ‘We shall abandon them to their punishment’" (Tabari, Jami‘ al-bayan [Beirut: Dar al-Fikr, 1405/1984], 8.202).

This certainly is ta’wil by a prominent Companion. Also, the Qur’an however refutes the Salafis:

“Your Lord is never forgetful”.
Qur’an 19:64.

5. Allah Needs Help From His Creation:

Salafis strongly believe that Allah (swt) always needs our help. If we refuse to help Him, He will be helpless:

“If you help Allah, He will help you”.
Qur’an 47:7.

If He does not need help, Salafis ask, why is He soliciting it? The Qur’an however answers them:

“O mankind! It is you who stand in need of Allah”. But Allah is free of all needs, and worthy of all praise”.
Qur’an 35:15.

We also read this:

“Allah is not in need of you”.
Qur’an 39:7.

6. Allah Hates the Handicapped:

In the view of Salafis, Allah (swt) has an intrinsic hatred for the handicapped:

“Verily, the worst of living creatures with Allah are the deaf and the dump, who understand not”.
Qur’an 8:22.

But, even the blind will suffer!

“And whoever is blind in this world, will be blind in the hereafter, and more astray from the Path”. Qur’an 17:72.

The painful side of it is that Ibn Baz died a blind man.

7. Allah is a Manual Laborer:

This verse always plays into Salafis hands. Allah (swt) is a manual laborer:

“O Iblis! What prevents you from prostrating yourself to one whom I created with both My Hands”? Qur’an 38:75.

The creation of Adam was so difficult that Allah (swt) had to use both Hands. He also used both hands to create Cattle:

“Do they not see that we have created for them of what Our Hands have created, the cattle, so that they are their owners”.
Qur’an 36:71

But, the creation of the heaven and earth apparently forced Allah (swt) to use His entire body:

“Are you the more difficult to create or the heaven”.
Qur’an 79:27.

Here, the Salafi god acknowledges that he finds certain things difficult to do. Then, he continues:

“Assuredly the creation of the heavens and the earth is a greater (matter) than the creation of man.
Qur’an 40:57.

This means he used more than hands. However, nothing is difficult with the True Allah (swt), and He never engages in manual labour:

“Verily, His command, when He intends a thing, is only that He says to it, ‘Be’ – and it is!”
Qur’an 36:82.

The term “Hand” has also been mentioned in this verse:

“And the sky We built with hands; verily We outspread [it]"
Qur’an 51:47

Ibn Jarir al-Tabari has transmitted, through authentic chains, from Ibn ‘Abbas, who claims that “with hands” means “with power” in his commentary of this verse. He has also narrated similar ta’wil from Mujahid, Qatada [Ibn Da‘ama], Mansur [Ibn Zadhan al-Thaqafi], and Sufyan al-Thawri (Jami‘ al-bayan, 27.7–8).

8. Allah has Limited Knowledge:

Salafis do not believe that Allah (swt) knows the future or has the knowledge of Unseen:

“Do you think that you will be left alone while Allah has not yet known those among you who strive with might and main, and take none for friends and protectors except Allah, His Messenger, and the believers”?
Qur’an 9:16

The term in the verse is “walammaa ya’lamillahu”, literally meaning “while Allah has not yet known”. Dr. al-Hilali and Dr. Khan, the Salafi translators, give the verse as “while Allah has not yet tested”. Of course, that is the meaning of the figurative expression. However, it is not the literal translation. The word is “ya’lam”, derived from “ilm”, meaning “knowledge”. There is just no way the word can mean “test” in the literal sense. So, what are these Salafi translators trying to conceal?

There are many verses like the above in the Qur’an. They confuse even one Sunni scholar, because of his own disease of literation, to the extent that he wrote this:

“Allah does not know what His believers are going to do. But, when they commit their deeds, He knows”.
Tafseer Balaghat-ul-Hayran by Maulana Husain Ali, pages 157-158 (Published by Himayat-e-Islam press, Lahore, Pakistan).

Here are more such verses:

If a wound has afflicted you (at Ohud), a wound like it has also afflicted the (unbelieving) people; and We bring these days to men by turns, and that Allah MAY KNOW those who believe and take witnesses from among you; and Allah does not love the unjust. And that He may purge those who believe and deprive the unbelievers of blessings. Do you think that you will enter the garden while Allah has NOT YET KNOWN those who strive hard from among you, and (He has not) known the patient.
Qur’an 3:140-142

That which befell you, on the day when the two armies met, was by permission of Allah; that He MIGHT KNOW the true believers; And that He MIGHT KNOW the hypocrites, unto whom it was said: Come, fight in the way of Allah, or defend yourselves. They answered: If we knew aught of fighting we would follow you. On that day they were nearer disbelief than faith. They utter with their mouths a thing which is not in their hearts. Allah is Best Aware of what they hide.
Qur’an 3:166-167

O you who believe! Allah will certainly try you in respect of some game which your hands and your lances can reach, that Allah MIGHT KNOW who fears Him in secret; but whoever exceeds the limit after this, he shall have a painful punishment.
Qur’an 5:94

9. Allah is Delirious (Naudhobillah)!

The creed founded by Ibn Taymiyyah thinks Allah (swt) some times gives irrational command. We will examine four such commands that Salafis condemn:

“And hold fast, all of you together, to the Rope of Allah”.
Qur’an 3:103.

Salafis say: We have searched every where, and can not locate any rope stretching from the heavens! Besides, how can Allah (swt) expect over 1.6million Muslims to hold one rope at the same time, never leaving it even to ease themselves or eat?

They also ask- which of these verses is correct?

“The Path of Allah to whom belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth”.
Qur’an 42:53.

“As for those who strive hard in Us, we will surely guide them to Our Paths”.
Qur’an 29:69.

Salafis ask: first, how does one strive hard in Allah (swt) Himself? Secondly, does He have only one Path or many Paths? Again, Salafis are baffled at these verses:

“And (remember) when Allah took the covenant of the Prophets, saying: ‘Take whatever I gave you from the Book and Wisdom, and afterwards there will come to you a Messenger confirming what is with you; you must, then, believe in him and help him”. Allah said: ‘do you agree and will you take up my covenant’? They said: ‘We agree’. He said: then, bear witness; and I am with you among the witnesses. Then whoever turns away after this, they are the transgressors”.
Qur’an 3:81-82.

“And ask (O Muhammad) those of Our messengers whom we sent before you: ‘Did we ever appoint gods to be worshipped besides the Most Gracious?’”
Qur’an 43:45.

Salafis: Why has Allah (swt) ordered the past prophets to believe in Muhammad (saww) and help him hundred of years after their own death? This contradicts Salafis aqeedah that the dead never return or has any impact on the world. Again, why has He ordered The Holy Prophet to ask people that were apparently dead?

Another confusion that Salafis have is about this verse:

“Verily, we will indeed help our Messenger and those who believe in this world’s life and on the day when the witness will stand forth”.
Qur’an 40:51.

This verse is talking about the future return of all prophets to this world, to participate in a great battle for the planet. Salafis do not believe this. So, their only explanation of the verse and many more like it is –irrational.

10. Allah will Perish

Anyone could easily think that the heading is only an exaggeration. However, Salafis actually believe that the body and limbs of Allah (swt), except His face, will certainly perish one day, in a unique manner:

“Everything will perish save His face”.
Qur’an 28:88

This verse has been a source of serious concern to Salafis since Ibn Taymiyyah. Some of them, like Ibn Kathir, have broken their own three golden rules and interpreted “His face” as “Himself”. This thus puts them within the brackets of their own takfeer. Others are more rigid. They maintain that Allah (swt) will indeed perish up to the face. He will perish in a manner different from that of His creatures. However, the effect will be one – destruction. One of such hardliners is Al-Albani.

Al-Albani was asked:

“You have heard me raise doubt to the matter that Al-Bukhari might say such statement that the meaning of ‘face’ in Allah’s saying (And there will endure forever the Face of your Lord), is property”. The questioner learnt that Al-Bukhari had metaphorically interpreted Qur’an 28:88 (as the full conversation between them evidences) and Qur’an 55: 27-28, saying “face” meant “property”.

Al-Albani became very angry and barked:

“O brother! A believer Muslim should never state such words!”
Fatawa Al-Albani, p. 522.

When the questioner persists, Al-Albani told him frankly- the verse has a literal meaning and the implication of that does not matter. This is how he puts it:

“The most important thing is saving Al-Bukhari from claims of metaphorically interpreting the verse”.
Fatawa Al-Albani, p. 522.

Therefore, the implication of the literal interpretation of those verses in unimportant. It is part of their banned knowledge. However, Al-Bukhari must be portrayed, at all cost, as a literalist! This is surprising. How can a person of the caliber of Al-Albanni in Salafi hadithology claim that Al-Bukhari never made such claims? What about this one:

“‘His face’ mentioned in Allah’s saying ‘Everything will perish save His face’ stands for His property”.
Sahih Al-Bukhari, vol. 6, p. 17.

Al-Albani goes to extreme of calling any one who interprets Qur’an 28:88 and Qur’an 55:27-28 or any other verse or Hadith metaphorically a kafir. What will his successors today say about Ibn Kathir and Al-Bukhari? But – why did Al-Albani lied so shamelessly, like Ibn Tamiyyah, Ibn Baz and other Salafi Imams? What were they all trying to conceal?

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WOW!!!!!!!!

Muslims are fighting for 1400 years as to offer prayer with hands on the chest or straight down and we don't even know that we have a lot bigger problem on our hands. We have not even understood our creator.

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No one can completely understand God nor we need to completely understand Him in order to believe in Him.

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lol

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hareem01:
"No one can completely understand God nor we need to completely understand Him in order to believe in Him. "

This is the reason we are what we are today. No need to understand our Creator, his messenger pbuh or the holy book. Pathetic.

35

As-Salamu 'Alaykum

subhaanAllah, suddenly my fellow respected brothers and sisters are very enthusiastic to learn about the correct 'aqeedah and allhamdulillah that's a good sign. But please don't overdo it or hijack the thread so that a mod closes the thread and I lose the opportunity to respond.

Before I respond to long copy paste, let's rewind back and think about our intentions. Why are we responding in this thread: Is it our purpose to learn about the correct 'aqeedah or simply amuse ourselves with circular debating and argumentation? Secondly, will we believe and affirm the correct 'aqeedah if it is clear to us? Thirdly, my brothers/sisters responding to my post, how many of you actually have some knowledge about this issue? Because long copy paste won't do it. Fourthly, please read my previous posts carefully and then respond; don't make me repeat myself, Jazak Allah khayr.

I'll post my response, sometime tonight or tomorrow morning, insha'Allah

36

I didn't mention anything about the Messenger(SAW) or Qura'n so please don't try to put your words in my mouth.

In Qura'n Allah said:

31:27. And if all the trees on earth were pens and the ocean (were ink), with seven oceans behind it to add to its (supply), yet would not the words of Allah be exhausted (in the writing): for Allah is Exalted in Power, full of Wisdom.

Do you think you can completely uderstand Allah, if yes then please enlighten us with your wisdom???

Wht r u doing ?
37

Walaykum salaam!

I don't really want to start arguments but my "copy&paste" included references of Salaf's view regarding this issue, I don't think I've got left anything to add in it, if you disagree with all the proof and evidence then it's your choice.

38

Re: Do Salafis take literal meaning of the Quran?

AllahkaBanda- look forward to your response.

39

Re: Do Salafis take literal meaning of the Quran?

Peace All

In the defence of the Athari creed ... it is not the same as the anthropomorphists creed. The difference is this:

Anthropomorphists say that the Al-Asma Wa-Sifaat of Allah (SWT) are literal references, whereas the Athari position is that the apparent meaning (literal) to the Sifaat have to be taken without speculation as to how, but the meaning of which is not open to pondering about. Atharis accept Attributes statements without pondering over them. Which to me is not the same as anthropomorphism. On the other hand it can be agreed that some case of Attributes of Allah (SWt) have to be taken literally and in other cases they have to be taken metaphorically ... as long as people of the Salaf believed that to be the case. This idea is compatible with the Salafi approach. It will also answer some of the points raised above.

I have noticed that there are very few Attributes that are described in scipture as to be taken metaphor and literal. It seems the Athari argument to be literal provides evidence for some Attributes whereas the 'Ashari argument to be metaphoric provides arguments for other Attributes. I don't think there is enough proof to say that all the Attributes are to be taken either literally or metaphoric.

It could well be that Allah (SWT) is Above. but it could also well be that the Hand of Allah (SWT) is not literal. The reason why the Hand may not be literal is because there is some semblence with other hands, however, the reason why Allah (SWT) can be over the 'Arsh is because nothing else can be over the 'Arsh.

40

Re: Do Salafis take literal meaning of the Quran?

It does seem the thread is going nowhere.

People are discussing what they just cannot. Trying to understand the physical 'nature' of creator is not even the part of religious teachings.

What is proscribed may be discussed. But why try to spend time in discussing something no brain power can understand.

Allah has chosen to use some words to make earthly people to understand something and we are beating up on literal meaning of words like hand, eyes, legs!

One thing comes to my mind and I need to add:

*What if someone really believes on these words literally as Allah having body parts and then decides to draw even a mental picture of him let alone draw on a piece of paper????
Would that even be allowed?
*
If he says he is close to jugular vein or he has eyes or hands, all seem to be metaphorical rather than literal.

However there is absolutely no need to try to make a person change his mind if the person wants to take these words literally or metaphorically.

We live in present. If people used to argue on it in the time centuries ago then they had the time and were in a different frame of mind.

It is just not essential or important at all. It does not matter and can be dealt with Allah only when time comes and if he chooses so.

Name any verse or hadith or anything religious where it is advised for people to understand the physical nature of creator and if they do not they will be punished??

I cannot quote here but somewhere it is advised not to try this.

What is more important here is what to do next??