Divine Unity and‬‬ Negation of Anthropomorphism

Al-Tawḥīd|Volume 1|Book 2|Chapter 2

Al-Tawḥīd

Book 2, Chapter 2

Divine Unity and‬‬ Negation of Anthropomorphism

Hadith #2

2 - حدثنا محمد بن الحسن بن أحمد بن الوليد رضي الله عنه، قال: حدثنا محمد بن عمر والكاتب، عن محمد بن زياد القلزمي ، عن محمد بن أبي زياد الجدي صاحب الصلاة بجدة، قال: حدثني محمد بن يحيى بن عمر بن علي بن أبي طالب عليه السلام قال: سمعت أبا الحسن الرضا عليه السلام يتكلم بهذا الكلام عند المأمون في التوحيد، قال ابن أبي زياد: ورواه لي أيضا أحمد بن عبد الله العلوي مولى لهم وخالا (*) لبعضهم عن القاسم بن أيوب العلوي أن المأمون لما أراد أن يستعمل الرضا عليه السلام على هذا الأمر جمع بني هاشم فقال: إني أريد أن أستعمل الرضا على هذا الأمر من بعدي، فحسده بنو هاشم، وقالوا: أتولي رجلا جاهلا ليس له بصر بتدبير الخلافة؟! فابعث إليه رجلا يأتنا فترى من جهله ما يستدل به عليه، فبعث إليه فأتاه، فقال له بنو هاشم: يا أبا الحسن اصعد المنبر وانصب لنا علما نعبد الله عليه، فصعد عليه السلام المنبر، فقعد مليا لا يتكلم مطرقا، ثم انتفض انتفاضة . واستوى قائما، وحمد الله وأثنى عليه، وصلى على نبيه وأهل بيته. ثم قال: أول عبادة الله معرفته، وأصل معرفة الله توحيده، ونظام توحيد - الله تفي الصفات عنه لشهادة العقول أن كل صفة وموصوف مخلوق وشهادة كل مخلوق أن له خالقا ليس بصفة ولا موصوف، وشهادة كل صفة وموصوف بالاقتران، وشهادة الاقتران بالحدث، وشهادة الحدث بالامتناع من الأزل الممتنع من الحدث، فليس الله عرف من عرف بالتشبيه ذاته، ولا إياه وحده من اكتنهه ولا حقيقة أصاب من مثله، ولا به صدق من نهاه ولا صمد صمده من أشار إليه ولا إياه عنى من شبهه، ولا له تذلل من بعضه، ولا إياه أراد من توهمه، كل معروف بنفسه مصنوع وكل قائم في سواه معلول، بصنع الله يستدل عليه و بالعقول يعتقد معرفته، وبالفطرة تثبت حجته . خلق الله حجاب بينه وبينهم ومباينته إياهم مفارقته إنيتهم، وابتداؤه إياهم دليلهم على أن لا ابتداء له لعجز كل مبتدء عن ابتداء غيره، وأدوه إياهم دليل على أن لا أداة فيه لشهادة الأدوات بفاقة المتأدين وأسماؤه تعبير، وأفعاله تفهيم، وذاته حقيقة، وكنهه تفريق بينه وبين خلقه، وغبوره تحديد لما سواه فقد جهل الله من استوصفه، وقد تعداه من اشتمله وقد أخطأه من اكتنهه، ومن قال: كيف فقد شبهه، و من قال: لم فقد علله، ومن قال: متى فقد وقته، ومن قال: فيم فقد ضمنه، ومن قال: إلى م فقد نهاه، ومن قال. حتى م فقد غياه ومن غياه فقد غاياه، ومن غاياه فقد جزأه، ومن جزأه فقد وصفه، ومن وصفه فقد ألحد فيه، لا يتغير الله بانغيار المخلوق، كما لا يتحدد بتحديد المحدود، أحد لا بتأويل عدد، ظاهر لا بتأويل المباشرة، متجل لا باستهلال رؤية، باطن لا بمزايلة، مبائن لا بمسافة، قريب لا بمداناة، لطيف لا بتجسم، موجود لا بعد عدم، فاعل لا باضطرار، مقدر لا بحول فكرة مدبر لا بحركة، مريد لا بهمامة، شاء لا بهمة، مدرك لا بمجسة سميع لا بآلة، بصير لا بأداة. لا تصحبه الأوقات، ولا تضمنه الأماكن، ولا تأخذه السنات ولا تحده الصفات، ولا تقيده الأدوات سبق الأوقات كونه. والعدم وجوده، والابتداء أزاله، بتشعيره المشاعر عرف أن لا مشعر له وبتجهيره الجواهر عرف أن لا جوهر له، وبمضادته بين الأشياء عرف أن لا ضد له، وبمقارنته بين الأمور عرف أن لا قرين له ضاد النور بالظلمة، والجلاية بالبهم، والجسو بالبلل ، والصرد بالحرور، مؤلف بين متعادياتها، مفرق بين متدانياتها، دالة بتفريقها على مفرقها، وبتأليفها على مؤلفها، ذلك قوله عز وجل: (ومن كل شئ خلقنا زوجين لعلكم تذكرون) ففرق بها بين قبل وبعد ليعلم أن لا قبل له ولا بعد، شاهدة بغرائزها أن لا غريزة لمغرزها، دالة بتفاوتها أن لا تفاوت لمفاوتها ، مخبرة بتوقيتها أن لا وقت لموقتها، حجب بعضها عن بعض ليعلم أن لا حجاب بينه وبينها غيرها له معنى الربوبية إذ لا مربوب وحقيقة الإلهية إذ لا مألوه ومعنى العالم ولا معلوم، ومعنى الخالق ولا مخلوق، وتأويل السمع ولا مسموع ليس منذ خلق استحق معنى الخالق، ولا باحداثه البرايا استفاد معنى البارئية كيف ولا تغيبه مذ، ولا تدنيه قد، ولا تحجبه لعل، ولا توقته متى، ولا تشمله حين، ولا تقارنه مع، إنما تحد الأدوات أنفسها، وتشير الآلة إلى نظائرها وفي الأشياء يوجد فعالها منعتها منذ القدمة، وحمتها قد الأزلية، وجبتها لولا التكملة افترقت فدلت على مفرقها، وتباينت فأعربت من مباينها لما تجلى صانعها للعقول وبها احتجب عن الرؤية، وإليها تحاكم الأوهام، وفيها أثبت غيره ومنها أنيط الدليل وبها عرفها الاقرار، وبالعقول يعتقد التصديق بالله، وبالاقرار يكمل الإيمان به، ولا ديانة إلا بعد المعرفة ولا معرفة إلا بالاخلاص، ولا إخلاص مع التشبيه، ولا نفي مع إثبات الصفات للتشبيه فكل ما في الخلق لا يوجد في خالقه، وكل ما يمكن فيه يمتنع من صانعه، لا تجري عليه الحركة والسكون، وكيف يجري عليه ما هو أجراه، أو يعود إليه ما هو ابتدأه إذا لتفاوتت ذاته، ولتجز أكنهه، ولامتنع من الأزل معناه، ولما كان للبارئ معنى غير المبروء، و لوحد له وراء إذا حد له أمام، ولو التمس له التمام إذا لزمه النقصان، كيف يستحق الأزل من لا يمتنع من الحدث، وكيف ينشئ الأشياء من لا يمتنع من الانشاء، إذا لقامت فيه آية المصنوع، ولتحول دليلا بعد ما كان مدلولا عليه، ليس في محال القول حجة ولا في المسألة عنه جواب، ولا في معناه له تعظيم، ولا في إبانته عن الخلق ضيم، إلا بامتناع الأزلي أن يثنى وما لا بدأ له أن يبدأ ، لا إله إلا الله العلي العظيم، كذب العادلون بالله، وضلوا ضلالا بعيدا، وخسروا خسرانا مبينا، وصلى الله على محمد النبي وآله الطيبين الطاهرين.

2. Muhammad ibn al-Hasan ibn Ahmad ibn al-Walid said:‬‬ ‫‪Muhammad ibn `Amr al-Katib, on the authority of Muhammad ibn Ziyad al-Qalzumi, on the‬‬ ‫‪authority of Muhammad ibn Abu Ziyad al-Jiddi, the one who lead the prayers at Jiddah,‬‬ ‫‪that Muhammad ibn Yahya ibn `Umar ibn `Ali ibn Abu Talib related to me that I heard‬‬ ‫‪Abu al-Hasan al-Rida say this about the Unity (of Allah) in the presence of al-Ma`mum, Ibn Abu Ziyad said: their freed slave and maternal uncle to some of them,‬‬ ‫‪Ahmad ibn `Abd Allah al- `Alawi also related it to me, on the authority of al-Qasim ibn‬‬ ‫‪Ayyub al-`Alawi that‬‬: When al-Ma`mum wanted to appoint al-Rida to the Caliphate, he gathered the Hashemites and said: ”I want to appoint al-Rida as the Caliph after me.” The Hashemites envied him because of this and said: “Are you going to hand over political and religious authority to an ignorant man who has no idea of how to run the Caliphate? Have him summoned before us so that you can see his ignorance, and then you can judge what we affirm.” Therefore, he sent someone to summon him. The Hashemites said to him : “O Abu al-Hasan! Go up to the pulpit, and give us an example of how we should serve Allah.” Hence he climbed up the pulpit, sat down, and lowered his head for some time without saying anything. He then rose up, stood up straight, praised Allah and extolled Him, and sent blessings on the Prophet and his Household .
He then said: The best of service is to acknowledge the existence of Allah. The foundation of acknowledgement of Allah is to process His unity. Allah’s Unity is established through the denial of descriptions, since all intellects bear witness that descriptions are created, and whatever is created requires a Creator, who is neither an identifier or identified. Every identifier and identified is connected, and connection is evidence of occurrence. Whatever occurs cannot be eternal. Hence, anyone who describes Allah in anthropomorphic terms has not described Allah’s Essence. Furthermore, anyone who describes Allah by means of reason has not described Him. Anyone who equates Him with anything has not described the Reality. Anyone who limits Allah has not recognized Him. Anyone who seeks to point Him out has not approached Him. Anyone who describes Allah in human terms has not described Him. Anyone who divides Allah into parts has not drawn near Him. And anyone who imagines Allah has intended other than Him. Everything which is known is in itself created. Every existence other than Him is caused. The existence of Allah is inferred through His Creation. The existence of Allah is acknowledged by means of the intellect. The existence of Allah is proven through nature. Allah placed the creation as a veil between the Creator and the created. Allah differs from creation by means of His Distinction. He gave a beginning to everything so that everything would know that He had no beginning, and so that everything would know that those who have a beginning are incapable of giving a beginning to others. He gave movement to everything so that everything would know that He is devoid of movement, because movement is a manifestation of need. His Names are interpretations. His Actions are instructions. His Essence is a fact. The Core of His Essence is a distinction between Him and His Creation. And His Elapses [ghubur] are limitations for all but Him.
Verily, whoever describes Allah is ignorant of Him. Anyone who attempts to encompass Him has totally missed Him. And anyone who thinks that He can be grasped in His Entirety has totally mistaken Him. Anyone who asks, “How is He?” has compared Him. Anyone who asks, “Why does He exist?” implies that He is caused. Anyone who asks, “How long has He existed?” has subjected Him to the limits of time. He who asks, “In what is He?” implies that He is contained. He who asks, “What is His Extent?” has limited Him. He who asks, “How far does He reach?” has raised Him, and whoever raises Him, implies that He has a limit. Whoever gives Allah an extent implies that He has parts. Whoever claims that Allah has parts has described Him. Whoever describes Him has disbelieved in Him. Allah is not subject to change like creation is subject to change. In the same way, He is not limited like the limitations of the limited. He is One, but not in the sense of a number. He is Apparent, but not in the sense of pursuit. He is Evident, but not in the sense of sight. He is Hidden, but not in the sense of pursuit. He is Far, but not in the sense of distance. He is Near, but not in the sense of closeness. He is Subtle, but not in the sense that He has a body. He is Existent, but not in the sense that He comes from non-existence. He is a Doer, but not by means of compulsion. He is the Appraiser, but not by means of thought. He is the Controller (of the Universe), buy not by means of movement. He is the One who Wills, but not by means of soliciting. He is the One who Wills, but not in the sense that He is eager. He is the Perceiver, but not by means of touch. He is All-Hearing, but not by means of any instrument. He is All-Seeing, but not by means of any tool.
Time cannot be associated with Him. Space does not contain Him. Slumber does not seize Him. Attributes do not limit Him. Tools do not bind Him. His Essence supersedes time. His Existence supersedes non-existence. His Eternity supersedes beginning. By giving senses to other, He proves that He is devoid of sense. By creating substance, He proves that He is not a substance. By giving contrasts, He proves that He has no contrast. By establishing pairs in creation, He proves that He has no partner. Light is the opposite of darkness like certainty is the opposite of uncertainty. Dryness is the opposite of wetness as cold is the opposite of heat. By creating similarity, Allah points out that He is the Creator. By creating difference, Allah points out that He is the Differentiator. As the Mighty and High has said: "And of everything We have created pairs that you may be mindful." (51:49) Therefore, He differentiated between the prior and the subsequent to prove that nothing precedes Him, and that nothing succeeds Him. Everything that has an instinct bears witness that the One who gave them their instinct ha no instinct. Everything that is different bears witness that the One who made them different is devoid of differences. Everything that is subjected to time bears witness the One who subjected them to time is not subject to time. Everything that is veiled bears witness that the only veil which exists between them and the One who veiled them is themselves.
Allah was Lord even when there were no subjects. He was the One and Only True God even when no creation existed. He was All-Knowing even when there was nothing to be known. He was the Creator even before the creation existed. He was the All-Hearing even when there was nothing to be heard. He did not earn the title of Creator merely because of creation. He did not earn the title of Creator merely because he gave the created a beginning. And how could it be otherwise when the conjunction `since’ [mudh] does not make Him obscure? The word `may’ [qad] does not approach Him. The expression `perhaps’ [la`alla] does not veil Him. The conjunction `when’ [mata] does not set a time limit for Him. The expression `at the time when’ [hina] does not comprise Him. The word `with’ [ma`a] does not unite Him with anything. Verily, particles bind together, and tools point to things similar to themselves to show their effectiveness. The conjunction `since’ prevents Him from being without beginning. The word `may’ prevents Him from being eternal. The conjuction `if not’ [law la] prevents Him from being Complete; thus indicating division. Difference is manifest through opposition, making its Creator evident to the intellect while being concealed fro sight. When Allah is imagined, other than Him is imagined. Difference points to Him. Through difference, verification is introduced, and through difference, the intellect confirms the belief in Allah Through verification faith is complete. There is no profession of faith without recognition, and no recognition without sincerity. There is no sincerity in anthropomorphism. And there is no negation (of Truth) through the affirmation of anthropomorphism.
Hence, whatever is found in creation is not found in the Creator, and whatever is possible in creation is impossible to the Creator. Motion and stillness do not occur in Him. And how can something He executed occur in Him? And how can something He originated return to Him? If this were the case, His Essence would have contrast, His Essential Being would be divided into parts, and He could not be called “without beginning.” And since the creator differs from the created, if He is restricted with the word `behind’ then He will be restricted with the word `in front.’ If you seek to complete Him, then you imply that He is deficient. How can He be Eternal if it is implied that He has a beginning? How can He give existence if He has been created? If any sign of creation exists in Him that would deny Him. If any sign of creation existed in Him, He would surely be subject to change. However, there is no evidence that He is subject to change. There are no answers to questions about Him. No reverence for Him can be found in meaning. There was no injustice in manifesting Himself to creation. The Eternal cannot be divided into “two” and the One without a Beginning cannot have a beginning. There is no god but Allah, the Greatest, and the Most High. Whoever gives partner to Allah is a liar, who is lead far astray, and who is in manifest loss. May Allah bless the Prophet Muhammad and His Noble and Pure Progeny!