TheAuthenticBase
Assalaamu 'alaykum!
The Ash’arees are the followers of Abul Hasan Al-Ash’aree (d.324). Abul Hasan Al-Ash’aree was a student of [forgot his name] who was a student of Jahm Ibn Safwaan, who was a student of Ja’d Ibn Dirham, (who was executed because of his deviant beliefs), who took his doctrine from Bayan ibn Sam’an, who took his doctrine from Talut, who was the nephew and son-in-law of Labid ibn A’sam (the Jew), who once cast a spell on the Prophet (saw). (1)
So the Asharees have their roots from Jewish beliefs, as the Jews were the first ones to proclaim such beliefs (that Allaah does not have such “human-like” (as they claim!) attributes).
Ibn Hajar in the introduction of “Fath al-Bari” defined the sect of the Jahmiyyahs (who are very similar to the Ash’arees) as:
The Jahmiyyahs deny all of Allaah’s Attributes, whereas the Ash’arees deny all except 7, and they make ta’weel (figurative interpretations) in the Attributes of Allaah. For example, the change the meanings of the Attributes from their apparent meanings (i.e, to say Allaah’s Hand means Allaah’s power).
The seven attributes they (the Ash’arees) affirm for Allaah are; Living, Knowing, Speech, Will, Hearing, Seeing and Ability (Power).
Both, the Jahmiyyah and the Ash’arees perform Ta’weel (an interpretation not in accordance with the way of the Salaf) with the attributes they deny. Examples of such ta’weel is saying Allaah’s Hand means power, Allaah’s Face means reward, or Allaah’s Eyes to mean knowledge, or His Pleasure to mean His rewards etc. (Please read this post for a nice quote from Imaam Aboo Haneefah)
Such ta’weel (interpretation) is nothing short of ta’teel (denial)! (2)
Other Deviations Of The Ash’arees:
Other deviations of the Ash’arees are:
- to claim that Allaah will not be seen in the hereafter,
- that one cannot point up when being asked where Allaah is,
- that the speech of Allaah is without sound and is an internal speech,
- amongst others which I cannot recall now…
Where Are The Ash’arees Found In The Ummah?
§
The Ash’arees are found amongst more muslims than one thinks. The Hanafees, Maalikees, And Shaafi’ees are mostly devided into being Ash’arees and Maatureedees in their ‘aqeedah. The same of true for the “scholars” of Al-Azhar (in Egypt), the deobandees, Brelwees, Soofees.
The Ash’arees are under the umbrella of the people of theological rhetoric (Ahlul Kalaam). The works of the Greek Philosophy over time was translated into Arabic as was the philosophical works from Indian and Persian philosophers. This, in turn, effected the Ummah, and caused much deviation to occur. Please refer to my comments on this post to see how Ahlul Kalaam use thir “logic” to deny the Attributes of Allaah.
A quick note on the Maatureedees:
The Maatureedees are the followers of Abu Mansoor Al-Maatureedee (d. 333). He had very similar beliefs with Abul Hasan Al-Ash’aree. Abul Hasan Al-Ash’aree however, rejected what he was upon (of doing ta’weel of Allaah Attributes) and returned back to the way of Ahlu Sunnah (i.e., affirming all Allaah Names and Attributes which Allaah has described Himself with) prior to his death. His books Ibaanah and another book whose name I forgot, bare witness to this.
So those who claim to be Ash’arees (and boast in this!) are in fact Maatureedees and Kullaabees (followers of Ibn Kullaab). Who was Ibn Kullaab? I’ll let you know next time in a more detailed discussion on this topic of “who’s who”?
That’s it for now. In shaa Allaah I hope this quick summary of the Ash’arees is of benefit as helps you to better understand the concept and reason for these articles on ‘aqeedah.
Footnotes:
(1) Ibn katheer said: “Ibn ‘Asakir and others traced the genealogy of Jahm’s doctrine thus: Jahm ibn Safwan < Ja’d ibn Dirham < Bayan ibn Sam`an < Talut – the nephew and son-in-law of Labid ibn A’sam, who once cast a spell on the Prophet (saw)“ [Ibn Kathir, "al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya" (9:382, 10:21)]
(2) Imaam Aboo Haneefah is reported to have said, as occurs in [Al-Fiqhul Akbar, p. 302] ”…it is not to be said that His Hand is His Power or His Bounty, because this is a nullification of the Attribute.“
Source: http://theauthenticbase.wordpress.com/2010/11/25/who-are-the-asharees/
So the Asharees have their roots from Jewish beliefs, as the Jews were the first ones to proclaim such beliefs (that Allaah does not have such “human-like” (as they claim!) attributes).
Ibn Hajar in the introduction of “Fath al-Bari” defined the sect of the Jahmiyyahs (who are very similar to the Ash’arees) as:
“Those who deny Allah’s attributes which the Book and the Sunna affirm, and who say that the Qur’an is created.”
The Jahmiyyahs deny all of Allaah’s Attributes, whereas the Ash’arees deny all except 7, and they make ta’weel (figurative interpretations) in the Attributes of Allaah. For example, the change the meanings of the Attributes from their apparent meanings (i.e, to say Allaah’s Hand means Allaah’s power).
The seven attributes they (the Ash’arees) affirm for Allaah are; Living, Knowing, Speech, Will, Hearing, Seeing and Ability (Power).
Both, the Jahmiyyah and the Ash’arees perform Ta’weel (an interpretation not in accordance with the way of the Salaf) with the attributes they deny. Examples of such ta’weel is saying Allaah’s Hand means power, Allaah’s Face means reward, or Allaah’s Eyes to mean knowledge, or His Pleasure to mean His rewards etc. (Please read this post for a nice quote from Imaam Aboo Haneefah)
Such ta’weel (interpretation) is nothing short of ta’teel (denial)! (2)
Other Deviations Of The Ash’arees:
Other deviations of the Ash’arees are:
- to claim that Allaah will not be seen in the hereafter,
- that one cannot point up when being asked where Allaah is,
- that the speech of Allaah is without sound and is an internal speech,
- amongst others which I cannot recall now…
Where Are The Ash’arees Found In The Ummah?
§
The Ash’arees are found amongst more muslims than one thinks. The Hanafees, Maalikees, And Shaafi’ees are mostly devided into being Ash’arees and Maatureedees in their ‘aqeedah. The same of true for the “scholars” of Al-Azhar (in Egypt), the deobandees, Brelwees, Soofees.
The Ash’arees are under the umbrella of the people of theological rhetoric (Ahlul Kalaam). The works of the Greek Philosophy over time was translated into Arabic as was the philosophical works from Indian and Persian philosophers. This, in turn, effected the Ummah, and caused much deviation to occur. Please refer to my comments on this post to see how Ahlul Kalaam use thir “logic” to deny the Attributes of Allaah.
A quick note on the Maatureedees:
The Maatureedees are the followers of Abu Mansoor Al-Maatureedee (d. 333). He had very similar beliefs with Abul Hasan Al-Ash’aree. Abul Hasan Al-Ash’aree however, rejected what he was upon (of doing ta’weel of Allaah Attributes) and returned back to the way of Ahlu Sunnah (i.e., affirming all Allaah Names and Attributes which Allaah has described Himself with) prior to his death. His books Ibaanah and another book whose name I forgot, bare witness to this.
So those who claim to be Ash’arees (and boast in this!) are in fact Maatureedees and Kullaabees (followers of Ibn Kullaab). Who was Ibn Kullaab? I’ll let you know next time in a more detailed discussion on this topic of “who’s who”?
That’s it for now. In shaa Allaah I hope this quick summary of the Ash’arees is of benefit as helps you to better understand the concept and reason for these articles on ‘aqeedah.
Footnotes:
(1) Ibn katheer said: “Ibn ‘Asakir and others traced the genealogy of Jahm’s doctrine thus: Jahm ibn Safwan < Ja’d ibn Dirham < Bayan ibn Sam`an < Talut – the nephew and son-in-law of Labid ibn A’sam, who once cast a spell on the Prophet (saw)“ [Ibn Kathir, "al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya" (9:382, 10:21)]
(2) Imaam Aboo Haneefah is reported to have said, as occurs in [Al-Fiqhul Akbar, p. 302] ”…it is not to be said that His Hand is His Power or His Bounty, because this is a nullification of the Attribute.“
Source: http://theauthenticbase.wordpress.com/2010/11/25/who-are-the-asharees/