دراسة نقدية لمقولة ابن تيمية "إِثْباتُ ما أَثْبته اللَّه لنفسه من الصفات"

A Critical Study of ibn Taymiyyah’s Statement “Affirming What Allah has Affirmed for Himself regarding His Attributes”

Abstract

This study critically examines the foundations and implications of Ibn Taymiyyah's (d. 728 AH) influential discourse, “Affirming what Allah has affirmed for Himself regarding His attributes”, presenting a comprehensive theory of the attributes of the Creator. The research delves into the origins and consequences of his assertions regarding the nature of the defined attributes, particularly the concept of Istiwā’. Employing a multifaceted approach, the study analyses ibn Taymiyyah's discourse and related theological works. Furthermore, it critically assesses the arguments presented by ibn Taymiyyah and engages with counter-arguments from other theological schools. The research sheds light on several crucial points, such as: Ibn Taymiyyah's theory built upon a statement attributed to Imām Malik that “al-istiwāʾ maʿlūm wa al-kaīf majhūl”. However, Ibn Taymiyyah potentially reinterprets this concept to demarcate acceptable Sunni and Bid’i interpretations of the attributes of the Almighty. This approach potentially renders ambiguous (Mutashābih) verses regarding Allah the Almighty’s attributes as unequivocal (Muḥkam), leading to interpretations implying Allah's physical presence and anthropomorphic features. The study argues that ibn Taymiyyah's interpretation, neglecting the contextual nuances of scriptural references, might deviate towards theological extremism. This study provides an understanding of Ibn Taymiyyah's influential theological contributions, particularly his often debated stance on the Divine attributes. The research offers valuable insights into contemporary theological discourse and Islamic thought, by critically examining the foundations and implications of his theory,