Refutation of the Madhab of Tafweedh

[THREAD]

Ahl al-Tafweedh or the Mufawwidhah can be refuted from 3 angles:

⁃ Through the textual proofs (أدلة نقلية)
⁃ Through the intellectual proofs (أدلة عقلية)
⁃ Through the implications (لوازم)

Firstly from the aspect of the Naql, they can be refuted with:

1. Every Ayah which proves the Quran is Bayaan, Tibyaan, Mubeen. This is completely contradictory to believing the Dhaahir (apparent meanings) of the texts lead to—

—misguidance & Tashbeeh (resemblance), or that it contains meanings which are unknown to the whole of creation in the most noble of what it contains; the divine attributes. Did Allah not say the following verses? How can it be “a clear book” “an exposition” “a plain statement”—

—when in its essence it leads to misguidance? And it leads to deviation because the apparent meanings necessitate Tashbeeh. How can it be a clarification when the meanings are unknown in the most important of what it contains. This can’t be possible.

2. Every Āyah which points towards Tadabbur (contemplation) over the words of Allāh, such as the Āyah:

3. Every Ayah which indicates the Quran was revealed in clear Arabic language so it can be understood & learnt, such as the verses below. Why did Allah make it so? Why did Allah make it in clear Arabic, except so that it could be understood and learnt?—

Did Allah exclude the verses of the Sifaat? Did Nabi ﷺ single out these verses? The answer is no, just as he ﷺ did not exclude these verses out from the saying of Allah “so that you may contemplate over His verses”.

4. Every Ayah which rebukes those who do not understand the meanings of the Quran, like those below. So these verses rebuke those who are ignorant of the meanings of the Quran unrestrictedly. And did Allah single out the verses about the Sifaat? The answer is no.

5. Every Āyah which indicates the Quran has been made easy for remembrance. It can’t be said the remembrance is easy but the Dhāhir leads to Tashbeeh, and should be accepted on other than the Dhāhir. It is inconceivable that it’s remembrance is easy but the meanings are unknown.

From the perspective of Aql the madhab of Tafweedh can disproved because:

1. It is impermissible for Nabi ﷺ to delay clarifying something from the time of necessity. If the verses about Sifaat were Tashbeeh & Kufr is it conceivable that he ﷺ neglected clarifying this to us?

2. It implies discontentment in the wisdom of Allāh. He revealed to us a book which he described as Hudā, Noor, Bayān, Tibyān and Bushrā for the believers but the Dhāhir of this book leads to misguidance & kufr.—

—It is like it contains speech which is foreign, that someone who knows Arabic reads it and he is unable to understand it - as if it contains speech which is closer to being riddles & puzzles. Could this be so with the book of Allāh? Is this befitting for the wisdom of Allāh?

3. Tafweedh makes the Quran a difficulty, riddles & puzzles with it having meanings that can not be known by anyone other than Allah. And with that the prophet did not clarify to us or guide us, nor is there in a single prophetic Hadith the correct intended meaning.—

—Or at least he would’ve said to the Sahaba “read the Quran but beware of understanding anything from it, especially in that which deals with the attributes of Allah.”

4. Allah revealed this Quran upon Nabi ﷺ with eloquence so that he would clarify what was in it to the people, for what? The most virtuous & noble of what is found in the Quran, no one knows their meanings except Allah, even Nabi ﷺ. He would recite the verses without meaning?

5. It implies the pious predecessors, the best of them being the companions, did not know the book of Allah except the words only, with no meanings. They would recite the Quran and ponder over it but they were ignorant of the meanings, not understanding what they were reciting.

6. It opposes the Ijmaa of the Salaf. They would ponder over the whole Quran, from beginning to end. We know Mujahid would present the Quran to Ibn Mas’ood رضي الله عنهما, stop after each Ayah and ask him regarding it. Did he make an exception for verses about the attributes?—

—Would Mujahid when passing over the verse “the all merciful is above his throne” pause and stay silent? Or did Ibn Abbas? Would they pass over it and not stop? No this did not happen. This is the same Ibn Mas’ood who would say “When a man amongst us memorised 10 verses—

—from the Quran, we would not move on to the next until we had learnt their meanings and acted upon them.” Did Ibn Mas’ood exclude the verses of the Sifāt? The answer is no, and likewise there are many similar statements of the Salaf.

From the Lawaazim of Tafweedh, it necessitates:

1. That to have left the people without a Quran would have been better for them than to reveal a Quran in which the apparent meanings lead to misguidance and disbelief. Since the Dhaahir leads to Tashbeeh and Tashbeeh is Kufr.

2. Opening the doors for the people of heresy, deviation & misguidance upon the Muslims. Because the people of Tafweedh believe the Salaf were people of ignorance, simply people of worship who would recite the Qur’an only for Barakah.—

—As for the knowledge and deriving the meanings then this is for the later-comers. So it opens the gates for every person of innovation & misguidance to distort the words from their places and delve into the Qurān & Sunnah. These people have opened the gates because they say—

—“the Salaf were Ahl al-Tajheel, they were ignorant of the meanings. Therefore their Madhab was safer as they remained silent due to their ignorance, they did not speak so they wouldn’t fall into error.” However for the Muta’akhireen,—

—it is possible for anyone because he could possess knowledge, so he speaks with his own opinion and what he takes from his desires. Subsequently it opens the door for exiting from the methodology of the Salaf.

3. If this Madhab did not necessitate anything except it closing the doors of contemplation, reflection and worshipping Allah with his names & attributes for its followers this would be sufficient to disprove it and show that it is blameworthy.—

—How can a single person say that the most virtuous & noble of that which is found in the Quran, and what the Muslims are in dire need of more than anything; which is to know their Lord and creator, whom they submit themselves to, turn in humility to, whom they glorify,—

—whom they return their affairs to, whom they place their trust on. How can it be said it is upon the Muslims to not understand anything in the Quran which relates to Him? So when a person comes across the verses which clarify the Sifaat of Allah should he speed up—

—his recitation, combined with the closing of his heart, intellect & eyes so that he is prevented from contemplating over it? سبحان الله العظيم how much have these people missed from the greatest chapter in increasing the Imaan and curing the slave, in the stations of Ihsaan.

Due to these implications some of the people of knowledge have said this is from the worst of methodologies such as Shaykh al-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah in Dar Ta’arudh, vol. 1. After reflecting over the Lawaazim of this Madhab there is no doubt this speech is correct.