Question: we say that the idea of “real descending unlike our descending” is self-contradictory because descending cannot other than be bodies bound by space and directions. However the wahabi says: “The meaning of Seeing is to interpret information one receives upon lights hitting one’s eyes. Will you now negate that Allah sees? You say descending can not be other than bodies bound by space and directions then seeing cannot be done other than an eye because this is the real meaning of Seeing like you gave the meaning of descending.
Answer: If we were going to accept the notion that the real meaning of seeing is “to interpret information one receives upon lights hitting one’s eyes,” then this is the manner of our seeing, not Aļļaah’s seeing. Aļļaah’s seeing is eternal without a beginning or an end, and does not involve instruments, so we say that His seeing is unlike our seeing. Since Aļļaah’s seeing is without modality (bi laa kayf), we cannot know the reality of His seeing, and we cannot describe it, because all the seeing we have a description of, is seeing with a modality. We can, however, simply say that it is an attribute that clears Aļļaah of its opposite, namely blindness. So we say, Aļļaah sees without an eye and without a beginning or end or change, and its meaning is the opposite of blindness. This way I can know something about Aļļaah’s seeing without ascribing a modality. Since we are not required to know the reality of Aļļaah’s attributes, this is enough.
This does not work with “descending”, because descending is movement. It is a modality, and you cannot have a modality without modality, as that would be self contradictory. You cannot define it as the opposite of its opposite, such as “seeing is the opposite of blindness,” because its opposite is to ascend, as it is a movement in the opposite direction. The opposite of ascending again, is the modality of moving in its the opposite direction. Thus you cannot get away from the notion of movement. For this reason, you have to either say that nuzuul does not mean that Aļļaah Himself is descending, and then either give a plausible interpretation, or simply affirm the nuzuul while believing it does not mean that Aļļaah is descending.
See also:
The ‘Simple’ Wahabi Belief II: Contradiction versus narration
March 29, 2009 at 11:06 pm |
Salam,
It is my understanding that “younzalo” (literally means decending)can not be translated or be given the meaning “decending” in the english language when it is attributed with Allah.younzalo in the Arabic langauge has many meaning, some befitting and some non befitting Allah; non of the meaning of decending in the english langauge are befitting to Allah. So, translating younzalo to decending can only be understood to refer to movement in space, direction and distance. one would than fall immediately in kufr when translating younzalo to decending. many scholars used tawil to the word “younzilo” to mean angles decending down from the heavens carrying Allahs mercy; THe word younzalo is best remained “younzalo” when translating it to the english langauge and footnoted, rather than translated to “decending”. furthermore scholar have have mentioned that if “younzalo” is to be attributed to Allah it is without a “now” meaning it cannot be translated to decending and / or to relate it to space, direction and distance. My commit is, can you interpet “younzalo” to decending as i have seen you do.
March 30, 2009 at 12:25 pm |
Where did I interpret nuzuul as descending?
One cannot translate yanzil as “He descends,” because this is a misleading translation, even if one believes it is without the senses of place, direction or movement. It must either be translated according to an acceptable interpretation, or written as is. The reason is that anything ascribed to Allaah other than what has been verbatim narrated, must be clearly befitting of Him.