Ilmul Kalam

ETH101_less06 by DR.BILAL PHILPS

Opening of the live session:

الحمد لله ربّ العالمينوالصلاة والسلام على رسول الله وعلى الكريم وعلى

لهوصحبهوستين سنة إلى يَوْمِ الدِّينِ

All praises due to Allah, and Allah’s peace and blessings on the last messenger Muhammad  ; and all those who followed the path of righteousness on till the last day.

Overview of the session 6:

We are continuing of the session 6 of Etiquette of Seeking Knowledge and book of Dr. Bakr Abu Zaid who is commentary by Sheikh Al-Uthamayin . And, we are using his commentary.

Summary of the previous lessons:

We began the second point of Chapter 1 talking about the Etiquette of Seeking Knowledge with regard to himself or herself. The first point of which we talk about is the knowledge. The fundamental point of knowledge is worship. The second point is that identified by Dr. Bakr Abu Zaid, of we should adhere to pious precedence. And, we were discussing that we will complete the discussion that began concerning the way of Salaf. The importance of following their ways and throughout, the last session we began to look at those who went another way. Those who went to sort understand the theology and Islam from the foreign perspective.

علم الكلام‎,(Ilmul Kalam) :

We paused at the point where Dr. Bakr Abu Zaid closed the discussion saying “Be distinguished and strictly adhering to the tracks of Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلمand implementing the Sunnah upon you and leaving argumentation and doubtful speech. And, not become engrossed in علم الكلام‎,(Ilmul Kalam) “

It is identified as the scholastic theology or philosophy. We started to look at the harms that they attract sins and divert from the Shariah. We looked at the Sheikh Al-Uthamayin elaboration from Dr. Bakr Abu Zaid.

Imam Dhahabi and Imaam Daruqtni quotations:

And, the quoting from Imam Dhahabi saying that it was declared that is authentic Imam Daruqutni( who was one of the great scholar who gathered hadith from the Era of Imaam Hanbal contemporary of his period) saying that “there is nothing more despised to me than علم الكلام‎,(Ilmul Kalam )”.And, Imam Dhahabi went on to say that the “man never ever being involved in علم الكلام‎,(Ilmul Kalam )”.And, nor he ever engrossed in argumentation perspective. He was instead a Salafi”.

That was term he used to describe Imam Daruqutni. Sheikh Al-Uthamayin then discussed this.

Short Biography of Imaam Dhahabi:

Before, we go to the discussion, it is important to understand to some degree about Imam Dhahabi. He was Muhammed Ibn Dhahabi. He was also called as the Shafayin because he is from the Shafi Madhab. And, Dhahabi is really goldsmith. The Dhahab is gold so Dhahabiyun will become goldsmith. He was a muhaddith as well as the historian of Islam. He was born in Damascus in 1264 where his family lived for some time. With his grandfather, Uthman, he will sometime identify as Ibn Dhahab as the son of the goldsmith, by addressing to his father’s profession. He began the study of Hadeeth at the age of 18 by travelling to Damascus back to Alopo , Nablus ,Kairo ,Alexandria, Jerusalem, Ijaz and elsewhere. After that, he returned back to Damascus where he taught the author many works, and achieved as the major critic and expert of the examination of the hadith. Jahut Tahdil -He was leading scholar in that field and he wrote works on it. He was encyclopaedic, scholar and biographer.  And, foremost authority in the chronic readings of the Quran .He studied on the more than 100 women. This is very interesting because more than 100 of his teachers are women.

About Zaynab Bint Umar Alkindi:

Among them, the most important teacher in hadith was a Zaynab Bint Umar Alkindi. Zaynab was herself one of the noted hadith scholar in Damascua and Bahlebak. And, she narrated from number of leading hadith scholars of her time, she was the main teacher of Imam Dhahabi in Bahlebak and Dhahabi learnt from the beginning of Sahih Bukhari as well as the beginning of Niqaah. He writes about her saying she was righteous and generous woman. She possessed piety and give charity. She built hospice for the poor and she bequest in religion. Dahabi also said she was without parallel in the time which she lived in. He noted that is father, his maternal uncle and many people in Bahlebaq narrated the hadith from her.

Continuation - Short Biography of Imaam Dhahabi:

Dahabi also authors more than 100 works and his major works in Tariq AlKarib for example, the major history of Islam. Ibn Hajjar known for his commentary of Sahih Bukhari was also known of his students. He did Seerah Al Laa Nebula, the Lives of Noble Figures – this is one the major biographical works that deal with the Salaf, the early generation of righteous scholars. He has variety of number of other works. He also among his students was one of the major hadith scholar is Ibn Nassir. And, in the later part of his life, he lost his sight, two years before his dying. He left behind him three children.

And, anyways the point is that who is Imam Dahabi is that he was student of Ibn Tahamiya just like Ibn Kathir.

Sheikh Al-Uthamayin quotes:

So,  Sheikh Al-Uthamayin went on to say because of the evil and negative consequences prolonged discussion (he is continuing the discussion really on علم الكلام‎,(Ilmul Kalam )), without benefit and arising doubts about what is certain and confusions thought and abandonment of the narrated evidences which results from علم الكلام‎,(Ilmul Kalam ). I do not think more dangerous and harmful to Muslim beliefs than Muslims scholastic علم الكلام‎,(Ilmul Kalam ) and, the study of logic.

Leading scholars warning about علم الكلام‎,(Ilmul Kalam ):

And, consecutively many of the leading scholars in philosophy that they confirmed in their end of life that they followed the religion of old and returned to the natural belief because of what they realised about scholastic philosophy. And, returned to their natural and old beliefs because of they have realised about scholastic philosophy.

About Fakhr al-Din al-Razi:

Fakhr al-Din al-Razi, he was one the big figures and also known as Tabarastani, he was from Persia and from mainstream scholar of Sunnah, theologian and philosopher. He born in 1149 in the Iran and died 1209 in Afghanistan.  And, he also wrote on medicines, physics, astrology, literature, history and law.

Anyways, in the later part of his life that he was known to be said if I had not become involved in the scholastic philosophy and then he cried.

About Abu Mahali Al Junaibi:

Abu Mahali Al Junaibi he is another major scholar in Uṣūl al-fiqh (أصول الفقه‎), his name was actually Abdul Malik Ibn Abdillah al Junaini an Naysr Abuwi or Shinapur. He was born in 999 of the Christian Era of Arab lineage that goes to the tribe Tayi , he was leading scholar علم الكلام‎,(Ilmul Kalam )or philosophy .

However, his real expertise was that Uṣūl al-fiqh (أصول الفقه) and he wrote books which is not comparable till today. In the last stage of his life, he come to know that the true essence of Islam, is in the words, deeds, way points followed by righteous salaf, companions of Prophet Muhammad  صلى الله عليه وسلم  and the early generations. He adopted their method, again openly and boldly and become their follower. Moreover, he wrote to defend and reveal righteous beliefs. And, the age of 59 after living life of research in education and advice, he was finally took ill and died at 478 age. He left many gold of page of history for religious knowledge, truthfulness and piety. Before his dying, Imam Arman, this is title he has gotten , gave up some his teachings in Aqeedah and favouring the authentic and methodology of Prophet Muhammad  صلى الله عليه وسلم and his companions . And, they quoted him and among them Muhammad Tahir Muqaddasi as saying Abu Mahli saying that do not occupy yourself with Qalam, if no word or word taken from me, I would not have occupied myself with it. Your witnesses are here denouncing and abolishing the topic of the contradiction of Prophet Muhammad  صلى الله عليه وسلم , he also said, I witness that refute any distortions that do not comply with explicit and implicit of attitudes of the righteous predecessors, that are direct in faith of simple old religion.

Al-Abuwiya Fatwa:

And, Ibn Tamiyyah Al-Uthamayin quote saying May Allah have mercy on him said in Fatwa Al-Abuwiya , Those who are most fear to fall into the  misguidances,  are the moderates from the scholars of scholastic philosophy, because they do not fall into it and they think that they are safe. Those, who entered it will learn the falsehood and corruption, -

Overview of the title of علم الكلام‎,(Ilmul Kalam ):

There is also note to mention, that the title علم الكلام‎,(Ilmul Kalam ) get from it is generally agreed that it came from the major issue created turmoil Ummah whether the Quran is word of Allah or not? .Word of Allah in Arabic it mean Kalamul Allah. So, the Kalam, Allah’s word is actual word, or is it not.

Era of علم الكلام‎,(Ilmul Kalam ):

So, philosophical movement of علم الكلام‎,(Ilmul Kalam ) and section they took the position of actual word of Allah and they were able to influence the caliph of Era, who happened to study under one of the major scholars and under their influence they began to force this on the Ummah. To a point where scholars refused to tell this line and to take open position that Quran is not the word from Allah and they were executed. They have reached that stage, and some of them known to take indirect way to escape from it by because the Quran will be put in front of them, and they will be asked whether the “Quran is a word from Allah or not”. If they said, it was word from Allah, they will be killed.

So, they will put their hand on the top of the Quran and say, this is created. This is the whole point. The word of Allah is uncreated. This is the way of saying it. They will say this is created in a reference to their hand, and in their intention, they will be saying their hand is created to get out of the issue of whether it is word of Allah  is created or uncreated. The issues of whether created word or uncreated word of Allah. So, they had resort to that

Ahmed Ibn Hanbal incidents:

Ahmed Ibn Hanbal, who was at that time, when his turn came, he stood his ground and he said, the “Quran is uncreated and word of Allah”. And, they jailed him because they could not kill him. The reason is that he was too popular and there were many people behind him. And. his standing in ground eventually they jailed him for a period of time, they torture and beat him. But, he eventually the later Caliph took him out, and put him in the position on honorary in the society and they cancelled the whole Scholastic movement. He chased the whole of the scholars and their positions. So, Ahmed Ibn Hanbal stands was really the turning point and the dominant view of the Muslim Ummah.

Quotations from more leading and well-known scholars:

But, it’s good to note that the leading scholars mentioned by Sheikh Bakr Abu Zaid, was Imam of Dahabi quote of Imaan Daraqutni.

But, actually there is more quotes by the well-known leading scholars like Imaam Abu Haniffa, he prohibited students engaging in علم الكلام‎,(Ilmul Kalam ). By saying that, those who practised it, are those retarded individuals.

Imaam Malik Ibn Anas he referred to علم الكلام‎,(Ilmul Kalam)  as being the detested and it is detestable going into it. “Whoever seeks the knowledge through علم الكلام‎,(Ilmul Kalam ) will deviate. “ – Whoever seeks to understand Islam through this channel, will deviate.

In additional to that, Imaam Shafi’i , he said “that no knowledge of Islam can began with the book of علم الكلام‎,(Ilmul Kalam). As Kalam is not knowledge, and it is better for a man to spend his whole life doing whatever Allah has prohibited except for Shirk then to spend on his life involved in Kalam.”

Imaam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal quotes reagarding of علم الكلام‎,(Ilmul Kalam ):

Imaam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal he also spoke strongly against Kalam and stating his views, “no one looks in to Kalam unless there is corruption in his heart. “-Whoever, looks into it will have his heart corrupted or he has already his heart corrupted, as he has deviant kind of inclination so he finds, his what is pleasurable to him in علم الكلام‎,(Ilmul Kalam ). And, he went far , of prohibiting sitting with people whom engaged in علم الكلام‎,(Ilmul Kalam )or giving lecture in it or whatever. He prohibited, people even sitting with them. And, he said, “They should not sit with them even if they were defending Sunnah”. – These people were even defending the Sunnah, because of how dangerous their speech was, he advised them not to sit with them even in those circumstances. And, he instructed the students to warn against any person they caught practising or teaching علم الكلام‎,(Ilmul Kalam ).

Misguidance of the علم الكلام‎,(Ilmul Kalam ):

So, Ibn Uthaymin, went on to these discussion with regards of what Ibn Tamiyyah has said, “he spoke the truth to be fear in all fields of learning. The group who do not the way because they do not see themselves as not having really entered to the field and then they leave it to the others. And, they did not reach the pinnacle of the field or mastery, become misguided and that is what their consequences”. –They will become misguided and they misguide the others.

Danger of Moderators:

It is meaning that the people who are in the most dangerous position are the moderate stands. Those people who have gone deeply into this field and know all of its inner workings. They know it’s false and they get out. People like Fakhr al-Din al-Razi and Al Juhani, they were amongst the leading scholars, and they know its falsehood so they can get out. But, those who do not went deeply, he just hear things that are nice and interesting, he is knowledgeable in other fields but due to his inclination and his involvement such a person will be in the greatest danger.

It is because, by not knowing the depts., he thinks it is okay. He does not realised that he has fallen into something that he is deviant ,so he will automatically become misguided and he will misguide the others.

He said the scholastic philosophy علم الكلام‎,(Ilmul Kalam ) it is particularly dangerous because it is related to the attributed and essence of the lord.  In, what make the whole field in critically dangerous because it is connected with the names and attributes of Allah.

So, when you go astray in this area, its different from going astray in Fiqh. If you got the fiqh ruling wrong and you don’t really understand it, ruling which was not correct. That is something that can be fixed with correct evidences. But, when, you get into the deviation of understanding Allah himself of who Allah is.

Christians Theologians and the Christian concept:

Then, to correct it will become very difficult. This is why Christians theologians, it is so obvious that they belief concerning of Allah that he is three in one. He exists as the father, son and a whole spirit. They are one in the same essence when you see one, then you have seen the others, because they are all one.

This concept were to put into the practical terms were Jesus praying and the question comes in of who is he praying to. I mean it is so obvious that this is wrong. It is so obvious but they can’t see it. It is because they have gone too deeply in it and they have gotten lost it. Those, who are the more educated, the leading scholars amongst them, they looked into this thing and they say that it is myth and fable.

The leading Christian theologians, in UK, they wrote book called the Myth Of Garden Carnet. This is the leading scholar who edited the whole work is John Iks. The church tried to stop the publication of the book. But, it is written by the University professors, researchers and they looked into different aspects of it and they said this thing is a myth.

It’s false and they can see it because they have gone to the depth of it. But, the average priest who have studied only from the average level that has been fed to him in his seminary, he don’t have that depth of knowledge. He is halfway there and he thinks that it is right. He finds all kinds of justifications for it but it is wrong. This is why Sheik Al-Uthaymin , Sheikh Ibn Tamiyyah, Dr.Bakr Zaid have warned about what we call as the half-baked. There are not really masters in the field, they are half-baked.  They do not have the full knowledge so they think they understood, they become misguides of others.  

Back to the topic of علم الكلام‎,(Ilmul Kalam ):

But, the basic danger of the field, of why all the leading and well-known scholars, have warned against it?

And, they have told their followed not to even sit with them because fundamentally, Sheikh Al-Uthamayin points out here that this whole of field began with the attributes of Allah, and who is Allah. So, any field on knowledge that enters this field that are not guided by the Quran and Sunnah, he is in grave danger.

Three principle of علم الكلام‎,(Ilmul Kalam :.

Furthermore, he went on to identify because he identified three principles.

One is that it is related and deals with and focused upon the attributes of Allah. Second, major problem, it nullified the divinely revealed text and statement of Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم. That is the second major. It is because what are you going to do when you enter the field and you find hadiths contradict on what you are trying to promote. The obvious meaning of the hadith is opposite of what you are saying. So, what do you do with them? The only thing that is left for you to say is that they are not authentic.

So, they develop principles that we do not take

- And you still hear the echo till today by the Asha’ira , who are like the children of the mortizalyke (which is the first early group) . And, their children now have developed into a middle way of philosophy which was based partially before and at the same time, it’s one foot in Quran and Sunnah and another foot in philosophy.

Ahadeeth ul Ahad:

The statement that they make is that we do not take Ahadeeth ul Ahad in Aqeedah. Ahadeeth ul Ahad meaning a ahadeeth which do not have 10 or more narrators on every level of chain of narrations. They say that, we don’t use this as proofs in Aqeeda. We can use it Fiqh and that type of hadith which they call it as Mutawatir, one in every level of chain of narrations that you will find at least 10 narrators. So, as they say that Muttawatir hadith is like Quran , the idea that all of these people would have gotten into together and conspire to create and convey lies are unthinkable

So, this is where they say that, this type of hadith, it gives us certain knowledge. The Muttawatir hadith gave us certain knowledge. So, they say all the other hadith which have some point in the chain, maybe only 2 or 3 people or 1 person that has narrated the hadith. If, you go down the chain of narrators, such hadith we call them as ahadeeth ul ahad. They say that we don’t accept them in Aqeedah. This became a common basis for denying some elements of the deen amongst the well-known group today called Hizb ut-Tahrir. The founder Taqiuddin al-Nabhani, he went down the route claiming that we don’t accept ahadeeth ul ahad in Aqeedah. So , he denied even Adhab Al Qabr ,Punishment of the Grave (Arabic: عذاب القبر‎ ʿAdhāb al-Qabr,) . He denied the coming of Isa عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ. These are the issues of Aqeedah.

He was denying the whole bunch of things. Some of the later followers do not realize that how this thing is born. The founder of all this movement was a deviant. He is deviated in the understanding of his Deen.

Defensive points to Ahadeeth ul Ahad:

Anyway, the point is that the claim that you can use Ahadeeth Ul Ahad in Aqeedah, this claim is philosophical argument and that is what it is based on. If we actually look at the practises of Prophet Muhammad  صلى الله عليه وسلم , the people when praying toward the Jerusalem and Emissary came to them, this is whole known Seerah of Prophet Muhammad  صلى الله عليه وسلم , when the revelation came Muslims should turn and face the Mecca, which is South. Before that, they were facing north towards Jerusalem from Medina, and now they have to face south. It is total opposite right?

Masjid al-Qiblatain (المسجد القبلتین),

And, there is Masjid in Medina which is called as Masjid al-Qiblatain (المسجد القبلتین), the Masjid of the two Qiblas. People go there and it is not sure of where is the Masjid is but there is place in a general belief according to the traditions but it is not really fact. And, they have actually put two Qibla there. So, if you go there for Hajj or Umrah, they will take you this part of ziara of Masjid al-Qiblatain (المسجد القبلتین) but really, people will go there and make 2 rakaat and thinking there is special blessings but it is really nothing.

Seerah of Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم as proof:

Anyway, the point is that, when the Emissary came there, everybody were in Solat except for one man, he came and told them to face south. And, this is what Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم has said that they took his word and pray in other way. They didn’t say we need 9 along people to convey us about this one. This is Aqeeda issue now.

Or, when Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم sent Muadh ibn Jabal رضى الله عنهنَّ to Yemen when he sent him there, he went and taught people. The people did not ask him and he was teaching Aqeedah, Fiqh and everything but they did not ask him to produce other evidences to support his narrations that he quoted from Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم.

So, this in practise and even though in philosophical, it may have argued that these people might have lied because only one person is narrating it and not two or three. And, there may be possible that they maybe narrating it inaccurately. We did not work on that. If the person who narrated that is known to be righteousness individual etc., we will accept his statements as authentic. That is how Muslims have functioned, the scholars of hadith. So, it is false argument but it is developed in order to justify the negation or allegations of narrations concerning Allah’s names and attributes which went against the arguments of these scholastic theologians.

The third principle which Sheikh Al-Uthamayin mentions is that they give precedence to the intellect over revelation. The intelligence, the human mind is given the precedence over narrations. Of, what is narrated by the Quran or the Sunnah. So, everything is looked up from that intellectual perspective, the logical perspective.

Ali Ibn Talib Hadith

And, of course the danger of it all is expressed by Ali Ibn Talib in a well-known hadith in which he said “if the religion is to be based on intellectual expression, logic and reason. Then, it would make more sense to wipe bottom of one sock then to do the top. “

Isn’t it right? Why?

It is because when we are washing during the wudhu, we are washing our arms, face and things that are exposed. The mouth and all of the things will be dirty. We do not have to wash things that are exposed like we take the full bath. We wash the outer parts, the hands and the head. You know? So, when dust or something that gets into our head so we will wipe the head. And, when it comes to the feet, our feet covered in socks. When, you walk around, the part of socks will get dirty and it is on bottom of the feet. So, logically speaking, if you are going to wipe it, the logic will say, to wipe at the bottom of the feet. But, Ali went on to say, I say Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم wipe at the top and not the bottom. That is just clarifying this point. And, for us it is not about reason and logic etc, though deen is based on reason and logic but it is not in all areas and aspects. The place for reason and logic is after the revelation. And, it after accepting what has Allah has revealed, and what Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم has said, then we will use our minds now in terms of applying it.  

And, this is where we will get Fiqh.Fiqh means the understanding of the religion and the application of the revelation. So, this is where our minds has place and mind has not place before the revelation. It is meaning that we are going to take the revelation and determine whether it is acceptable revelation or not. No, if it is authentic revelation, we will accept it and finish. And, how we apply it and this where we use our intellect on where there is the room to be applied.

Three ways to be deviated:

So, these are the three ways to be deviated. One, the fact that the essence of the field علم الكلام‎,(Ilmul Kalam )focuses on Allah’s attributes and essence. It is a dangerous area. Secondly, in their attempt to identify their position, they ended up nullifying the text from the Quran and from the Sunnah that went against their interpretation. And, thirdly, they gave precedence to the intellect over revelation.

Muslim Modernist Movement :

There is modernist movement today and modernist movement among Muslims. And, they use the same principle, if it does not agree with their understanding, they will reject it. They will say the weak is hadith or whatever. This is the modernist approach. And, you will find all the deviated groups use -we have for example in Toronto not a masjid but a prayer area, which is used by homosexuals and lesbian Muslims. So, they are carrying on their Jummah, and the men and women are praying next to each other. The woman gives khutbah . And, if you listen to them they have all kinds of logical explanation on why Islam is not really against homosexuality and it is the extreme one who is against it. One of the convert Muslim who is into this and he wrote 400 pages of book on defending on why Islam is not against homosexuality. I mean this is something which is known 1400 years ago and it is clear. And, we know the Islam position. And, here there are people trying to argue intellectually on why Islam is against homosexuality and lesbianism.

Homosexuality and Islam

So, this is what it is being said, this is a common trend among people, who have deviated that they shift over the intellectual argument. The common one for homosexuals is that they were born that way. So, surely God is just and kind and he will not create that way and punish us being in that way. This is the common argument and this is what it being fed to our children in the schools of West now. This is how they are, and they are like this from their birth. So, this is not their choice- It is just like it is not right to bully somebody because they are fat or skinny or they do not fit into on how people look. They get bullied because of this. So, this is similar to the people who have chosen this lifestyle inclination and this is wrong for the society to see them as corrupt or bad, they are normal human beings who are created and involved in other way. And, this is how things are. And, this how things are being promoted. And, this is the intellectual arguments.

Animals versus Human beings:

And, of course, there are intellectual arguments to, if you could just stop and think for a minute, if we say even if they have inclinations from the birth – You also know the other people have other inclinations, where do you draw the line? Why do you say it is okay for them? For example, the people who are in their deviants may engage acts with the animals, and they call it as bestiality. So, they have inclinations and they can also say that I am born in that way too. So, why do you say that you will not include those and why do you want to stop there? There is no and you can’t draw line when you talk about inclinations. Even, some scientists are saying the people who murder it is genetic, and people who steal, beat up and you know all of these violent crimes –they are genetic science and they are people who are born with this inclinations. Our position is that people might have inclinations and the Shaytaan might put things into their heads, and all kinds of things happened to people. They may have bad experiences with the children and they were molested by their uncle or someone and they leaning towards the unnatural way. So, the bottom line is that, we are not animals. The Animals-like those who raise tigers, cheetah as pets and they raise these panther since the time first born. They feed it and look after it just like a kitten. It will get bigger until people do not want to go near the one. But, it is so friendly and everything. And, you hear about these people who have wild animals that have been raised in the captivity. And, in one day, all of sudden it will go rip of the head and you will ask what happened? You can’t blame the animals, and you can’t kill it because that is their nature. And, that is how animals are, and no matter how much you try to change their nature, you can’t. It may come out one day. In circus, one of the high point is that when the trainer opens the jaw of the lion and he put his head on it and everybody goes whoo. But, every year, a lion decides, and then the head will go into it. It is high paying job because you are putting life in their lion. And, yes you have trained that lion but it takes only sometime to change its mind and its nature kicks in and there goes your head. That is the bottom line.

Summary of human beings and animals:

So, the point is that they are animals and human beings are not like that. You can train, force, manipulate them but they always have a choice. They are not like animals. Yes, we do have instincts like we like to eat and you have to eat to live. They are certain things that we are built with but in general we are human beings have the choices. So, you can have the inclination towards something, and you can stop yourself from doing it. That is the whole point. The animals feel inclined it and there is nothing to stop it. They will not stop, think about the consequences. Like, if I kill my master, there are other people going to kill me – it will not go through. As, it does not have chain of thought about the consequences, it has only inclinations. And, that is the animals.

Other religion scripture on Homosexuality:

So, their arguments are actually weak and they go against the natural human order society since the time of memorial. And, that is why you find in most religion it is being prohibited and evil. Even in Bible, it tells that to be executed very clearly. You will not find it in Quran but Prophet Muhammad  صلى الله عليه وسلم has explained it in his Sunnah. But, you will not find it in Quran. In the Bible itself, you will find execute.

Intellect turn off:

So, the issue of intellect it has place and Islam does not say turn it off. That is what the Christians have to do. In order to believe, the god is three in one, they have to turn off intellect. It is just like 1+1+1=1. So, the whole being tells you that 1+1+1=3. So, for you to accept that and live by it, to teach it to others, and you know, to believe in it, you have to turn off your intellect off.

So, Islam does not ask us to do that we are encourages used to intellect but to be used in proper context. That is following the revelation.

So, Sheikh Al-Uthamayin went on to say that fundamentally of their principles- this is the people of the علم الكلام‎,(Ilmul Kalam ) was that whatever come in revelation and it can maybe the Allah’s attributes were divided into three categories.

Fundamental principles of the علم الكلام‎,(Ilmul Kalam ):

First category

The first category in which is when the intellect affirms. They will affirm it based on the guidance of the intellects and the blind acceptance of what is being heard. It is based on what the intellect says. If, the intellect says this makes sense. And, it is based on what the intellect say, if it makes sense. So, any of the descriptions or attributes of Allah in Quran and Sunnah, they will accept these, where the mind looking at these will say, yes it is logical and it make sense.

Second Category:

The second category is when the intellect rejects. It is obligatory to be rejected without the hesitation because the intellect rejects it. For, example of the hadith the well-known one and that is the hadith of the fly. Prophet Muhammad  صلى الله عليه وسلم has said if a fly falls into your drink and dunk him in and throw him out and drink.  It is because, in under one wing of the fly is the disease and another wing is the cure. So this is the statement of Prophet Muhammad  صلى الله عليه وسلم.

The modern intellect when he hears that all that they have been taught since young that the fly is the carrier of disease. And, that is what we have been taught as the fly carries the disease. So, why in the world, we are going to dunk the fly into the drink, when it is a disease and you are putting the disease into the drink and you are drinking it. We never learnt that there is cure in the fly. We have never learnt that and our intellects have taught us that it is awful. And, it is because of that we deny the hadith of the fly.

Warning about the book:

Actually, the writer Maurice Bucaille who wrote the book of Quran, Bible and modern sciences, actually back part of the book, he goes off. So, be careful when you are distributing the book, and you have to remove the back part of the book. It is because, he talks about the hadith. It is because, he went on to the hadith of the fly and he denies it. And, he also denies Bukhari who authentically narrated and he denies it on the same rational approach. He is a doctor. All, we know from the fly is disease. So, this could not possible said by Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم because the intellect said the otherwise.

Proofs for the hadith mentioned above:

The reality is that when you stop and think for a minute. We don’t have evidence that there is cure in the fly. We don’t have evidence. It says that there is none. And, we just don’t know any. The lack of knowledge is not knowledge. It is just lack and you don’t have it. You can’t say that it does not exist because I do not know it. How many things that exist and we do not know about it. So, this is not the basis for denying or accepting anything. You can’t use that as the basis. It is just simply because, you don’t have knowledge in it.

Now, actually we have evidence of so many circumstances of where the cure and harm is in the same creature or tree. We have trees that cause physical reaction and there is cure in there too. The cure for scorpion bites, it is taken from scorpion itself. The snake if he does not have antidote or poison when he bites an animal and the poison goes into the animal and kills it. And, what is going to happen to him? You are going to die. So, he has built antidote for himself. So, it is not inconceivable that the fly has both the disease and cure. It is not inconceivable. It is simply because we have not found it, it does not mean that it does not exist.

Science and Islam:

For example, the Muslim scientists and point to say that I have to check this out. And, the West is not even thinking about it. Though, now when the person has gangrene, they will take fly larva, the larva of the fly and they will put into the wound, that part of the body which has gangrene. It is rotting right and when they have to deal with it, it just to cut the whole limb off.  But, there is another way which they are using is to get the maggots, the baby flies which is normally considered to be nasty, and they are putting the maggots into the wound, they will cut and open the wound, and put the maggots in it. The maggots will eat whole of the rotten flesh and leave the good flesh. So, it is more effective than they could do. So, they are using it in medicine and that is the nasty fly.

Summary of the علم الكلام‎,(Ilmul Kalam ) approach:

So, this intellect approach is a dangerous approach and when the intellect goes wild, they will give in full of what is right and wrong. And, they even cancel authentic text from Quraan and Sunnah.

So, the second category, of the scholastic theologians had the intellect reject. They say that they reject without hesitation. It is because if the intellect rejects it, it should be rejected automatically.

Sheikh Al-Uthamayin adds on but whose intellect that they are referring to?

It because different people have different way of viewing things because one things may be logical for you and another thing it might not be logical to me.

Immam Malik , May Allah’s mercy upon him, he said,” if I could only understand which intellect negate the Quran and the Sunnah that every time a better argument comes we take it and leave because of Quran and Sunnah.” This is not possible. The sound intellect which is accepted that Allah is revealed his word and what human beings are to follow? That sound intellect which accepts that concept. And, the Quran in fact is the message then how is going to accept that will negate the text from Allah.

Third category:

The third category, in which is the intellect is neither accepts nor rejects. Those who hold it for it to be affirmed, it is conditional that the intellect approves it, and they say to reject it. If, the intellect neither accepts nor rejects. They say that it is the same as the rejection.

Why?

It is because they have made it conditional for text to be accepted that the intellect affirms it. On the other hand, those among them who hold that for attribute to accepted, it is conditional that the intellect not to reject it. And, they say it is acceptable. These are the two perspectives of it. The majority of them took the second perspective. Since, the intellect hasn’t affirm it, reject it.

There are also some who remain neutral saying that if the intellect neither affirm nor reject it and they should be likewise be neutral. But, there are small minority.

Warning and the Danger of those who learn the علم الكلام‎,(Ilmul Kalam ):

These rules on which Sheikh Al-Uthamayin has went on to say that there is no basis in revelation so they went astray. And, it due to them, they have misguided others. May Allah protect us! They became confused due to them and became doubtful and perplexed because of that those had the greatest doubts of that time of death are the scholastic philosophers.

They wonder at the time of the death of whether the Allah is essence or his he accidental. And, these are the terminologies that they use and does he exist by himself or due to others. Does, he actually do things or not? And, so on and forth!

And, in the time of death, so he dies in the state of doubt, May Allah protects us from that state.

But, if the path is the righteous predecessor, the Salafi Salih and then the whole of affair become easy. And, doubts will not cross his mind or her mind. Nor, he or she will hesitate to utter the declaration of faith before leaving this world if he or she has the opportunity.

Summary of the arguments against the علم الكلام‎,(Ilmul Kalam ):

So, that summarizes the arguments against علم الكلام‎,(Ilmul Kalam ), there is further argument developed by Sheik Al Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah which we look in the session 7. So, we will stop the session here and now and just reminding ourselves on what the essence that is being presented here focused on. It was focused on the fact of the leading scholars of Islam rejected the area of scholastic philosophy or theology. It because due to the fact that one wants it to deny revealed texts. And, secondly, it is dwelled into most serious area that of Allah’s names and attributes of who Allah is. Thirdly, it gives the precedence to the human intellect over the revelation.

And, the reason from Islamic perspective should not be given precedence over the revelation. Our faith is based on the reason which brings us to the faith. But, when accept the faith and God exist and what God revealed, then that acceptance, we have to use our own reason to the application of the revelation and not in the issue whether it is true or not. So that is the proper way.

Ending of live session:

So, that closes the session 6,

سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ وَبِحَمْدِكَ أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ أَسْتَغْفِرُكَ وَأَتُوبُ إِلَيْكَ

Purity belongs to You. O Allah (SWT), with Your praises, I bear witness that there is non worthy of worship except You. I seek forgiveness from You and I repent to You.

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