Originally posted by aMuslimForLife
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You seem to have a good head on your shoulders. You need to seek knowledge, study the scholars, make dhikr daily, recite the Quran daily and do a lot of reflections.
The Messenger of Allah, (sallahu alayhi was salam) said the Lord said, "Whoever is engaged in reading the Quran or engaged in My remembrance and is too busy to supplicate to me on account of that, I shall give him the best of what is given to the supplicants." (Tirmidhi, al Darimi, and al Bayhaqi)
A little doubt is healthy because we are all sinners. Allah created us sinners. You can doubt the scholars, but don't doubt the Quran and Sunnah. Don't doubt that Allah is guiding you. The scholars of tasawwuf say, the path to Allah is with two wings fear and hope. Fear that you aren't doing it right, and hope that Allah will forgive you. I'm always reading and studying things I've already read and studied before. And I'm always taking into consideration what others say. It is not about what I think the truth is, it is about, what is the truth. Yes I am Ashari, but I am not fixed on any particular Ashari text or belief.
Hanbalis say, Allah speak with letters and sounds. Asharis say, Allah speaks without letters and sounds. Imam Tahawi said, "The Quran is the Speech of Allah that emanated from HIm without how in its expression." (Aqida Tahawi).
In my opinion, Imam Tahawi is most correct, because we don't know how Allah's Speaks. The Salaf didn't delve into the howness of Allah's Speech. Sometimes there are investigations that the khalaf did, where they went too far, on both sides whether it is the Asharis or Hanbalis.
Allah says, Say: The things that my Lord has indeed forbidden are….and saying things about Allah of which you have no knowledge. (7:33)
Definitive knowledge concerning Allah and His Attributes can only come from two sources, the Quran and Sunnah. There is proof in ijma. And general acceptance in following the majority concerning an issue. But if doubt emerges concerning an issue, return to the Quran and Sunnah, especially in matters of aqida..
For me, I am Muslim before I am Ashari, meaning, the Ashari school is only means. It is only a general guide to follow the Quran and Sunnah in matters of Aqida. If there is something one of the scholars of Aqida says, that goes against the Quran and Sunnah, I always pick the Quran and Sunnah over the statements of the scholars of Aqida, if I disagree.
One is only obligated to follow Allah and His Messenger, sallahu alayhi was salam, in matters of aqida.
The great Ashari Muhadith and Faqih, Shaykh al Islam, Imam al Nawawi said, “As for the basic obligation of Islam, and what relates to tenets of faith (Aqida), it is adequate for one to believe in everything brought by the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) and to credit it with absolute conviction free of any doubt. Whoever does this is not obliged to learn the evidence of the scholastic theologians. The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) did not require of anyone anything but what we have just mentioned, nor did the first four caliphs, the other prophetic Companions, nor others of the early Muslim community who came after them.†(Al Majmoo)
A breath of fresh air from a great Ashari scholar and Muhadith, a contemporary of Ibn Uthaymeen and Bin Baz:
Shaykh Muhammad ibn Alawi al Maliki al Hasani said, "An example (of facts that are lost in research) is that which takes place among the scholars in their research concerning the reality of Allah's Speech and the major difference that revolves around this. Some say that the Speech of Allah is inner speech (kalam nafsi), and some say that His Speech is with both letter and sound. I am of the belief that both of these groups seek the reality of Divine transcendence for Allah and that both are far from idolatry in all of its forms. the issue of Speech is real and affirmed and there is no room to deny it, for denial of t contradicts Divine Perfection - this is from one angle. From another angle, Belief in His Attributes and affirmation of that which appears in the Quran is obligatory, for no one knows Allah but Allah. The view that I hold and call to is that of affirming (the Speech of Allah) without going into details of the "howness" and quiddity. So we affirm speech for Allah and say that this is speech of Allah and that He speaks Beyond that, we give no glance the falsehood of it being inner speech or not, or whether it is with sounds or letters or not. All of this is extremism that was not articulated by the one who brought tawhid, the chosen one (Rasullah), sallahu alayhi was salam, so why should we make this addition to what he came with? Is this not the ugliest of innovations. Glory be to You (Allah), this is but a manifest slander! Indeed, the Shall speak to us on that day that we shall gather with him in front of Allah. We are calling for our discussions to always be about this reality and its likes, being far removed from delving into its quiddity, image and appearance." (Notions that must be corrected)
Something to ponder.
Abu Nu’aym reported: Al-Shafi’i, may Allah have mercy on him, said, “I never debated anyone but that I would love for him to be guided, directed, helped, and for him to be under the care of Allah and his protection. And I never debated with anyone but that I did not mind whether Allah clarified the truth on my tongue or his tongue.†Source: Ḥilyat al-Awliyā’ 13717
And Allah knows best.
Thank you for taking the time, it means a lot. May Allaahتعالى guide us all to the truth and bless us with steadfastness upon it.
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