Imam Malik on Istiwa November 5, 2011
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Imam Malik on Istiwa
A man asked Imam Malik (d. 179): “How did Allah make istiwa’ on the throne?” Imam Malik inclined his head and was silent until the sweat of fever covered his brow, then he looked up and said: “Istiwa’ is not unknown (ghayru majhul), the modality of it is inconceivable in the mind (al-kayfu minhu ghayru ma`qul); but belief in it is obligatory, and inquiring about it is a heretical innovation. You are an innovator.” And he gave orders for him to be taken out.
My Thoughts:
My methodologically challenged brothers have used this quote from Imam Malik to justify taking the unclear verses related to Allah upon it’s literal meaning (dhahir). As an Ashari, we are concerned about following the Salafus Saleh, and we regard Imam Malik’s statement and followable, however we don’t understand it in the same way that the Salafis understand Imam Malik’s statement.
Imam Malik did not say istiwa is to be taken upon the literal meaning. Nowhere in any of the quotes that I read from Imam Malik, did he say to take istiwa upon its literal meaning.
He merely said, “Istiwa is not unknown.” The way the Asharis understand this is that, Istiwa is not unknown, for it is in the Quran. For example, If you would have said to Imam Malik, “Allahu Qadim”, Imam Malik would have said,” Qadim is unknown,” meaning this wording is not known in the Quran or hadiths. Thus Imam Malik was making tafwid.
That is how we understand that statement from Imam Malik.
“Istiwaa is not unknown” and “Istiwaa is known” are not the same, while the Salafis read it as the same.
Bismillah, Alahmdullilah,
The Maaliki Scholar, Ibn Abdul Barr (d. 463H) said: “Ahl us-Sunnah are agreed in affirming all the Sifaat (Attributes of Allaah) which are related in the Qur’aan and the Sunnah, having eemaan (faith) in them and understanding them alal-haqeeqah (in a real sense) not alal-majaaz (metaphorically). How they are is not to be asked. However, the Jahmiyyah, the Mu’tazilah, and the Khawaarij all deny them and do not carry them alal-haqeeqah; claiming that whoever affirms them has made tashbeeh (resemblance), and they claim that whoever recites them (as they are) is a mushabbih (a person doing tashbeeh).”
Given the context and understanding given by Ibn Abdul Barr above, “Istiwa is not unknown.” is another way of stating “Istiwaa is known”. Imam Malik’s use of the “Istiwa is not unknown.” is said with the Jahmiyya in mind — who are known to make taweel, thus changing the apparent meanings as understood in the Arabic.
You may also research the sayings of Imam Al Ash’ari in his book al Ibaanah, and Abu Muhammad al-Juwayni in Majmoo’atur-Rasaa’il il-Muneeriyyah — both abandoned their old Ashari beliefs – an excerpt from the latter:
“So those possessing justice and fairness will understand what we have said, take it as their belief, accept our sincere advice and will take as the Deen of Allaah the affirmation of all His attributes, negating from them any tashbeeh, ta’teel, ta’weel or wuqoof. This is what Allaah intended from us concerning this.” – Majmoo’atur-Rasaa’il il-Muneeriyyah
“Ibn `Abd al-Barr initially followed the School of Dâwûd al-Zâhirî and befriended Ibn Hazm. He left that school and turned to that of Imâm Mâlik, while leaning towards the Shâfi`î school. His literalist bend is evident in ‘Aqeedah, and “Salafîs/Wahhabis” are fond of quoting his apparent attribution of place, direction, and corporeality to Allâh Most High.
Ibn Jahbal al-Kilâbî said:
Concerning what Abû `Umar ibn `Abd al-Barr said [in apparent attribution of place, direction, and corporeality to Allâh Most High], both the elite and the general public know the man’s position and the scholars’ disavowal of if. The Mâlikîs’ condemnation of it, from the first to the last of them, is well-known. His contravention of the Imâm of North Africa, Abû al-Walîd al-Bâjî, is famous. It reached a point that the eminent people of North Africa would say: “No one in North Africa holds this position except he and Ibn Abî Zayd!” although some of the people of knowledge cited an excuse for Ibn Abî Zayd in the text of the great qâdî Abû Muhammad `Abd al-Wahhâb [ibn `Alî ibn Nasr al-Baghdâdî (d 422)] al-Baghdâdî al-Mâlikî – may Allâh have mercy on him.”
To sum up, us Malikis do NOT use the works of Ibn ‘Abdul Barr in ‘Aqeedah.