Topic: Beware! Of Urdu Translators Making Ta?weel Of Allah?s Sifaath


abdul.azeem    -- 13-09-2006 @ 7:20 AM
 


                             بسم الله
                             الحمد لله
                          والصلاة والسلام  
                           على رسول الله    
                             أما بعد


      Beware! Of Those Who Make Ta'weel

In the translation of The Three Fundamental Principles by Abu Adhnaan Muneer Qamar in  The Urdu language I found that he has made ta'weel of Allaah's Sifaath. He has translated al-Isthawaa to mean 'Jalwaa Farmaa Huwaa'.And I found that Maudoodee in his book Tafheemul-Qur'aan has also done the same. I request him to correct this if it was done unintentionally.

This is clearly Ta?weel as there are many meanings for ?Jalwaa Farmaa Huwaa?. Allaah?s Jalwaa, His Signs are everywhere and those who use this seek to claim that Allaah, free is He from all imperfections is everywhere. This is running away from the correct meaning of al-Isthawaa in the language and what has come from the Salaf us Saalih radhiAllaahu anhum. So those who translate using such words run away from its intended meaning. So the correct meaning is highness (al-uluww), rising (bulandh hona) and ascent.

The Rising of Allaah (Istiwaa) Over His Throne (Arsh)

The word Istiwaa linguistically is used to express different meanings, all of them having to do with a sense of ?completion? or ?conclusion?.

It is used in the Qur?aan in three differeny ways:

1.The word used alone: as in the Aayah,

And when he attained his full strength and Istawaa?.? [Sooratul-Qasas, 28:14]

Meaning: to become complete, matured.

2.The word used with ?ilaa? (to): as in Allaah?s statement,

?Then He Istawaa ilaa (to) the heaven.? [Sooratul-Baqarah, 2:29]

Meaning: to give full attention to.

3.The word used with ?alaa? (upon, over): as in the statement,

??.that you may Istawaa ?alaa (upon) their (riding animals) backs?. [Sooratul-Zukhruf, 43:13]

Meaning: then the meaning is to rise upon or over, to settle.

So the meaning of the Istiwaa of Allaah upon His Throne: His rising over it and settling upon it in a way that befits His Greatness and Majesty. It is one of His Attributes of action that is proven by the Qur?aan, the Sunnah, and the consensus (of the scholars). From the proofs of the Qur?aan is Allaah?s statement,

? The Most Merciful Istawaa (rose over) the Throne.? [Soorah Taa Haa, 20:5]

From the proofs of the Sunnah is what has been reported by al-Khallaal in his book, as-Sunnah, with an authentic chain of narration according to al-Bukharee that Qataadah ibn an-Nu?maan said: I heard Allaah?s Messenger say,

?When Allaah finished with His creation, He Istawaa (rose over) His Throne?.

Shaykh Abdul-Qaadir al-Jeelaanee (rahimahullah) said, ? It is mentioned in every book that Allaah ever revealed upon a Prophet.?

Ahlus-Sunnah have all unanimously agreed upon the belief that Allaah is over His Throne, and not one of them ever said otherwise. It is impossible for anyone to report that from them, neither in wording nor in apparent meaning.

[Taken from Explanation of a Summary of al-Aqeedatul-Hamawiyyah of Ibn Taymiyyah (rahimahullah) explained by Imam Muhammad Ibn Saalih al-Uthaimeen
(rahimahullah)]

Ibn Abdil Barr rahimahullah said in Thahdheeb, and istawaa is known in the language and understood to be: Highness (uluww) and rising above something and establishing (at-tamkinu) and settling in it (istiqraar feehee) [Tahdheeb 7:103-105, Refer www.troid.org]


However, Ibn Uthaimeen rahimahullah said:

It has come from the salaf  that its interpretation is highness, rising and ascent. The meanings of rising and ascent refer to the meaning of highness [ Page 115, Notes on Aqidah al-Wasitiyyah]

To be continued Insha Allaah!


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