Avoiding the Path of Argument, and Seeking the Beneficial

These are some exchanges some people have had:
1st person:" Some writers say 'Anthropomorphic verses in the Qur'an ...' etc. Is the Qur'an anthropomorphic?"

2nd person: "No brother, Allah does not say in the Qur'an that verses about His Hand and Establishment are `literal'."

1st person: "He does not say they are metaphorical, either. What do you mean by literal, zahir or haqiqi?"

What does he mean here by zahir and haqiqi? Please expound?

1st person: "If you say zahir, then as Imam Shafi'i and all the Salaf said, the meanings of the Qur'an are zahir."

Is this true then what does it mean?

1st person:" Zahir does not mean shallow or superficial, the zahir can include very deep meanings. If you say haqiqi, that is a term from the science of Balaghah, opposed to majaz, and all these terms were developed way after the Sahabah."

What does he mean by this development? Who were they developed by, and what was their function? what is balaghah and majaz? Is he trying to condone anthropmorpism? That he is implying something about the shahaba? How would one reply to this? Could you expound liberally?

1st person: "Did anyone say that such terms are majaz"?

Again could you expound on this? What is the question implying?

1st person: "Some of the 'ulama said there was no majaz in the entire Arabic language. Others said: no majaz in the Qur'an. The Maliki Mauritanian Sh. al-Shanqiti took this view, and he was a master of the Arabic language."

Is this true about the Arabic language? Or the Qur'an? And who developed these, and again for what purpose?

Is this a weak opinion/argument only employed by anthropomormists? What is its basis, and who first used this line of reasoning? Has this been refuted? If so could you briefly include the views of those prominent Shuyukh, who did this? What does this mean in reference to Sh. al-Shanqiti? What beliefs would he did/have? Since it relates to aqida, I 'd hope you expound upon this as thoroughly as possible, for perhaps in future I will be able to assist someone form a similar predicament?

Walaikum assalam,

Sidi, speech is “words that convey a meaning,” according to grammarians.

If you think about it, the only speech worth anything is that whose meaning is sound, and corresponds to the Sunni path we have been commanded to follow by Allah and His Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace).

Now, for people who: (a) do not know Arabic; (b) do not understand the terms being discussion; (c) do not understand the implications of the arguments being presented; (d) do not know the accepted position(s) of the people of the truth and the scholars of the Sunni path… the only way is to ignore such discussions.

The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) in several duas sought refuge from “knowledge that benefits not.” And the scholars (Allah have mercy on him) tell us in books of hadith commentary and fiqh that some knowledge is blameworthy and even unlawful.

Among blameworthy knowledge is for common Muslims to engage in discussions about issues they do not understand or even to listen to the arguments of the people of innovation, such as salafis and others. Early Muslims said, “Listening to the people of innovation blackens the heart.”

Scholars also mention that the way with the people of innovation is to avoid them: one does not listen to their arguments or debate them, especially without knowledge. The job of responding to them is for those who have the knowledge and understanding to do so. It is noteworthy, for example, that only a small number of the Companions (Allah be pleased with them) debated or argued with the Khawarij when they appeared; they rest busied themselves with that which concerned them, which was to travel the path of the next life by seeking beneficial knowledge and acting upon it. And all good lies in following those who have gone by.

As for the issues you have mentioned, there is more than enough for those who seek the truth in Shaykh Nuh Keller’s Literalism and the Attributes of Allah, which may be found in Sidi Mas’ud Khan’s excellent web page whose articles are a must reading for sunnis in troubled times: http://www.masud.co.uk

May Allah grant us beneficial knowledge and the tawfiq to act on it in the way most pleasing to Him.

Wassalam,
Faraz Rabbani.