**Imām al-Ghazālī: The Existence of God Is Recognised Intuitively Through Design

By Mufti Zameelur Rahman**

“It is obvious even to someone with the least grasp of reason, when he contemplates the contents of these verses with minimal thought and makes his gaze tour the wonders of Allāh’s creation in the earth and skies, as well as the marvels of animal and plant life, that such an amazing reality and well-constructed system must have had a constructor who governs it and an agent who perfects it and apportions it. Indeed, the innate nature (fiṭrah) of (human) souls effectively testifies that these (things) are subject to His control and directed as required by His management. Hence, Allāh, Exalted is He, said: ‘Is there doubt about Allāh, the Originator of the heavens and the earth?!’” (Qur’ān, 14:10)

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Ghazālī: The Existence of God Is Recognised Intuitively | Ahlus Sunnah Forum

Imām al-Ghazālī: The Existence of God Is Recognised Intuitively Through Design By Mufti Zameelur Rahman

**Do Ash‘arīs Reject the Ẓāhir of the Qur’ān & Ḥadīth?

By Mufti Zameelur Rahman**

A common Salafī claim is that Ash‘arīs, by their own admission, reject the “ẓāhir” (apparent meaning) of scriptural texts (Qur’ān and Ḥadīth), especially as it relates to certain descriptions of Allāh, and as such Ash‘arī theology contradicts the straightforward and commonly understood meanings found in the Qur’ān and Ḥadīth.

In response to this claim, it is important to understand that “ẓāhir” has two senses that are being conflated:

1. Ẓāhir bi ‘l-waḍ‘ (the linguistically apparent meaning)
2. Ẓāhir bi ‘l-dalīl‘ (the contextually apparent meaning)

For example, if someone said (without any prior context), “I saw a lion”, there is no reason to interpret his words as anything other than the linguistically apparent meaning of seeing the big cat called “lion”. But, if he says, “I saw a lion fighting in battle”, there is evidence from the context that he means a brave man. “Brave man” is not the linguistically apparent sense of “lion” but is the contextually apparent meaning in this sentence. (‘Uthmān Nābulsī, al-Ṣifāt al-Ilāhiyyah, p.12, p.55)

Similarly, the Qur’ān says: “Whoever emerges from his house as a migrant…” (Qur’ān, 4:100) Here, “his house” is understood literally as the building in which an individual would dwell. But when the Qur’ān refers to the Ka‘bah as Allāh’s House (Qur’ān, 2:125, 22:26, 14:37), we immediately understand that the literal meaning is not meant, even if why exactly it is called His House is unclear. Only someone ignorant will interpret “Allāh’s House” literally as a building in which Allāh dwells. A learned person will understand it as a metaphorical expression indicating a building honoured and made sacred by Allāh.

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Do Ash‘arīs Reject the Ẓāhir of the Qur’ān & Ḥadīth? | Ahlus Sunnah Forum

Muftī Rashīd Aḥmad Ludhiyānwī (1341 – 1422 AH) states:

“The one who teaches women face-to-face, without a barrier, is a fāsiq (an open transgressor). It is makrūh taḥrīman (prohibitively disliked—i.e. impermissible and sinful) to offer one's prayers behind such an individual, and it is not permissible to appoint such an individual as an Imām or Khaṭīb.” 25 Sha‘bān, 1400 AH (July, 1980). (Aḥsan al-Fatāwā, ed. H. M. Sa‘īd Company, vol.3, p.320)

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Prohibition of Ikhtilat (Mixing Between Men & Women) | Ahlus Sunnah Forum

The Prohibition of Ikhtilāṭ(Unnecessary Mixing of Non-Elderly Men and Women)

**Early Encounters Between the ‘Ulamā’ of Deoband & Najdī Scholars

By Mufti Zameelur Rahman

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Early Encounters Between ‘Ulamā’ of Deoband & Najdī Scholars | Ahlus Sunnah Forum

Early Encounters Between the ‘Ulamā’ of Deoband & Najdī Scholars

“Each Day He Is (Engaged) in Some Affair” (Qur’ān, 55:29) Does Not Mean Ḥawādith (Temporal Occurrences) Subsist in the Divine Essence

By Mufti Zameelur Rahman

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“Each Day He Is (Engaged) in Some Affair” | Ahlus Sunnah Forum

“Each Day He Is (Engaged) in Some Affair” (Qur’ān, 55:29) Does Not Mean Ḥawādith (Temporal Occurences) Subsist in the Divine Essence

**Imām al-Ghazālī: The Superiority of Divine Mercy Over Creaturely Mercy

Translated by Mufti Zameelur Rahman

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Ghazālī: The Superiority of Divine Mercy Over Creaturely | Ahlus Sunnah Forum

Imām al-Ghazālī: The Superiority of Divine Mercy Over Creaturely Mercy

Ḥāfiẓ Ibn ‘Asākir (499 – 571 AH) narrates with an authentic chain to the great early muḥaddith of Baghdād, Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Shāhīn (297 – 385 AH), that he said:

رجلان صالحان بليا بأصحاب سوء: جعفر بن محمد وأحمد بن حنبل

“Two righteous men were afflicted with evil companions/followers: Ja‘far ibn Muḥammad [i.e. with Rāfiḍī followers] & Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal [i.e. with Ḥashwī followers].” (Tabyīn Kadhib al-Muftarī, no.158)

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Summary

In summary, Jake is trying to attribute a view to Imām al-Ghazālī based on his own inference of what he thinks is the implication of what Imām al-Ghazālī wrote.

He infers that because Imām al-Ghazālī said most people, even in the Prophet's ﷺ time, would struggle to understand certain intricate statements about tanzīh, they therefore reject the actual content of the belief in divine transcendence from bodily attributes.

Yet, this inference contradicts the explicit words of Imām al-Ghazālī, as demonstrated above, which Jake completely ignores.

Furthermore, the implication Jake tries to infer is completely baseless, as also demonstrated above.

Imputing a view to an author based on a false inference from his words while ignoring his explicit statements to the contrary is no less than falsehood and slander.

Jake should retract his false claims about Imām al-Ghazālī. If he does not, his academic integrity must be called into question.

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Response to Jake Brancatella's Misrepresentation of Ghazali | Ahlus Sunnah Forum

Did Imām al-Ghazālī Say 99.9% of the Ummah Rejects Ash‘arī Belief? – Responding to Jake Brancatella

Why Explicit Negation of Direction (Jihah) for Allāh Is Difficult for Ordinary People to Comprehend

By Mufti Zameelur Rahman**

Jake has written a response and, despite the above explanation, still stands by his false claim that Imām al-Ghazālī said the majority of Muslims, including the Prophet’s ﷺ own community, would reject his beliefs about Allāh. In his response, Jake completely ignores the fact that Imām al-Ghazālī explicitly said the initial recipients of the revelation already knew Allāh is not a body, as quoted above. Instead, he focuses on what he understands to be the implications of Imām al-Ghazālī’s longer statement, also quoted above, in particular why ordinary people would find it difficult to comprehend the explicit negation of direction (jihah) for Allāh if they already agree with Imām al-Ghazālī's understanding of divine transcendence.

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Response to Jake Brancatella's Misrepresentation of Ghazali | Ahlus Sunnah Forum

Did Imām al-Ghazālī Say 99.9% of the Ummah Rejects Ash‘arī Belief? – Responding to Jake Brancatella