Scripture Over Speculation

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أُصُولُ الدِّينِ هُوَ اِسْمٌ عَظِيمٌ

'The Fundamentals of Religion' is a great name,

وَهُوَ مُنْطَبِقٌ عَلَى حِفْظِ الكِتَابِ وَالسُّنَّةِ

and it applies to the preservation of the Book and the Sunnah.

فَهُمَا أُصُولُ دِينِ الإِسْلَامِ لَيْسَ إِلَّا

For they are the fundamentals of the religion of Islam, nothing else.

وَأَمَّا العُرْفُ فِي هَذَا الاِسْمِ فَهُوَ مُخْتَلِفٌ بِاخْتِلَافِ النِّحَلِ

As for the custom with this name, it varies according to the differences in sects.

فَأُصُولُ دِينِ السَّلَفِ الإِيمَانُ بِاللهِ وَكُتُبِهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَمَلَائِكَتِهِ

The fundamentals of the religion of the predecessors were faith in Allah, His books, His messengers, His angels,

وَبِصِفَاتِهِ وَبِالْقَدَرِ

His attributes, and divine decree,

وَبِأَنَّ القُرْآنَ المُنَزَّلَ كَلَامُ اللهِ تَعَالَى غَيْرُ مَخْلُوقٍ

and that the revealed Quran is the uncreated word of Allah,

وَالتَّرَضِّي عَنْ كُلِّ الصَّحَابَةِ إِلَى غَيْرِ ذَلِكَ مِنْ أُصُولِ السُّنَّةِ

and to be pleased with all the companions, among other fundamentals of the Sunnah,

وَأُصُولُ دِينِ الخَلَفِ هُوَ مَا صَنَّفُوا فِيهِ

The fundamentals of the religion of the later generations are what they compiled,

وَبَنَوْهُ عَلَى العَقْلِ وَالمَنْطِقِ

and built upon reason and logic.

فَمَا كَانَ السَّلَفُ يَحُطُّونَ عَلَى سَالِكِهِ وَيُبَدِّعُونَهُ

The predecessors used to condemn those who followed this path and declare them innovators,

وَبَيْنَهُمْ اخْتِلَافٌ شَدِيدٌ فِي مَسَائِلَ مُزْمِنَةٍ

and among them there is severe disagreement on longstanding issues,

تَرْكُهَا مِنْ حُسْنِ إِسْلَامِ العَبْدِ

Leaving them is part of a person’s good Islam,

فَإِنَّهُ يُورِثُ أَمْرَاضًا فِي القُلُوبِ

for it causes diseases in the hearts,

وَمَنْ لَمْ يُصَدِّقْنِي يُجَرِّبْ

and whoever doesn’t believe me should try.

فَإِنَّ الْأُصُولِيَّةُ بَيْنَهُمُ السَّيْفُ

For theology among them is like a sword;

يُكَفِّرُ هَذَا هَذَا وَيُضَلِّلُ هَذَا هَذَا

One declares the other an unbeliever, and this one considers that one misguided.

فَالأُصُولِيُّ الوَاقِفُ مَعَ الظَّوَاهِرِ وَالْآثَارِ عِنْدَ خُصُومِهِ يَجْعَلُونَهُ مُجَسِّمًا وَحَشَوِيًّا وَمُبْتَدِعًا

So the theologian who adheres to the apparent texts and traditions, his opponents label him an anthropomorphist, a literalist, and an innovator.

وَالأُصُولِيُّ الَّذِي طَرَدَ التَّأْوِيلَ عِنْدَ الآخَرِينَ جَهْمِيًّا وَمُعْتَزِلِيًّا وَضَالًّا

And the theologian who pursues allegorical interpretation is called Jahmi, Mu'tazili, and misguided by the others.

وَالأُصُولِيُّ الَّذِي أَثْبَتَ بَعْضَ الصِّفَاتِ وَنَفَى بَعْضَهَا وَتَأَوَّلَ فِي أَمَاكِنَ يَقُولُونَ مُتَنَاقِضًا

And the theologian who affirms some attributes, denies others, and interprets in certain places, they call him contradictory.

وَالسَّلَامَةُ وَالعَافِيَةُ أَوْلَى بِكَ

Safety and well-being are better for you.