14 The aforementioned Jahmee said: "...Now this is precisely ta'weel - or interpretation in other than the verses ostensive sense. At-Tabaree ascribes this interpretation through his chain of transmission to the Companion -the Sahaabee - Ibn Abbaas (ra) as well as to Mujaahid..."

15 This Jahmee has also falsely ascribed the madhhab of Tafweedh to the Salaf with his saying: "The real aqeedah of Imaam Ahmad was very simple and consisted mainly of Tafweedh, that is to consign to Allaah, the meaning of the mutashaabihaat - or unapparent meanings of the Qur'aan and Hadeeth" and this is a clear lie against Imaam Ahmad specifically and the Salaf generally. Refer to Chapter 4 of 'Foundations of the Sunnah' of Imaam Ahmad, which has dealt with this issue.

What is even more strange is that in the same breath he, - the aforementioned Jahmee - quotes the saying of Sufyaan bin Uyainah (d. 198H) who said: "The interpretation - tafseer - of everything that Allaah has described Himself in His Book is to recite it and remain silent about it."

So why is it that the Jahmee and his likes do not remain silent, but resort to ta'weel (figurative interpolation) - something that is not authenically related from any of the Salaf - and then attribute this unashamedly and unjustifiably to the Salaf?!

As for the Jahmee's innovation that the aayaat mentioning the Sifaat (Attributes of Allaah) are among the mutashaabihaat (ambiguous, unclear verses, whose meaning is known only to Allaah) - then sufficient for him are the following narrations from the Salaf:

Rabee'at ur-Ra'ee (d. 136H) said: "Al-Istiwaa (Allaah Ascending) is not unknown, and how (it occurs) is not comprehendable, and from Allaah is the Message, upon the Messenger is to convey, and upon is to affirm." Reported by al-Bayhaqee in al-Asmaa was-Sifaat (no.516) and al-Laalikaa'ee in Usool ul-I'tiqaad (no.665).

Imaam Maalik (d. 179H) said: "Al-Istiwaa is known, and how is unknown, to have eemaan in it is obligatory and to question it is an innovation." Reported by al-Bayhaqee in al-Asmaa was-Sifaat (p.516) with the wording: "Al-Istiwaa is not unknown and how is unknown, to have eemaan in it is obligatory and to question it is an innovation." Ad-Daarimee also reported it in ar-Radd alal-Jahmiyyah (p.55).

Ibn Jareer at-Tabaree (d. 310H) said concerning the saying of Allaah, the Most High:

The Most Merciful made Istiwaa over the Throne [Soorah Taa Haa 20:5]

meaning: "It means alaa and irtafa'a' (rising above and ascending)." Jaami' ul-Bayaan an-Ta'weel il-Qur'aan (16/137). And Imaam Bukhaaree - may Allaah have mercy upon him - said in his Saheeh: "Mujaahid said: "..istawaa alal-Arsh [meaning] alaa (i.e. ascended)', Ishaaq bin Raahawaiyah said: 'I heard more than one of the Mufassireen saying: 'ar-Rahmaan alal-Arsh istawaa [meaning] irtafa'a (i.e. ascended)'. And this is the manifest meaning of Istiwaa in the language.

Therefore, the meaning is known and it is not from the mutashaabihaat as the Jahmee has claimed. And this is the same with all the Attributes, their meanings in the language are known, but how they are is not known. This is why the Salaf say: 'Without ta'teel (denying the meaning of the Attribute), tahreef (distorting the meaning of the attribute) takyeef (asking how the attribute is) and without tashbeeh (likening it to the creation)' - regarding Allaah's Attributes. Refer also to Chapters 3 and 4 of 'Foundations of the Sunnah' for further evidence.

Ibn al-Qayyim says: "And this is why Maalik and Rabee'ah said: "Al-Istiwaa is known and how is unknown", and likewise Ibn al-Maajishoon and Imaam Ahmad and others amongst the Salaf have said: "We do not know the kaifiyyah (the how) of what Allaah has informed about Himself, even if we know its explanation (tafseerihi) and its meaning (ma'naahu)." Mukhtasar us-Sawaa'iqil-Mursalah (1/165)