Three Theological Treatises (1115) - Page 8

...to the Throne. One can affirm the truth of it before knowing whether that relationship is one of settling upon it, or turning toward His creation and aiding them, or dominance over it, or some other meaning of "relationship." Thus, affirmation of faith is possible.

If you ask: "What is the benefit of addressing creation with what they do not understand?" My answer is: This discourse was intended to inform those worthy of it, namely the Saints and those deeply rooted in knowledge original: "الراسخون في العلم"; a Quranic term for scholars with profound spiritual insight. They have understood it. It is not a requirement for one who addresses the wise to speak only in a way that children understand. For the common people, in relation to the knowers, are like children in relation to adults.

However, it is the duty of children to ask adults about what they do not understand, and it is the duty of adults to clarify to children that "this is not your concern, and you are not suited for it; rather, occupy yourselves with other talk." For it was said to the ignorant: “Ask the people of the Reminder if you do not know.” Quran 16:43 If they ask the people of the Reminder, and they are capable of understanding, the scholars explain it to them. Otherwise, they say to them: “And you have been given but little knowledge” Quran 17:85 and “Do not ask about things which, if they were shown to you, would distress you.” Quran 5:101 So, they silence them from such questions.

These are the meanings of "Faith in God is obligatory and the 'how' is unknown"—meaning, unknown to you. Asking about it is an innovation Bid'ah: an unauthorized or forbidden addition to established religious practice, as Malik Imam Malik ibn Anas (d. 795 AD), an influential early jurist said: "The Establishing (Istawa) is known, the 'how' is unknown, believing in it is obligatory, and asking about it is an innovation."

Therefore, faith in generalities that are not detailed in the mind is possible. However, the "sanctification" Taqdis: the act of declaring God free from all human or physical flaws which negates the impossible from Him should be detailed. For what must be negated is physicality jismiyya: the state of being a body or having a physical form and its requirements. By "body" here we mean a thing that is measured—having length, width, and depth—which prevents another thing from existing in the same space with it. Thus, it is that which pushes away what seeks its place if it is strong, or is pushed away and removed from its place by a pushing force if it is weak. We have explained this term despite its clarity because the commoner might not understand what is intended by it. The Third Duty

The Third Duty: Recognition of Incapacity

This is obligatory for everyone who does not grasp the core of these meanings and their reality. If they do not know the interpretation and the intended meaning, they must admit their incapacity. For truthfulness is obligatory; whoever is truly incapable but claims to have progressed in knowledge has lied.

This is the meaning of Malik’s saying: "The 'how' is unknown," meaning the specific detail of what is intended is not known. Indeed, even those deeply rooted in knowledge and the knowers among the Saints—though they have surpassed the limits of the commoners and roamed the fields of gnosis and crossed many miles of its deserts—what remains for them of what they have not reached is far more than what is right before them. In fact, there is no comparison between what is hidden from them and what is revealed to them, due to the abundance of the hidden and the smallness of the revealed in comparison to it.

In relation to what is hidden and veiled, the Master of the Prophets The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "I cannot count Your praises; You are as You have praised Yourself." And in relation to what was revealed, he said: "The one who knows God best is the one who fears God most, and I am the most knowing of you regarding God."

Because incapacity and shortcoming are necessary at the end of the path relative to the ultimate reality, the Master of the Truthful Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, the first Caliph said: "The inability to achieve perception is itself perception." If the realities of these meanings are inaccessible to the common people just as they are to the elite, then how can it not be obligatory for them to admit their incapacity?

The Fourth Duty: Silence regarding Questioning

This is obligatory for the common people because, by asking, a person exposes themselves to what they cannot endure and wades into what they are not worthy of. If they ask, do not answer them, for an answer would only increase their ignorance and might entangle them in disbelief kufr: rejection of faith without them even realizing.

If a person who is incapable asks a knower to explain—and the knower is unable to make him understand—it is like the inability of an adult to explain the secrets of kingship and state administration to a small child, or even the inability of a goldsmith to explain the subtleties of his craft to a carpenter. If the carpenter...