Asharis.Com | Uncovering the Innovated Terminology of the Jahmiyyah and Their Relatives from Ahl al-Kalaam (Ash'aris, Maturidis): Part 3

The Term 'al-'Arad'

This goes hand in hand with 'al-jism' (see previous article). The word 'arad (pl. a'raad) is mentioned in the Qur'an in reference to the fleeting, temporal life of this world (see 8:67, عرض الدنيا) and its meaning is that which is temporal. It is given considerable attention by the Kalaam Innovators. Al-Jahm bin Safwaan negated all attributes, descriptions and actions from Allaah in order to flee what he called "hulul al-a'raad fee dhaatillaah" (the occurrence of incidental attributes in the essence of Allaah). The term 'arad (the singular) It has the following usages (in their language):

An attribute established with Allah's essence. The Jahmiyyah and Mu'tazilah referred to Allah's attributes (and actions) as a'raad (incidental attributes) and claimed this makes Allaah an originated bod (jism).
Things like illnesses (which come and go) and impairments and the likes. These denote weakness, deterioration and the likes.
Whatever does not last two instants of time (maa laa yabqaa zamaanayn). This was the principle innovated by the Kullaabis and Ash'aris in order to defend and justify their affirmation of the attributes against the Mu'tazilah.

As for Ahl al-Sunnah, they clarify:

Do you mean by saying they [the attributes] are a'raad in the sense that [1] they are established through an essence (dhaat) [as in their existence is through an essence] or that they are an attribute of an essence, or other such true and correct meanings? Or do you mean [by a'raad] that [2] they are impairments and deficiences. Or do you mean [3] that they occur and cease and do not last two instants of time?
So if the first is meant, then this is sound and correct. If you mean the second, then that is prohibited.
As for the third, what the Ash'arites mean by two instants of time, is that they divided time into small indivisible units (just like matter). So for arguments sake, the smallest indivisible unit of time might be one thousand trillionth of a second. So what they mean by this is that all the attributes of the creation are in fact a'raad, which only last for one thousand trillionth of a second, and then they expire immediately and have to be recreated by Allaah. So the hotness of your tea, or the green color of a leaf is created and destroyed one thousand trillion times each second. But as for Allaah's attributes, they do not expire, they remain and hence they cannot be called a'raad. In this manner they argued against the Mu'tazilah and used this as a justification for affirming the attributes!!
As for the Jahmiyyah, whether an attribute lasts for two instants of time only, or actually remains, it makes no difference. They still considered this an 'arad that can only be found in a body. Hence, they rejected all attributes (and actions) for Allaah because attributes can only exist in a body.
So Ahl al-Sunnah say we affirm for Allaah whatever He and His Messenger affirmed for Him and they are His names (asmaa'), attributes (sifaat) and actions (af'aal) and we do not know this innovated language or the use of innovated terms such as a'raad to refer to His attributes and actions. We shun all that and say Allaah has attributes and actions, and affirming them does not necessitate that He is a body as that (false) conclusion can ony be made by first relying upon false analogy for Allaah and treating His essence as if it is amongst the genus of all created bodies, such that the binding necessities (lawaazim) which apply to them, must also apply to Him. This is impossible. Hence, your Kalaam language is invalidated. Hence, throw it in the well, stick to the light of revelation and prophethood (pure milk) and free yourself from that blood, puss and dung you inherited from the Hellenized Jews, Christians and Sabeans (see here).

Additional Notes

The term a'raad is used to describe the genus of all incidental attributes and they include things like width, breadth, depth, taste, color, smell, motion, rest, combination, separation and so on. So what these innovators did was to include Allaah's attributes (and his actions) under the label of a'raad, and then said to the people, "We have to free Allaah of a'raad" since a'raad can only exist in a body and that would make him a body like the created bodies. Hence, He cannot have attributes (or actions).

The Jahmiyyah and Mu'tazilah included all things within a'raad (i.e. attributes and actions), and they did not distinguish between Allaah's attributes and His chosen actions. Thus, they said we deny "hulul al-a'raad fee dhaatillaah" and rejected the attributes and actions. Distinctions were made by the Kullabiyyah and Ash'ariyyah. They said Allaah has sifaat (which remain and last) and that the creation have a'raad (i.e.their attributes are constantly being recreated at every smallest instant of time), and then they distinguished the sifaat from hawaadith (events, occurrences). So they denied all of Allaah's chosen actions (like istiwaa, mahabbah, ghadab, ridaa), because they considered them to be "hawaadith" (events) and this term will be discussed separately. Then they had certain approaches to deal with the texts that mention these actions of Allaah, such as treating them as being synonymous with the attribute of iraadah, or making ta'weel of them.