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Uncovering the Innovated Terminology of the Jahmiyyah and Their Relatives from Ahl al-Kalaam (Ash'aris, Maturidis): Part 5 - The Term 'al-Tarkib'
Posted by Abu.Iyaad on Wednesday, December, 22 2010 and filed under Articles
Key topics: Ilm Al-kalaam • Ahl Al-Kalaam • Al-hawaadith • Al-tarkib

The Term 'al-Tarkib'

This is from the famous terminologies used by the various factions of the Jahmiyyah (the Philosophers, the Mu'tazilah, the later Ash'aris, the Maturidis) in order to either reject Allaah's attributes, or to reject Allaah's 'uluww. This proof is primarily from the Philosophers and the Mu'tazilah used it, and then later Ibn Sina (d. 429H) incorporated as part of his ripped-off proof from the Mutakallimin, that of al-wujub and al-imkan. And the Later Ash'aris, when they saw the flaws in the proof of huduth al-ajsaam, they started incorporating the proof of al-tarkib, in order to cover their backs and to find alternative ways to fight Ahl al-Sunnah. So there are numerous meanings intended by al-tarkib (literally, composition):

  1. Composition from two or more different elements, this is mixed composition and an example is a mammal made of dust, water, or out of limbs, hair, teeth and so on, or a house made of bricks, mortar, pipes and so on. There are numerous elements involved here. It can also refer to garments which are composed of different pieces.

  2. Composition through adjacency, in the sense that a collection of houses compose a town and what is similar to this.

  3. Composition from identical particles, and this is what the Ahl al-Kalaam believe, that the entire universe is made up the exact same identical particle, but what gives each one its own properties is the incidental attributes residing in it. This definition comes from notions found with the Greek Philosophers. This is what al-Razi used to deny Allaah is above the Throne, as it would necessitate "composition"

  4. Composition through matter and form. This refers really to something made of one element (like silver, gold, wood) and having a particular form or shape. This is from the Greek Philosophers.

  5. Composition of an essence and its attributes. This is what the Philosophers and the Mu'tazilah used in order deny the attributes. This understanding of "tarkib" is unknown in the Arabic language or in the revealed texts.

  6. Composition of an essence and its existence. This is not really "composition" since this is what the mind thinks of, it can think of a thing and of its existence and so it can separate these two things its mind about a single object. However, that is not the case in external reality.

The first two are meanings found in the Arabic language. The last four are all influenced by the language of the Philosphers and are unknown to the Arabic language, and they are used to deny something from what Allaah affirmed for Himself.

So the view of Ahl al-Sunnah is:

Tarkib (composition) in in the language of the Qur'an and the language of the Arabs is understood by the first and second meanings explainend above. See for example Surah al-Infitar (82:8), where Allaah mentions put together (rakkaba) man in whatever form He willed. Just like a garment is composed of different pieces. This is what is known.

As for the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth meanings they are all innovated meanings influenced by external philosophical concepts borrowed from the Greeks mainly. And the intent behind them all is to lay the foundation for rejecting Allaah's attributes and His 'uluww, as part of an innovated Tawhid which the Messengers never came with.

Further Notes

There are some other terms which have a direct connection to this term of tarkib used by the Innovators and they are al-waahid, al-ahad (meaning, one, singular). So what the Philosophers and the Mu'tazilah, intend by this is to arrive at the more pure and absolute notion of "oneness" such that no "composition" is involved at all. Now this type of idea of Allaah being "one" is something that only exists in the mind, not in external reality, since Allaah has an essence, He exists, that essence has attributes (and actions). The Mu'tazilah said multiple attributes means multiplicity of essences which must all be eternal. So the Philosphers, Jahmiyyah and Mu'tazilah argued with those who affirmed something of the Attributes, like the Kullaabiyyah and Ash'ariyyah.

The Later Ash'aris, like al-Razi, perceiving the inherent flaws in what the Ash'arites were using as part of their proof of the universe being originated, began to borrow these arguments of the Philosophers and Mu'tazilah but apply them to subjects other than the attributes in order to fight against Ahl al-Sunnah. So al-Razi used it to deny Allaah is above the Throne, and he used the third definition above, whereas the Philosophers and Mu'tazilah were using the fifth and sixth.

Since the actual tools and resources of Ahl al-Kalaam are themselves, fundamentally, the tools and resources of the Philosophers (both those ascribing to Islam and those not ascribing to Islam), it is not surprising that this same underlying foundation should make them all converge and gravitate towards each other and become united in ta'teel either in whole or in part, and in showing opposition and enmity towards Ahl al-Sunnah.

We caught out a neo-Jahmite pseudo-intellectual fraudster going by the name of Abu Adam Naruiji red-handed in using this particular doubt of tarkib and to see this clown's intellectual confusion, read this article which is actually a summary article of six previous articles he was lashed with (all are linked to in the opening introduction). You can refer to that article for some more elaboration on this subject and see in more detail how this doubt is used by the Innovators carrying blood, puss and dung, pretending it is pure wholesome fresh milk.