The Definitions Of Ilm Al-Kalam
Many definitions have been given for Ilm al-Kalam, the most prominent of which include the definition of al-Iji (d. 756 AH) who said: “It is a science through which one is able to establish the religious beliefs by presenting proofs and refuting doubts” (al-Mawaqif, Abd al-Rahman ibn Ahmad ‘Adud al-Din al-Iji (Ashari Scholar), verified by Abd al-Rahman Umayrah, 1/31, first edition 1417 AH – 1997 CE, Dar al-Jil – Beirut – Lebanon. See also: Lawami‘ al-Anwar al-Bahiyyah wa Sawati‘ al-Asrar al-Athariyyah, 4/1).
Al-Taftazani (d. 793 AH) defined it as: “It is the knowledge of the religious beliefs based on certain evidences” (Sharh al-Maqasid fi Ilm al-Kalam, Sa‘d al-Din al-Taftazani al-Shafi‘i, 5/1, first edition 1401 AH – 1981 CE, Dar al-Ma‘arif al-Nu‘maniyyah – Pakistan).
Shayk Ibn Uthaymeen defined it as: “That which the mutakallimun introduced in the fundamentals of religion from affirming beliefs by means they invented, turning away from what came in the Book and the Sunnah” (Fath Rabb al-Bariyyah bi Talkhis al-Hamawiyyah, Muhammad ibn Salih ibn Uthaymin).
From these definitions it becomes clear to the researcher that this discipline studies the Islamic creed based solely on reason. This is a method that Islam has not legislated.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said: “This method is something that is known by necessity that Muhammad did not call the people to it to affirm the Creator and the prophethood of His Messengers, but rather it may lead to matters known to be corrupt in the Sharia and in reason” (Dar’ Ta‘arud al-‘Aql wa al-Naql 1/39).
It is clear to everyone that Ilm al-Kalam and philosophy are not from the way of the virtuous generations, rather they are from the path of the later innovators, even if the Quran contains abundant rational proofs.
For this reason, the statements of the Salaf warning against it are mutawatir. Imam Ahmad said: “Hold fast to the Sunnah and the hadith, and what Allah benefits you with. Beware of delving, arguing, and disputing, for whoever loves kalam will never succeed. Whoever invents kalam, his end will only be to innovation, because kalam does not call to good. I do not love kalam, nor delving, nor disputing.
Hold fast to the Sunnah, the athar, and the fiqh that benefits you, and leave off disputation, the words of the people of deviation and argumentation. We met the people and they did not know this, and they would keep away from the people of kalam. The outcome of kalam does not lead to good. May Allah protect me and you from tribulations, and grant safety to me and you from every destruction” (al-Ibanah al-Kubra, Ibn Battah, verified by Rida ibn N‘asan Mu‘ti, 2/539, no. 676, first edition 1409 AH – 1988 CE, Dar al-Rayah, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia).
Al-Barbahari (d. 329 AH) said: “Beware of looking into kalam and sitting with the people of kalam. Hold fast to the athar and the people of athar. Ask them, sit with them, and take from them” (Sharh al-Sunnah, Abu Muhammad al-Hasan ibn Ali ibn Khalaf al-Barbahari, p. 105).
Therefore, it is not correct to name the Islamic creed as Ilm al-Kalam because of the difference between them (Mawqif al-Mutakallimin min al-Istidlal bi-Nusus al-Kitab wa al-Sunnah, Sulayman ibn Salih ibn Abd al-Aziz al-Ghusan, 1/27, Dar al-‘Asimah, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia).
The emergence of Ilm al-Kalam
Ilm al-Kalam is not among the subjects adopted by Ahl al-Sunnah. It is one of the newly introduced subjects that the mutakallimun invented, which from its earliest moments sought to attack the creed of the Salaf and drive people away from it. For this reason, it is necessary to clarify the meaning of Ilm al-Kalam and its history in Islam.
The Companions in the earliest times would not hesitate to ask the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, about everything they needed in creed, worship, transactions, and in all aspects of their lives. The connection to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, bound all their thoughts and beliefs together.
People at that time knew nothing but the Sunnah, which was the basis of their thinking and way of life. However, this was affected by the emergence of sects whose origins were political rather than creedal (see Manhaj ‘Ulama’ al-Hadith wa al-Sunnah fi Usul al-Din, Dr Mustafa Muhammad Hilmi, p. 66, first edition 1426 AH, Dar al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut – Lebanon).
From a review of the works of ‘aqidah and the books on Islamic sects, it is clear that discussion on creed appeared in the later period of the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them. At that time its features were not fully defined, nor had it become the main method of establishing the creed.
Discussions in this period concerned certain aspects of creed and not others, and the mutakallimun agreed with Ahl al-Sunnah on most of the other areas. When the principles they discussed came together and were gathered, Ilm al-Kalam emerged as the opposing side to Ahl al-Sunnah in affirming and establishing beliefs. This began at the hands of the Mu‘tazilah, and its foundations were set during the era of al-Ma’mun (d. 218 AH) (Siyar A‘lam al-Nubala’ 10/272–306, biography no. 72).
This led to disputes and debates, and thereafter it underwent various developments in which the leading scholars of kalam contributed. It reached its peak in the Abbasid period during the translation of Greek, Indian, and Persian sciences into Arabic, which was facilitated by the heretics and hypocrites during the Islamic conquests.
These translated works became mixed together and found great acceptance among many people due to a love of intellectual luxury and being deceived by what was foreign to the Ummah of Islam (al-Mawsu‘ah al-Muyassarah fi al-Adyan wa al-Madhahib wa al-Ahzab al-Mu‘asirah, supervised by Dr Mani‘ ibn Hammad al-Juhani, 2/1097, fourth edition 1420 AH, Dar al-Nadwah al-‘Alamiyyah, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia). In this way, discussion in matters of belief began, initially scattered, but like a stream that starts as drops then gathers and eventually floods the land.
It must be noted that Ilm al-Kalam may become necessary for the Salaf to use in defending Islam, and this carries no blame. The Salaf did this. Imam al-Darimi (d. 280 AH) said: “Those who came before among the Salaf used to dislike delving into this and the like, and they had been granted safety from it.
But we were tested with them after the decline of Islam and the passing of the scholars, so we found no choice but to refute what they brought of falsehood with the truth” (al-Radd ‘ala al-Jahmiyyah, Abu Sa‘id al-Darimi, verified by Badr ibn Abdullah al-Badr, p. 21, second edition 1416 AH – 1995 CE, Dar Ibn al-Athir, Kuwait), especially when the learning of the sciences of the Sunnah became weak (al-Nahj al-Muqtarih li-Fahm al-Mustalah, Hatim ibn ‘Arif ibn Nasir al-Sharif al-‘Uni, p. 77, first edition 1416 AH – 1996 CE, Dar al-Hijrah, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia).
In summary, whoever introduces into the religion what the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, did not bring, opposes his Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, abandons the statements of the imams and jurists in religion, turns instead to the sayings of the mutakallimun, and calls to what is contrary to the Sunnah, has innovated.
Allah is his reckoner and will recompense him as He wills; if He wills, He may grant him repentance, and if He wills, He may lead him astray, and the word of truth will be fulfilled upon him. Allah, glorified and exalted, is the One who does what He wills (Tahrim al-Nazar fi Kutub al-Kalam, Ibn Qudamah al-Jama‘ili al-Maqdisi al-Hanbali, verified by Abd al-Rahman ibn Muhammad Sa‘id Dimashqiyyah, p. 59, first edition 1410 AH – 1990 CE, ‘Alam al-Kutub, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia).
It is therefore clear that Ilm al-Kalam is from the sciences foreign to the Ummah of Islam. It seeks to study the creed through a rational approach divorced from the Book and the Sunnah.
Its principles were laid down in a later period, while the Quran itself has spared us from the need for this science through its own rational proofs.
Al-Taḥawwulāt al-Madhhabiyyah al-ʿAqāʾidiyyah ʿinda al-Salaf wa al-Muʿtazilah wa al-Ashāʿirah (The Doctrinal Shift From the Salaf, To The Muʿtazilah, and the Ashʿaris) By ʿAbd al-Fattāḥ Pg 44-47
