Section Six: On those who advocated for suspension (waqf) regarding the affirmation of the "boundary" (al-hadd) for Allah the Exalted.
It has become clear to us from the preceding discussion that the reason the People of the Sunnah and the Community (Ahl al-Sunnah wa-l-Jama‘ah) mentioned the "boundary" (al-hadd) for Allah the Exalted was rooted in exposing the deviation and misguidance of the Jahmiyyah. These people obscured for the common folk their belief regarding the transcendence of Allah the Exalted in His Essence over His creation, for they used to say: "The Creator is not distinct from the creation; rather, He is with them in His Essence in every place."
Consequently, the People of the Sunnah and the Community affirmed the Highness ('uluww) of the Lord over His Throne and His distinction (baynunah) from His creation. For the sake of further clarification and elucidation, they employed the phrase: "distinct from His creation by a boundary" (ba’in min khalqihi bi-haddin), in order to solidify that belief in the hearts of the common folk and to expose the sophistries of the Jahmiyyah.
This issue bears a resemblance to the matter of the "Qur'an" and the fact that it is the speech of Allah and is uncreated. During the first century, the people held the view that it was the speech of Allah and did not explicitly state that it was uncreated, until the Jahmiyyah emerged and explicitly declared the creation of the Qur'an. They put the people to trial over this and confused the commoners regarding the matter of their religion and their creed concerning the speech of Allah the Exalted.
At that point, the Imams of the People of the Sunnah could not remain silent in the face of such manifest disbelief (kufr) and clear misguidance. Thus, they explicitly stated that the Qur'an is the speech of Allah and added, by way of further clarification, that it is "uncreated." Indeed, they even censured those who hesitated (tawaqquf) regarding it and said: "I do not say it is created, nor do I say it is uncreated."
المبحث السادس:
من قال بالوقف في إثبات «الحدّ» لله تعالى
تبيَّن لنا فيما تقدَّم أن سبب ذكر أهل السنَّة والجماعة للحد لله تعالى كان منشؤه كشف زيغ وضلال الجهمية الذين لبَّسوا على العامة اعتقادهم في علو الله تعالى بذاته على خلقه، فإنهم كانوا يقولون:
(إن الخالق لا يتميز عن الخلق، بل هو معهم بذاته في كل مكانٍ).
فأثبت أهل السنَّة والجماعة علو الرَّب على عرشه، وبينونته عن خلقه، وأطلقوا من باب زيادة البيان والإيضاح: (بائنٌ من خلقه، بحدٍّ)، لتثبيت ذلك الاعتقاد في قلوب العامة، وكشفاً لشُبَه الجهمية.
وهذه المسألة لها شبهٌ بمسألة (القرآن)، وأنه كلام الله غير مخلوق. فإن القرن الأول كانوا على القول بأنه كلام الله، ولم يصرِّحوا بأنه غير مخلوق، حتى نشأت الجهمية وصرَّحوا بخلق القرآن، وامتحنوا الناس على ذلك، ولبَّسوا على العامة أمر دينهم وعقيدتهم في كلام الله تعالى.
فلم يسع أئمةَ أهل السنَّة حينئذٍ السُّكوتُ أمام هذا الكفر الظاهر والضَّلال البيِّن، فصرَّحوا بالقول بأن القرآن كلام الله، وزادوا زيادة بيان: بأنه (غير مخلوق)، بل وأنكروا على من توقَّف فيه، وقال: لا أقول: (مخلوق، ولا غير مخلوق).
