Aspects of the Creed of Imam Ahmad b. Hanbal: A Study of Anthropomorphism in 9th-10th Century Islamic Discourse PDF

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Int. J. Middle East Stud. 34 (2002).441-463. Printed in the United States of America DOl: 1O.1017.S0020743802003021 Wesley Williams ASPECTS OF THE CREED OF IMAM AHMAD IBN HANBAL: A STUDY OF ANTHROPOMORPHISM IN EARLY ISLAMIC DISCOURSE Today, the religion of Islam is most distinctly characterized by t...

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Int. J. Middle East Stud. 34 (2002).441-463. Printed in the United States of America DOl: 1O.1017.S0020743802003021

Wesley Williams

ASPECTS OF THE CREED OF IMAM AHMAD IBN HANBAL: A STUDY OF ANTHROPOMORPHISM IN EARLY ISLAMIC DISCOURSE Today, the religion of Islam is most distinctly characterized by the emphasis it places on the transcendence of God. 1 God's otherness (mukhalafa), it is said, is presupposed in Islamic thinking from the Qur'an. A review of the history of dogmatic development in Islam reveals, however, that during the formative period-that is, the period to about 9503-divine transcendence was only one alternative among several models attempting to explain God's unity. Indeed, it coexisted alongside its antithesis, "assimilation" (tashbrh), or as we term it, anthropomorphism. 4 Muslim and Western scholars agree that, although the anthropomorphist model certainly existed-the various heresiographies attest to it-it existed only on the margins of Islam, in the extravagant fancies of a few deviant doctors. 5 Thus, anthropomorphist ideas were relevant only marginally, if at all, to Islam's attempt at theological self-definition. Such, at least, is the current scholarly consensus. But how accurate is this reading of Islam's theological history? Anthropomorphic conceptions of God, particularly as they appear in scripture, have perplexed and perturbed religious thinkers of all eras. 6 Although anthropomorphism became self-evident in the Christian doctrine of incarnation, the histories of Judaism and Islam are alike in that both present such conceptions as the source of great theological controversy and strife. 7 Contemplative Jews, in many cases influenced by Hellenistic ideas, thought it appropriate to find figurative meanings to the biblical passages implying divine corporeality, meanings that were more palatable to their understanding of God's holiness. R This trend was particularly strong in Egypt where the Greek translation of the Bible (Septuagint) was reportedly produced in the 3rd century B.c.E.9 Other scholars, in no way embarrassed by images of an embodied deity, increased and concretized these images. to In the end, normative Jewish belief would settle on an incorporeal deity, thanks in no small measure to the great philosopher Maimonides. 11 Judaism would eventually become so characterized by an "invisible, non-theophanous" deity that one can easily forget how recently such notions established themselves as central postulates of the faith. 12 Islam experienced similar developments, but contrary to the large body of academic literature examining Judaic anthropomorphist trends, relatively few scholars have Wesley Williams is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Near Eastern Studies, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Mich. 48105, USA; e-mail: [email protected]. © 2002 Cambridge University Press 0020·7438102 $9.50

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studied Islam's courtship with an embodied God. The most important works to date are by Josef van Ess and Daniel Gimaret. i3 Our knowledge of the scriptural sources of Islamic anthropomorphism, as well as our understanding of some of its main proponents, has been greatly advanced by the work of these two authors and several others. i4 However, our overall understanding of the contribution corporealist ideas made to the development of Islamic orthodoxy has not advanced much past R. Strothman's characterization in the Encyclopaedia of Islam of tashbrh as a "heresy" and "grave sin in dogma.,,15 W. M. Watt, for example, suggests that, "At an earlier period the main body of Muslims came to regard the mushabbiha (anthropomorphists) as unorthodox.,,'6 It is presumably for this reason Watt very minimally and superficially treats anthropomorphism in his The Formative Period of Islamic Thought. Has the "main body" always rejected such notions? Source material for the 9th10th centuries argues against this conclusion. A closer reading of the dogmatic literature, as well as a more complete elucidation of the doctrinal positions of certain popular and influential personalities, suggests amendments to the usual view of theological development in Islam. It seems that in an early period, anthropomorphist conceptions enjoyed wide currency among the main body of Muslims. The 9th century saw the beginning of the consolidation of Sunni doctrine under the leadership of Ahmad ibn Hanbal (d. 855). J7 An analysis of his views on these matters will therefore go a long way in advancing our understanding of early Sunni doctrine. It will be argued here that after Ahmad ibn Hanbal assumed leadership of the traditionalist camp during and immediately following the Mil:tna (Inquisition) inaugurated by Caliph alMa'mun (833-50), anthropomorphism achieved "orthodox" recognition. is WAS AHMAD IBN HANBAL AN ANTHROPOMORPHIST?

Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal was arguably the "major cultural hero of his age.,,19 As the patron saint of the traditionalists,20 his dogmatic views would eventually become the shibboleth of Sunni "orthodoxy." Western scholarship, though, was late in recognizing this, and consequently Hanbali studies were neglected until the late 19th century.21 Works treating the development of Muslim dogmatics consistently overlooked Ibn Hanbal's creeds. 22 When his theological positions were finally made the subject of academic inquiry, researchers tended to use only portions of the available material, making no attempt to rectify or justify the many divergent positions found therein. n The result was a conflicting image of the Imam and his creed, particularly treating the Divine Attributes. While Patton and Anawati consider the Imam a true anthropomorphist, Laoust, Strothmann, and Watt see in him a "great orthodox authority against tashbrh.,,24 Certainly, statements from Ibn Hanbal supporting both positions can be found in the materiaL However, in limiting the discussion to "anthropomorphism" in the strictest sense-the attribution of a human form to the divine-we can answer the question posed earlier-Was Ibn Hanbal an anthropomorphist?-in the affirmative without fear of contradiction. ;jurat al-Ra/:tman

A subject heretofore overlooked in Hanbali studies is the place of the Divine Form (al-~iira) in the thinking of Ibn HanbaL According to Abu Muhammad al-Tamimi alHanbali (d. 1095), Ibn Hanbal disapproved of attributing a "form" to God:

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(Ibn Hanbal) used to rebuke him who speaks about 'the body' (al-jism). He said: "The Names are taken from language and from the Shana, and linguists have applied this name to every possessor of length, width, thickness, form, structure, and components. Allah is outside of all of that:,2j

Although it is not unreasonable to assume that Ibn Hanbal censured users of the term "body"-the term is not sanctioned by the Qur'an or hadith literature in reference to God-he certainly had no reservations about attributing a form (.~ara) to Him?6 We find in his Musnad several versions of a tradition in which God will appear to the believers on the Day of Judgment in a disguise, then reappear in "His (true) form": God [at first] will come to them under a form other than that under which they knew Him. He will say to them: "It is I, your Lord!" They will say: "God protects us from you! We will stay here until our Lord comes to us. When our Lord comes, we will recognize Him!" Then God will come to them under the form under which they knew Him. He will say to them: "It is I. your Lord!" They will say: "[Yes], it is You, our Lord!" And they will follow Him. 27

Speculative theologians (mutakallim/ln) from among the Sunni fold, finding this theomorphism objectionable yet unwilling to impugn the authenticity of the report, preferred to interpret the "form" as belonging to something other than God, such as the pseudodivinities (ma'hildat)-that is, the sun, moon, and stars. 2B Ibn Hanbal disagreed. In two versions reported by the imam, we find the words "ya'trhim Allah wa-jalla ft $/lratihi" (God will [then] come to them in "His form,,).29 It is likely that Ibn Hanbal recognized this sura as a true attribute of God. Though we are not privileged to have his exegesis of this tradition, we do have it for a similar yet more explicit report: "God created Adam according to His form (khalaqa Allah Adam 'ala $/lratihi), his height being sixty cubits."JO This tradition played a significant role in Ibn Hanbal's dogmatic formulation. He reports it countlessly in his Kitab alSunna and invokes it in his published creeds. He states in his 'Aqrda I: "God created Adam with His hand and in His image/form."3! In his 'Aqrda V, the imam argues: "Adam was created in the form/image of the Merciful, as comes in a report from the Messenger of God transmitted by Ibn 'Umar.',32 Some scholars interpreted the "his" (hi) as a reference to Adam-that is, God created Adam according to Adam's form/ J but Ibn Hanbal insisted on a theomorphic interpretation. Abu Thawr (d. 854), a student of al-Shafi'i, stated concerning this hadith: "Rather, he [Adam] is according to the form of Adam. He is not according to the form of the Merciful." When asked about this, Ahmad answered: "Abu Thawr deviates and those who allege what he alleges.,,34 Ibn Hanbal then declared, "He who says that Allah created Adam according to the form of Adam, he is a lahmr (disbeliever). Which form did Adam have before He created him?,,35 For Ibn Hanbal, to deny that God truly has a form is kufr (unbelief). lfadnh al-Ru'ya Of all the a/:!adfth al-$ilra, or "form traditions," those that are most menacing to the transcendentalists describe a theophany in which God appeared to the Prophet in a particular form. Ibn Hanbal reported in his Musnad: One morning, the Messenger of God went out to them [his companions] in a joyous mood and [with] a radiant face. We said [to him]: "Oh Messenger of God, here you are in a joyous mood, with a glowing face'" "How could I not beT' he answered. "My Lord came to me last night

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under the most beautiful form (ft:a~san ~ara), and He said [to me]: 'Oh Muhammad!'-'Here I am, Lord, at Your order!' He said [to me]: 'Over what disputes the Sublime Council?, - '1 do not know, Lord.' He posed [to me] two or three times the same question. Then He put His palm between my shoulder blades, to the point where r felt its coolness between my nipples, and from that moment appeared to me [all] that is in the heavens and on the earth."16

Not only is God's "most beautiful form" of interest; the physical contact between Lord and Prophet described here establishes divine corporeality in a manner unrivaled by other traditions. 37 For Ignaz Goldziher, this report is "flagrant anthropomorphism.,,3g Yet the imam's actual narration of this hadith, reported on the authority of 'Abd aI-Rahman ibn 'A'ish, has not gone unquestioned. Ibn Hajar al-'Asqalani reports from Abu Zur'a (d. 878) that the latter asked Ibn Hanbal about this report, and he replied: "This is of no consequence (hadha laysa bi_shay,).,,39 Ibn al-Jawzi (d. 1200) reports a similar position from Ahmad in his Daf' shubah al-tashbih bi-akaff altanzih. He quotes the imam as stating, 'The origins of this hadith and its sources are incongruous (muc/rarib ).,,40 Yet Ibn al-Jawzi reports this very narration from Ibn Hanbal in his al-'llal al-mutanahiya fi al-af].adrth al-wahiya. 41 'Abd Allah ibn Ahmad (d. 903), the imam's son, likewise narrates the hadith from his father in the latter's Kitab 42 al-Sunna. According to Nur ai-Din 'Ali ibn Abi Bakr al-Haythami (d. 1405), when Ibn Hanbal was asked about the report, he declared it to be correct or right (,yawab).43 Whatever qualms Ibn Hanbal may have had about this particular isnad, as that was allegedly the object of his criticism,44 he had no issues with the matn (text). He reported it three other times with different chains of narration45 and explicitly declared 46 ,yaf].lf:z a similar hadith from Mu'adh ibn Jabal. The question, then, is how did the revered imam understand this report? Did he understand God truly to possess a "beautiful form"? The answer varies according to whose testimony one consults. Ibn alJawzi reports from Abu Ya'la's (d. 1066) Kitab al-Kifaya that Ahmad stated, " 'I saw my Lord in the most beautiful form,' Le., in the best position (mawc/i').,,47 Interpreting "most beautiful form" as "best position" effectively eliminates the anthropomorphism of the text. But there are problems with this report. First, it is at variance with Abu Ya'la's own exegesis of this narration, as found in his Kitab al-mu'tamad fi usul aldin. According to what we read, God truly has a most beautiful form in the same manner He has a soul and an essence: If it is said, "He is a person (shakhs) or form (.yara)," it (should be) said: the report from different routes on the night of the Mi'raj mentioned, "I saw my Lord in the most beautiful form." And then He said, "Over what does the Sublime Council dispute')" And the application of that is not to be refused. Just as "soul" (nafs) not like souls and essence (dhiit) not like essences weren't denied Him. Likewise form unlike forms, for the Sharr'a (uses it in this manner):R

Second, 'Abd Allah ibn Ahmad, the person most responsible for the publication of Ibn Hanbal's dogmatic works, quotes from his father a different exegesis of this hadith, which is startling in its frank anthropomorphist suggestions: My father reported to me ... from 'Abd ai-Rahman ibn al-'A'ish from some of the companions of the Prophet: "He came out to them one morning while in a joyous mood and [with] a radiant face. We said [to him]: 'Oh Messenger of God, here you are in a joyous mood, with a glowing face!' -'How could r not beT he answered. 'My Lord came to me last night under the most

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beautiful form, and He said [to me]: "'0 Muhammad!' ... " And my father [Ibn Hanbal] reported to us, 'Abd al-Razzaq from Ma'mar from Qatada [from the Prophet), "Allah created Adam according to His form." My father reported to us, 'Abd al-Razzaq from Ma'mar from Qatada, .. 'in the best stature (ff absan taqwrm)' meaning 'in the most beautiful form (ff absan !jara)'." Ibrahim ibn al-Hajjaj reported to us, Hammad (ibn Salama) reported to us ... that the Prophet said, "Allah is beautiful Uamrl) and He loves beauty.',49

The implication of this collection of traditions is unmistakable. The "most beautiful form" is first identified with that form of God according to which Adam was created. This identification is further supported by the imam's interpretation of sura 95:4: "Surely We created man in the best stature (ft al;zsan taqwfm)." Ibn Hanbal accepts the ta/sir or exegesis of Qatada identifying man's "best stature" with God's "most beautiful form."so Because Adam was created according to God's own form, this iden51 tification is logical. It is then affirmed that God is beautiful in the physical sense. Such an exegesis demonstrates a capacity for hermeneutical exercise, against the minimalist fideism popularly imputed to Ibn Hanbal. If he was anthropomorphist in his thought, this was not due to irrationalism or blind adherence to the "letter" of scripture. The report quoted here betrays the employment of the rational faculties, albeit in a traditionalist context.

lfadfth al-Shabb

The most controversial and disputed form traditions identify the "most beautiful form" of God as that of a beautiful young man (shabb). Umm al-Tufayl, wife of Ubayy ibn Ka'b (d. 642), reported, "I heard [one day] the Messenger of God say that he had seen his Lord during sleep, under the form of a young man (shabb) with long hair (muwaffar), in verdure, on a carpet of gold, with sandals of gold on His feet and a veil of gold on His face.,,52 Such a crude representation of deity received mixed reviews among the Hanbalites. Al-Tabarani (d. 971) reported the hadith in his Kitab aI53 Sunna and al-Mu'jam al-kabir. Abu ai-Hasan ibn Bashshar (d. 925) declared it 55 !jal;zil;z,54 and Abu Ya'ia cited it as proof, apparently judging it sound, as well. Ibn alJawzi, however, found the narration defective and attributed to Ibn Hanbal a similar judgment.s6 When asked about the narration, the imam reportedly declared, "This is a condemned reporl. Marwan ibn 'Uthman and 'Umara (ibn 'Amir) are unknown (majhal).',57 AI-Dhahabi likewise cited this judgment from Ahmad.5~ Assuming that this report from Ibn Hanbal is accurate, it is not necessary to read any anti-anthropomorphist sentiments in it. In fact, the opposite is suggested. The imam finds the isniid defective-Marwan and 'Umara are unknown-but says nothing of the mam. Ibn Hanbal's rejection of this report is therefore based on strict isniid criticism, not dogmatic considerations. This interpretation is confirmed by the imam's treatment of a similarly uninhibited narration on the authority of Ibn 'Abbas. Hammad ibn Salama reported from Qatada, from 'Ikrima, from Ibn 'Abbas, that the Prophet said, "I saw my Lord in the form of a young man, beardless (amrad) with short curly hair Ua'd) and clothed in a green garment."59 Ibn Hanbal not only acknowledged the soundness of this report; he made its belief obligatory. In his 'Aqrda III, the imam declares one of the fundamental principles of the sunna (u!jal al-sunna) to be

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[tJo have faith in the Ru'ya (Beatific Vision) on the Day of Judgment as has been reported from the Prophet in the authentic ~adfth. And that the Prophet saw his Lord, since this has been transmitted from the Messenger of Allah and is correct and authentic. It has been reported by Qatada from 'Ikrima from Ibn 'Abbas. 6D

He says again in his 'Aqlda V: In one of the sound ~adfths about the Messenger of God, it is said; 'The Prophet has seen his Lord.' This is transmitted from the Messenger of God. Qatada reported it from 'Ikrima from Ibn 'Abbas.... Belief in that and counting it true is obligatory.6J

This hadith is reported, in an abridged form, twice in Ibn Hanbal's Musnad, and 'Abd Allah narrates it repeatedly from Ibn Hanbal in his Kitab al-Sunna. 62 With so many references, it is strange that Daniel Gimaret, in his discussion of this hadith and other anthropomorphisms of the sunna, claimed that the report "does not figure in the Musnad.,,63 It is there, albeit in an abridged (mukhtwjar) form, reading simply, "I saw my Lord, Blessed and Most High." This shortening of the report has served some as proof of the imam's reluctance to attribute to God such an uncompromisingly anthropomorphic description. Ibn Kathir and Khaldun Ahdad suggest that Ibn Hanbal abridged it himself from "the hadith of the Dream (/;uldfth al-manam)," i.e., the most beautiful form report, not from the ~adfth al-shabb. 64 For 'Abd Allah ibn Muhammad al-Hashidi, editor of al-Bayhaqi's al-Asma' wa-'l-sifat, the abridged narrations evince the imam's rejection of the expression "beardless, curly haired" and presumably "form of a young man. ,,65 An abundance of evidence, however, suggests otherwise. According to al-Tabarani, 'Abd Allah narrated from Ibn Hanbal the full report, "I saw my Lord in the form of a young man with abundant hair.,,66 Abu Bakr al-Marrudhi (d. 888), reputedly "the preferred disciple of Ahmad ibn Hanbal:,67 asked his imam about this report, the latter getting visibly angry at those who denied it: I read to Abu 'Abd Allah (Ibn Hanbal); "Shadhan reported to us ... from Ibn 'Abbas [that] the Messenger of Allah said, 'I saw my Lord as a young man, beardless and curly haired, and on Him a green garment.''' [I then said to Ibn HanbalJ; "They salk [no oneJ reported [this hadith] except Shadhan." He [Ibn Hanbal] got angry and said, "Who said this? 'Affan reported to us that 'Abd al-Samad ibn Kaysan reported to us that Hammad reported from Qatada from 'Ikrima from Ibn 'Abbas from the Messenger of Allah, 'I saw my Lord, Exalted and Great.' " I [then] said to [Ibn Hanbal]; "'0 Abu 'Abd Allah, they say Qatada didn't report anything from 'Ikrima.,,6? [He got angry and] said; "Who said this?!" Then he pulled out [his book and in itJ five, six, or ...