al-Radd ala al-Qailin bi Wahdat al-Wujud
- Author died
- 1014 AH
- Editions
- Dar al-Ma'mun lil-Turath
al-Radd 'ala al-Qa'ilin bi-Wahdat al-Wujud (Refutation of Those Who Assert the Unity of Being) is a theological treatise written by the Hanafi scholar Mulla Ali al-Qari (d. 1014 AH / 1606 CE) to critique and refute the monistic doctrine of Wahdat al-Wujud (the unity of being) and its adherents .
Background and Purpose
The treatise was prompted by an inquiry submitted to al-Qari regarding a spiritual guide who instructed a disciple during the transmission of the formula of monotheism (talqin kalimat al-tawhid) to believe that all things, in their inward reality (batin), are united with God, while in their outward appearance (zahir), they are distinct from Him . Al-Qari judged this proposition to be corrupt and inclined toward the doctrines of Wahdat al-Wujud and ittihad (pantheistic unification). At the request of his peers, he composed the treatise to clarify the Sunni theological stance and demonstrate the falsehood of existential monism .
Contents and Arguments
Al-Qari grounds his refutation in the Sunni theological consensus that God existed eternally without anything prior to Him or alongside Him, and that everything besides Him in essence and attribute is originated and created (hadith) . He argues that claiming the inward nature of created things is united with the Eternal Creator entails the eternity of the world, resembling the positions of certain philosophers and materialists (dahriyyah) .
To delineate authentic Islamic monotheism from monistic interpretations, al-Qari cites early definitions of tawhid, including Ali ibn Abi Talib's formulation and al-Junayd's definition of tawhid as "differentiating the eternal from the originated" (ifrad al-qidam min al-huduth) . He also addresses mystical terminology, noting the traditional Sufi dictum that experiencing synthesis without differentiation (al-jam'iyyah bi-dun al-tafriqah) constitutes heresy (zandaqah), just as differentiation without synthesis leads to corruption .
Al-Qari focuses significant criticism on statements attributed to Ibn Arabi and commentators on his texts, specifically targeting passages from al-Futuhat al-Makkiyyah and Fusus al-Hikam . He records the marginal reprimand of Ala al-Dawlah al-Simnani against Ibn Arabi's assertion that God is the very essence of things . He also reproduces a lengthy poem by the Shafi'i scholar Ismail Ibn al-Muqri (d. 837 AH) censuring the doctrines and followers of Fusus al-Hikam . Regarding theological rulings, al-Qari argues that whoever embraces the literal validity of Ibn Arabi's monistic creed falls into disbelief according to scholarly consensus, rejecting the viability of figurative reinterpretation (ta'wil) to excuse such explicit formulations .
Publication
The work was edited by Ali Rida ibn Abd Allah ibn Ali Rida and published in Damascus by Dar al-Ma'mun li-l-Turath in 1415 AH / 1995 CE .
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