الحمد لله رب العالمين و العاقبة للمتقين و لا عدوان الا على الظالمين و اصلى و اسلم على عبده و رسوله محمد و على اله و صحبه و سلم

Upon seeing the issues that Yasir Qadhi has regarding the Qur’an, initially I thought that I had woken up from an unreal nightmare. But when I saw the posts one by one regarding this individual and verified it, I saw it was indeed reality that hit me straight in my face.

After Yasir’s speech about Salafiyah, his blatant lies on Salafiyah and its scholars (Sh. Ibn ‘Uthaimeen & Sh. Al Albani and others) and his statements regarding ‘Umar Ibn Khattab, I was still in utter shock regarding his statements about the Qur’an which are tantamount to clear Zandaqah (heresy). As a brother who studied in Madeenah while Yasir was there, I would have never imagined that 15 years later he would have such an atrocious understanding regarding the preservation of the Qur’an.

Now, to further clarify as to why Yasir’s speech is clear heresy, we must look at what Ahlus Sunnah say, what the deviants have said and what Yasir says, then from that standpoint one would find that Yasir’s speech is completely reprehensible.

As for the belief of Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jama’ah; we believe that the Qur’an is the words of Allah sent by him and is not created. From him it originates and to him it returns and that it is Allah’s true speech in reality and it is not the speech of anyone else. If it is read, written or memorized it is still the speech of Allah in terms of its letters, its words and its meanings. [Summary of Ibn Taymeeyah’s speech in Waasiteeyah]

The Mu’tazilah, who Imam Ahmad and many of the Imams of that time have classified as disbelievers, believe that the Qur’an is the speech of Allah but created. Their principle regarding this is that the attributes of Allah are created and this led them to clear heresy since if one says that Allah’s descriptions are created he is in fact saying that Allah himself is created which is disbelief.

The Asharis (the Kulabeeyah) believe that the Qur’an is an expression of Allah’s eternal speech as they believe that Allah speaks without letters and voice and doesn’t speak whenever he wants at whatever time he wants, hence nullifying Allah’s will and ability from his actions and speech. This is also clear falsehood since Allah spoke to Musa saying:

“Verily I am Allah there is nothing worthy of worship but me…”

[20:14]

and it is impossible that the fire or an Angel said this to Musa (غليه السلام)

Now, the rhetoric of these groups DOES NOT contest the issue of the word by word preservation of the Qur’an. Rather, their intention through this rhetoric was to distance Allah from having the qualities of the creation. And although these intentions were good, they still ended up in misguidance since they deviated from the Prophetic methodology.

Now, Yasir Qadhi said:

“In conclusion; the Qur’an cannot be then a letter for letter, tashkeel for tashkeel narrative that the later scholars verbalize and the Muslim Ummah is taught. Therefore the preservation must be interpreted in another manner.”

He also said:

“Problem: How can we then understand the Qur’an as being Kalaam Allah (the speech of Allah) when clearly there are human aspects to it.”

He also said that the issue of the Qur’an being the speech of Allah has to be rethought.

Now, look at that speech and compare it to the Mu’tazilah and the ‘Asharis (who Yasir does not care about being classified with) and we would see that the deviants from the  Mu’tazilah and the ‘Asharis still believe in the divine nature Qur’an (i.e being the speech of Allah). As for Yasir, he questions the very preservation of the Qur’an and its divinity.

Yasir Qadhi’s methodology is reminiscent of that of Jahm Ibn Safwan’s. Instead of acceptance and submission he resorted to dispute, rhetoric and argumentation. Imam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, the Imam who was famous for his knowledge and his fortitude, said in his book; “Refutation of the Heretics” about Jahm:

“And from that which that has reached us is that Jahm, the enemy of Allah, was from those of Khurasan, from Tirmidh, and he was a person of argumentation and rhetoric” (Refutation of the Heretics: 7)

Now although there are many verses in the Qur’an which refute Yasir’s speech and which clearly state that it is the speech of Allah sent to Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم) the following two verses are those which I think would render Yasir’s arguments null and void.

Allah has said about the Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم):

“And he does not speak from his desires. It is only a revelation unto him.”  Surah Najm {53:3-4}

Imam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal said regarding this verse:

“He (Allah) says that verily Muhammad didn’t speak of this Qur’an from himself. He therefore said “It is”- meaning the Qur’an- “only a revelation unto him.” Therefore Allah has negated that the Qur’an be other than revelation” (Refutation of the Heretics: 11)

Likewise Allah has said in Surah Haaqah (69 :43-47)

” This is the Revelation sent down from the Lord of the Worlds. And if he (Muhammad) had forged a false saying concerning us. We surely would have seized him with the right hand. And we certainly would have cut off his life artery. And none of you could have witheld us from (punishing him).”

Therefore, if it is a revelation sent by Allah and didn’t come from Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم) and even he; the greatest man to ever walk on this earth, could not invent any statement regarding Allah’s revelation then what evidence of human interference (human element as he calls it) is Yasir speaking about exactly?

In conclusion, my advice to Yasir is to take some time and read the Qur’an and avoid fruitless debate and rhetoric which would put one into clear disbelief. Additionally, after he has fed the Western Masses the perception that the real scholars are unable to deal with contemporary matters I think that since he has doubts about the Qur’an (although he claims to be a theologian), it is about time that he bat in his crease, humble himself and sit under the scholars of Islam rather than Tony Blair.

و صلى الله على نبينا محمد و على اله و صحبه و سلم

[Source with some slight edits]