What is the meaning of ta’weel and which one is forbidden in Allah’s attributes?

Heresies were popularized in the name of what is called ta’weel, which was the root cause of corruptions in faith. However, the word ta’weel has many meanings only one of which is intended here:

1- Explanation or interpretation:

For example:

Ibn Jareer at-Tabaree’s commentary of the Qur’aan is titled Jaami‘-ul-Bayaan ‘an Ta’weel Aay-il-Qur’aan. Here ta’weel means tafseer or explanation.

Also, the Prophet (ﷺ) prayed for Ibn ‘Abbaas: “O Allaah, give him understanding of the religion and teach him ta’weel.”[1] – meaning: teach him the tafseer of the Qur'an.

2- Realization or fulfilment of something: meaning: the actual form of a prediction comes into existence, when it comes to pass or of a command when it is implemented.

For example, ‘Aa’ishah (radiyallaahu ‘anhaa) said: “Allaah's Messenger (ﷺ) would increasingly say in his bowings and prostrations: “Exalted are You, Allaah, our Lord and praise be to You. O Allaah forgive me,” doing ta’weel of the Qur’aan.” [2]

What she meant by ta’weel of the Qur’an was that He was implementing Allaah’s command in

To exalt Him, praise Him and seek His forgiveness.[3]

Another example of this usage of ta’weel is Allaah’s statement:

“Do they await except its fulfilment? The Day it is finally fulfilled, those who had ignored it before will say, “The messengers of our Lord had indeed come with the truth...”” [4]

That is, are they just waiting for what they have been promised of punishment and hell? But when these warnings finally come to pass, it will be too late and those who ignored it will look for intercessors and wish they could be given a second chance.

It must be noted that in the texts of the Qur’an and the Sunnah, the word ta’weel is used in these two senses only. The third meaning below was invented later.

3- Giving a word a meaning that could possibly be deduced from it, but it is not the first and most obvious meaning that the word indicates:

Ta’weel in this last sense is what Ibn Abil-‘Izz and other imaams of Ahl-us-Sunnah concluded was the root cause of corruptions in ‘aqeedah, for when heretics named their distortions ta’weel, and they were accepted by all those who could not differentiate explanation and distortion.

Performing ta’weel in this last sense can either be:

• Correct – when the context demands it and the evidence necessitates it.
• Incorrect – when the context does not demand the new meaning that is being advanced and there is no evidence necessitating it. For example, claiming Allah’s “hand” actually means His “power” or “favour.”

As far as the texts mentioning Allah’s attributes are concerned, there is no evidence which necessitates ta’weel in any of them. Rather, their apparent and obvious meanings are intended as befits His majesty without implying any resemblance to His creation at all. Therefore, there is no valid reason to depart from their obvious meanings.

And Allaah knows best.

References:

[1] Reported by Ahmad [1/266] and authenticated by Ibn Hajar and al-Albaanee

[2] Reported by al-Bukhaaree,: 4968 and Muslim: 484

[3] Surah an-Nasr, 110: 3

[4] Surah al-‘Ar’aaf, 7:53