This letter, written to Shaikh Abdullah, informs that it is not permissible to interpret or explain away the âyats of the Qur’ân as philosophers understand them:
May Allâhu ta’âlâ give you safety and protect you against calamities! You sent the book named Tabsîr-ur-rahmân. I have
read some parts of it. I am sending it back. [Tabsîr-ur-rahmân wa Taysir-ul-mannân is a book of tafsîr. It was written by Zayn-ud-dîn Alî bin Ahmad Armâwî ‘rahmatullâhi ta’âlâ ’aleyh’, one of the savants of the Hanbalî Madhhab. He died in the year 710.]
My dear brother! It is understood that the author of this book has deviated into the way of philosophers. He almost holds them equal to prophets. The meaning which he gave to an âyat of Hûd Sûra has caught my eye. He interprets the âyat like philosophers, disagreeing with prophets’ way. He holds prophets’ word and philosophers’ word equal as if they were of the same value, and says, “according to the unanimity of prophets and philosophers” about the âyat, “For them there is none in the next world,” and says, “By feeling, or mentally, theoretically...” concerning the âyat, “Torment by fire only.” What value would philosophers’ unanimity ever
have at a place where there is prophets’ ‘alaihimus-salawât-u wa’t-tahiyyât’ unanimity? What importance could their words have which inform of the torment in the next world, especially when they disagree with prophets’ words? Philosophers say that Hell torment is mental and theoretical, and he says so, too. These words of theirs show that they deny the fact that the body will feel the torment. However, prophets have communicated unanimously that torment will be felt. The book, also in its other parts, writes the âyats of the Qur’ân as philosophers say. On account of its writings which disagree with those who follow prophets’ way, the book bears secret, even very obvious, harm. Seeing that it would be necessary to inform you of this fact, I have caused your head to ache with a few words. I send my salâm.