- It was reported with an authentic chain that Imam Malik said: “Ibn Hurmuz was a man that I loved to emulate […]. And he was very knowledgeable in Kalām and used to refute the people of desires.” [كتاب الفقيه والمتفقه ج ٢ ص ٤٢٣]
- This narration was also reported in al-Maʿrifa wal-Tārīkh (1/652):
- Ḥāfiẓ al-Dhahabī says about ibn Hurmuz: The faqīh of Madīnah, He is one of the Tābiʿīn, he was distant and pious. Imām Mālik often attended his sessions and learned from him.
- Al-Dhahabī also mentions this narration of Imam Malik in which he said: “Ibn Hurmuz was a man that I loved to emulate […]. And he was very knowledgeable in Kalām and used to refute the people of desires.”
- Imām Mālik also said: “I learned from Ibn Hurmuz for more than 13 years.” [Siyār aʾlām al-Nubalāʾ]
- Muwaffaq relates in Al-Manāqib that Abu Hafs as-Saghīr said, “Abu Hanifah studied Kalām and debated people until he became proficient in it.”
- Hafs al-Fard, who was a Mu’tazilite, said about Imam al-Shafi’i after a debate: “Nobody spoke like him in this and I’m not able to do so. [i.e. Kalam]” [Manaqib Al-Imam ash-Shafi’i, p. 456]
- As you can see they were not against Kalām. Rather, they were against a Kalām contrary to the Qur’an/Islamic-Traditionalism. Here is an example:(edited)
- Abu Bakr al-Muzani, the student of Imam Shafi’i said: “I debated with a person who asked me questions that almost made me doubt my religion. I came to Ash-Shafi’i and told him about this matter……al-Shafi’i replied: you are in a Taran [Red Sea] and its waves are failing down on you! This is a popular topic of atheists and it is so and so…that the servant of Allah ﷻ with everything that He has forbidden, except shirk, is better for him than Kalām!” [Manaqib Al-Imam ash-Shafi’i, p. 458]
- Imam al-Bayhaqi comments on this story in his Manaqib as follows: “And in this is an indication that he [al-Shafi’i] had an excellent knowledge of this subject [Kalām] and saw the duty to respond, if necessary, to the distortions of the atheist…By Kalām he meant that of atheism and atheists and the false teachings of innovators and Allah knows best.” [Manaqib Al-Imam ash-Shafi’i, p. 458]
- It is therefore clear that it is the false Kalām that they rejected and not Kalām in itself. Ibn Taymiyah said: “Thus, the Kalām which was blamed by the salafs is the wrong kalām, and it is the one which goes against legislation and reason.” [Majmu’ al-Fatawa (13/147)] https://al-maktaba.org/book/7289/6793
ص154 – كتاب مجموع الفتاوى – بيان قول الهشامية والكرامية – المكتبة ا…ص154 – كتاب مجموع الفتاوى – بيان قول الهشامية والكرامية – المكتبة الشاملة - Abu Hanifa said: “I looked at Kalām to the point that I became so capable in it that I was pointed out because of it.” [Tarikh Baghdad 13/333]
- Al-Shafi’i said: “Every mutakalim on the Book and Sunnah is the limit that is required” Al-Bayhaqi comments as follows: “This shows that Shafi’i didn’t approve of Kalam not being based on the Quran or Sunnah.” [Manaqib Al-Imam ash-Shafi’i, p. 470]
Ibn al-Humam says that Kalam is knowing what is mandatory for us to know of the Aqa’id of Islam based on either Qat’i or Dhanni evidences:
- Taftazani says that Kalam is knowledge of the Aqa’id of Islam based on Qat’i evidences:
- al-Iji: Ilm ul-Kalam is the science by which we defend the religion by presenting our Hujjaj, proofs, and pushing away Shubuhat.
- Ibn Khaldun shares this definition with al-Iji:
- Ibn Taymiyyah was only against Kalam that was against the Quran and Sunnah, not all Kalam:
Early Scholars and Kalam
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