Question:
Assalamu `alaykum sheikh Gibril,
What is an acceptable interpretation of the statement of Abdullah Ibn al-Mubarak related by Uthman al-Darimi in his refutation of al-Marisi:
روى إسحاق بن إبراهيم الحنظلي عن ابن المبارك أنه قال رأس المنارة أقرب إلى الله من أسفله
Ishaq bin Ibraheem Al-Handhali narrated that Ibn Al-Mubarak said: The top of the minaret is closer to Allah than it’s bottom.
http://islamport.com/d/1/aqd/1/327/1572.html
Answer:
Alaykum Salam,
Ishaq b. Rahuyah and Ibn al-Mubarak were great Imams and they both knew very well that the Prophet (upon him blessings and peace) said the closest the servant is to his Lord is in sujud (Bukhari and Muslim). Therefore, either this statement was never said or it is interpreted figuratively, e.g. minara to mean the human body and the top meaning the mind. Furthermore, it is known that ‘Uthman al-Darimi’s book is problematic and, finally, as Imam Ahmad said: “Ibn al-Mubarak did not descend from heaven.”
Hajj Gibril Haddad
