The Belief of Hulool and Its Dangers
Allah Almighty is on His Throne, separate from the creation. This is the unanimous and agreed-upon belief of Ahl al-Sunnah. Contrary to this unanimous and agreed-upon belief, some misguided people hold the belief about Allah Almighty that He is present everywhere. Some say that He has entered into the creation, meaning the distinction between Creator and creation has been erased. Both of these beliefs are against the consensus of the people of truth, the Ahl al-Sunnah. Consider the opinions of the scholars regarding the belief of Hulool.
Allama Abu Hamid Ghazali, may Allah have mercy on him (505 AH), says:
من هنا نشأ خيال من ادعى الحلول والاتحاد وقال: أنا الحق، وحوله يدندن كلام النصارى في دعوى اتحاد اللاهوت والناسوت أو تدرعها بها أو حلولها فيها على ما اختلف فيهم عبارتهم، وهو غلد محض.
“From here arises the idea of the person who claims Hulool and Ittihad (union) and says, ‘I am Allah.’ The Christian theology about the union or hiding or Hulool of the divine in the human nature is almost the same, although their expressions differ in this regard. This belief is completely wrong.”
Hafiz Iraqi, may Allah have mercy on him (806 AH), writes in refutation of Ibn Arabi:
أما قوله: فهو عين ما ظهر وعين ما بطن، فهو كلام مسموم ظاهره القول بالوحدة المطلقة، وأن جميع مخلوقاته هي عينه، ويدل على إرادته لذلك صريحا قوله بعد ذلك، وهو المسمى أبا سعيد الخراز وغير ذلك من أسماء المحدثات، وكذلك قوله بعد ذلك: (والمتكلم واحد، وهو عين السامع، وقائل ذلك المعتقد له كافر بإجماع العلماء .
“The statement of Ibn Arabi that He (Allah Almighty) is the essence of the apparent and the hidden is poisonous speech; outwardly, it indicates absolute unity (Wahdat al-Wujud), according to which all creatures are the existence of Allah alone. His proof for this is his subsequent statement that His (Allah’s) name is Abu Saeed al-Kharraz and, besides this, the names of many other innovations. Similarly, his subsequent statement that the speaker is one and the same as the hearer. According to the consensus of the noble scholars, one who holds such a statement and such a belief is a disbeliever.”
The famous commentator and grammarian Abu Hayyan al-Andalusi (745 AH) writes:
Those who outwardly don the cloak of Islam and are attributed to Sufism, and the atheists who follow the religion of Hulool (incarnation) and Wahdat (unity), have inferred from some Christian beliefs that Allah incarnates in beautiful forms, such as (Husayn ibn Mansur) Hallaj, Shudhri, Ibn Ahli, Ibn Arabi who lived in Damascus, Ibn Farid, and their followers, for example Ibn Sab’een, his student from Tustari, a resident of Marsiya Ibn Mutrif, Safar who was killed in Granada, Ibn al-Labbaj, and Abu al-Hasan from Balurqa.
Among the carriers of this accursed religion (Hulool and Wahdat al-Wujud) whom we have seen are Afif Tlemsani, who has many poems on this subject, and the black-skinned barren Ibn Ayyash Malqi residing in Damascus, Abdul Wahid ibn al-Mukharr from Upper Egypt, an Ajami who became the custodian of the sheikhs of the Khanqah Sa’id al-Sa’da in Cairo, Egypt, and Abu Ya’qub ibn Mubashir, a student of Tustari, who was a resident of the Harah Zadeelah.
Allah knows that I have mentioned these names out of religious goodwill and fear of misguidance upon weak Muslims in faith. They should avoid them, because these mentioned people are worse than those philosophers who deny Allah and His messengers, call the universe eternal, and deny the Day of Judgment. Some ignorant people, who claim to follow Sufism, are fond of honoring these people and claim that these people are Allah Almighty’s chosen and saints.
Refuting the Christians, those who believe in incarnation, and the proponents of Wahdat al-Wujud is part of the knowledge of the fundamentals of religion.
Shaykh al-Islam Allama Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on him (728 AH), says:
“The statements of the Jahmiyyah are worse than those of the Christians; they contain the same kind of contradictions as found in the statements of the Christians. This is why they sometimes claim incarnation, sometimes unity of existence (Wahdat al-Wujud), and sometimes union (Ittihad). This religion itself is contradictory. Therefore, those who do not understand it are deceived by it. It is disbelief both outwardly and inwardly, and there is consensus among all Muslims on this. And whoever, after knowing their statements and acquiring knowledge of Islam, doubts their disbelief, he too is a disbeliever, just as one who doubts the disbelief of Jews, Christians, and polytheists is a disbeliever.”
Qadi Iyad, may Allah have mercy on him (544 AH), writes:
ذلك كفر بإجماع المسلمين، كقول الإلهين من الفلاسفة والمنجمين والطبائعيين، وكذلك من ادعى مجالسة الله والعروج ومكالمته أو حلوله في أحد من الأشخاص كقول بعض المتصوفة والباطنية والنصارى والقرامطة.
“This (the belief in the unity of existence) is disbelief according to the consensus of Muslims; it is like the affirmation of idols by philosophers, astrologers, and naturalists. Similarly, whoever claims companionship with Allah, ascension, dialogue with Allah, or incarnation in any form in Allah Almighty, (he is also unanimously considered a disbeliever) as some Sufis, esotericists, Christians, and Qaramita have said.”
Hafiz Suyuti, may Allah have mercy on him (911 AH), writes:
القول بالحلول والاتحاد الذي هو أخو الحلول أول من قال به النصارى، إلا أنهم خصوه بعيسى عليه السلام أو به وبمريم ولم يعدوه إلى أحد، وخصوه باتحاد الكلمة دون الذات بحيث إن علماء المسلمين سلكوا في الرد عليهم طريق إلزامهم بأن يقولوا بمثل ذلك في موسى عليه السلام وفي الذات أيضا، وهم لا يقولون بالأمرين، وإذا سلموا بطلان ذلك لزم إبطال ما قالوه، أما المتوسمون بسمة الإسلام فلم يبتدع أحد منهم هذه البدعة وحاشاهم من ذلك، لأنهم أذكى فطرة وأصح لبا من أن يمشي عليهم هذا المحال، وإنما مشى ذلك على النصارى لأنهم أبلد الخلق أذهانا وأعماهم قلوبا، غير أن طائفة من غلاة المتصوفة نقل عنهم أنهم قالوا بمثل هذه المقالة وزادوا على النصارى في تعدية ذلك، والنصارى قصروه على واحد، فإن صح ذلك عنهم فقد زادوا في الكفر على النصارى.
“The doctrine of Hulool (incarnation) and similar beliefs of unity were first adopted by the Christians, but they specifically attributed it to Jesus (peace be upon him) or to him and his mother Mary (peace be upon her). Then they specified it with the word ‘unity’ (ittihad), but not with unity of essence. Thus, Muslim scholars refuted them by accusing them of saying such things about Moses (peace be upon him) and about the Divine Essence as well, but they do not say either of these things. When they admitted the falsehood of this matter, their statement itself became invalid. As for those who claim to be followers of Islam, none of them introduced this innovation, may Allah protect them, because they (Muslims) are purer by nature and healthier in intellect so that such a condition would come upon them. This situation only occurred with the Christians because they were the most dull-minded and obstinate among all people. However, regarding a group of extremist Sufis, it has been stated that they also said such things and in this matter they have gone beyond the Christians by generalizing this (unity and incarnation), whereas the Christians limited it to one person. If this statement is proven from them (the Sufis), then they have gone beyond the Christians in disbelief.”
Qadi Mawardi says:
القائل بالحلول والاتحاد ليس من المسلمين بالشريعة، بل في الظاهر والتسمية، ولا ينفع التنزيه مع القول بالاتحاد والحلول،فإن دعوى التنزيه مع ذلك إلحاد.
“The one who believes in Hulool (incarnation) and Ittihad (union) is not among the Muslims who accept the Shariah, rather he is outwardly and nominally a Muslim. Refuting the belief of Ittihad and Hulool does not benefit, because along with this belief, refutation itself is disbelief.”
Allama Abdul Aziz bin Abdul Salam (660 AH) writes in his book “Al-Qawa’id al-Kubra”:
من زعم أن الإله يحل في شيء من أجساد الناس أو غيرهم فهو كافر، لأن الشرع إنما عفا عن المجسمة لغلبة التجسيم على الناس فإنهم لا يفهمون موجودا في غير جهة، بخلاف الحلول فإنه لا يعم الابتلاء به ولا يخطر على قلب عاقل فلا يعفى عنه.
“Whoever claims that Allah enters into the bodies of people or other creatures, he is a disbeliever, because (according to some people) the Shariah has pardoned those who believe in Tajseem (corporealism), because Tajseem is dominant among people; people do not consider anything to exist without direction. Contrary to the belief of Hulool, which is not widespread, nor can such an idea enter the heart of any wise person, therefore it will not be pardoned (unanimously).”
After mentioning this statement, Hafiz Suyuti writes:
قلت: مقصود الشيخ أنه لا يجري في تكفيرهم الخلاف الذي جرى في المجسمة، بل يقطع بتكفير القائلين بالحلول إجماعا، وإن جرى في المجسمة خلاف.
“The Sheikh (Izz al-Din) means that there has been no disagreement in declaring those who hold the belief of Hulool (incarnation) as disbelievers, as had happened in the case of those who believed in Tajseem (anthropomorphism). Rather, those who hold the belief of Hulool will be unanimously declared outright disbelievers. Although there has been disagreement regarding those who believe in Taqseem (division).”
The author of “Miyar al-Murideen,” Abu Muhammad Abdullah bin Muhammad Nuri, says:
الدليل على بطلان اتحاد العبد مع الله تعالى أن الاتحاد بين مربوبين محال، فإن رجلين مثلا لا يصير أحدهما عين الآخر لتباينهما في ذاتيهما كما هو معلوم، فالتباين بين العبد والرب سبحانه وتعالى أعظم، فإذن أصل الاتحاد باطل محال مردود شرعا وعقلا وعرفا بإجماع الأنبياء والأولياء ومشايخ الصوفية وسائر العلماء والمسلمين، وليس هذا ملهب الصوفية وإنما قاله طائفة غلاة لقلة علمهم وسوء حظهم من الله تعالى، فشابهوا بهذا القول النصارى الذين قالوا في عيسى عليه السلام: اتحد ناسوته بلاهوته.
The argument against the unity of the servant with Allah Almighty is that unity between two created entities is impossible, because, for example, if there are two men, one cannot be the essence (self) of the other, as they differ in essence, as is known. Therefore, the difference between the servant and the Lord, Glorified and Exalted, is much greater, so the very basis of unity is false and is rejected rationally, legally, and traditionally. There is consensus on this among the noble Prophets, saints, Sufi masters, all scholars, and the general Muslim community. This belief is not part of the Sufis’ creed; it was stated by a distinguished group due to ignorance and weakness in their connection with Allah Almighty. By saying this, they resembled those Christians who said that the human nature and divine nature of Jesus, peace be upon him, united.
Dangers of the Doctrine of Hulul (Incarnation)
◈ If the Creator and the creation are one and the same existence, then how can the Creator command the creation to do something or forbid it from something?
◈ If the Creator and the creation are the same existence, then it denies divine creation, because no one can be their own creator.
◈ The belief of Hulool (incarnation) necessarily negates Allah being the Owner of all dominion, because no one can be their own owner.
◈ From this belief, it follows that Allah does not provide sustenance to anyone, nor does He guide anyone, because there is no existence other than Him.
◈ This belief necessarily leads to the error that Allah Himself fasts, prays, bows, prostrates, and suffers from death and illness.
◈ According to this belief, the idol worshippers worshipped Allah Himself, because there is no existence other than Him.
◈ Those who claimed divinity, such as Pharaoh, the Dajjal, etc., according to this belief, their claim is true. Every worshipper of Satan or desires is a worshipper of Allah, because in their view Satan has no independent existence.
◈ The belief in Hulool (incarnation) necessarily implies that dogs, pigs, etc., are also gods, because according to Wahdat al-Wujud (Unity of Existence), they have no independent existence; rather, all are one existence.
◈ This logically necessitates belief in impossible things, because if all existence except Allah is united, then three scenarios arise: first, the other existence also remains, which means there would be two existences; second, both cease to exist, which means a third thing would come into existence; third, one remains and the other ceases to exist, which means there would be no unity.
◈ This belief necessarily contradicts nature and divine laws, because no heavenly law permits it, nor does sound reason allow it.
◈ Some misguided people say that through worship a person reaches such a stage that he begins to see Allah in everything in the world or starts considering every creature as Allah. In the terminology of Sufis, this belief is called “Wahdat al-Wujud” (Unity of Existence). With further progress in worship, a person enters into the essence of Allah. Then Allah and the person both become one; this belief is called “Wahdat ash-Shuhud” (Unity of Witnessing) or “Fana fi Allah” (Annihilation in Allah). The mirror of the human heart becomes so clear and transparent that the essence of Allah Himself enters into that person, which is called the belief of “Hulool” (Incarnation). This is purely a blasphemous belief, derived from the doctrines of the Christians. It is absolutely contrary to the Quran, Hadith, and nature.
