# Is a new interpretation of the Quran the same as claiming to be a new prophet? *Point three: a new interpretation is not a claim to prophethood; the Salafis' own anthropomorphism* - URL: https://muftiabulayth.org/r/7cylt19gx5k/s/13/ - Date: 2018-10-20 · Kind: lesson · Transcript tier: machine · Recording: A Reply to Sheikh Yasir Qadhi - Mufti Abu Layth (1:19:53–1:23:42) - Status: general teaching - Watch from the start of the segment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CYLT19GX5k&t=4793s - Recording page: https://muftiabulayth.org/r/7cylt19gx5k/ **Topics:** How to read the Quran; God and the divine attributes; Exchanges with Yasir Qadhi **Summary (not a quotation; machine-made, unchecked):** Equating a new interpretation with a claim to prophethood is out of order, since the Salafi movement itself is a radical reinterpretation that rejects the majority and holds that God has a leg and a foot. The majority of Muslims have always accepted metaphor in the Quran. **Checked position (checked by two independent reviews, not by the channel):** Mufti Abu Layth says that equating a new interpretation with a claim to prophethood is out of order, that the Salafi movement is itself a radical reinterpretation which rejects the majority and attributes a leg and a foot to God, and that the majority of Muslims have always accepted non-literal usage in the Quran. **Evidence, his words at 1:20:18:** “what do you mean declare yourself a new prophet how is not the Salafi movement a radical reinterpretation” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CYLT19GX5k&t=4818s) ## Longer summary Mufti Abu Layth says Qadhi's third point, that any radical new interpretation amounts to declaring oneself a new prophet, is out of order and too big a label: the Salafi movement is itself a radical reinterpretation, and Qadhi's own email proposing to shun the previous schools and start afresh would make him a prophet by that standard. He says one may tell people one disagrees or prefers the majority, but notes the irony that the Salafis, when ordinary Muslims ask why they do not follow a madhhab, answer the same report Qadhi used, that the hand of Allah is with the congregation, by saying the congregation can be one person. He adds, trying not to be rude, that Salafis believe God has one leg and one foot without knowing what they look like, a belief the majority of Muslims have never held, and asks why that is not a radical departure from the majority. He says the Quran is full of non-literal usage, that the majority of Muslims have always accepted metaphor in it, and that verses about the hand, foot and eyes of Allah are not taken literally by most Muslims. ## Sources and names cited - Yasir Qadhi - report: yad allah maa al-jamaah the hand of god is with the congregation (unresolved) - Salafi (Wahhabi) - madhhab - tajsim (anthropomorphism) ## Transcript (machine tier, 1:19:53–1:23:42) [1:19:39] don't think he's done things like that but I don't think that was aimed at me anyway but perhaps I thought I'll just mention that anyway so qualifications are definitely there so that's not true and why don't we have a talk if you're very confident since you said I'm more than confident about the science of hadith and as to the third point of radical reinterpretations that meant anything new is tantamount to declaring yourself a new prophet car these are bars either you behave you know this one [1:20:18] what do you mean declare yourself a new prophet how is not the Salafi movement a radical reinterpretation do you declare yourself a prophet for being radically a moment when I read your message saying look we should shun all the previous schools and come up with a new interpretation from you what you had announced was was that you declaring yourself to be a prophet this one big problem this label too big you know this trying to say declare yourself being a [1:20:58] prophet come on come on behave so god this up that one was that's a bit too much that really it's on they don't do much so we can't declare so i think these kind of things are out of order however you can look you can say to people look I think you know I disagree with you or I want to stick with the majority and like he said that hadith is yet Elijah MA the irony is all of the selfies are presented with these exact same idea on why they should follow methods and [1:21:38] that's the irony all you have to do is read their own responses to normal Muslims on why they don't follow methods and they say yet Allah Hema aljahmeir but the Jamaa are can be one person this is the Celebes you come up with this that we don't need to follow the majority one person can be the majority this is what they say so why is it that these things aren't looking at either look what selfies believe I'm not trying to be rude but look in all honesty you can ask F yourself Bobby they believe that God has one leg old selfies believe [1:22:16] God has one leg and one foot not making this up they say yeah we don't know what his leg looks like sorry that's just my laughter coming out these are not nice B hey Musti behave let me just have a word with myself right okay but in all honesty in all seriousness they do believe God has one leg you can ask yourself Cardenas he'll tell you yeah we believe God has one leg in one foot but we just don't know what that forty's and [1:22:56] we don't know what that leg is and we don't know what it looks like or and you think well what on earth are you on about that majority the Muslims have never believed stuff like this is this not a radical you know are you not why don't you follow the majority the Gemara the Gemara and the quran has is full of only from usage as well to say there's no non-literal usage in the quran of course there is the the Hadees have always argued the majority the Muslims have accepted metaphor in the Quran Allah uses metaphor on several occasions in the Quran I've quoted like the verses the whole wanting to fall down how does [1:23:36] the world want the verse is to do with Allah most of the Muslims do not take these things like Allah has one foot in one leg and what is it hands and this and that and multiple eyes and these verses that are mentioned in the Quran most Muslims accept them just as non-literal usage like just these are just like idiomatic usage of language to reflect power and Majesty in the Quran and stuff like that so all right so I hope these things make some sense my battery is kind of coming to an end people look that's how much passion and ## Cite Mufti Abu Layth Archive, segment 7CYLT19GX5k/s/13. https://muftiabulayth.org/r/7cylt19gx5k/s/13/ Not a fatwa: these answers were given to specific people at specific times. Ask a qualified scholar about your own situation.