Tashbīh and Tajsīm Belief in the Theology of Ibn ？azm: The Theological Critics for Mushabbiha and Mujassima

The aim of this study is to determine the criticism to Mushabbiha and Mujassima on the basis of al-Fa？l fī l-milal wa-l-ahwā？ wa-l-ni？al whose writer is Ibn ？azm (d. 456/1064), one of the eminent scholars of the Andalusian civilization. In this work, Ibn ？azm gives systematic information about the non-Islamic religions as well as the sects emerging under the Islamic roof, criticizing the views of religion and religious sects from various perspectives. In doing so, he approached the views of the sects with his identity as a kalam theologian, and he made his critics in the light of classical conception of the Ahl al-Sunnah. Ibn ？azm pointed out that Mushbbiha and Mujassima had an anthropomorphic understanding of God, and emphasized that this understanding does not correspond with the belief in monotheism. He strongly emphasizes that God is one and nothing is equal to Him. Summary: Islamic Civilization of Andalusia was the most important representative of Islam in the West and enlightened Europe for centuries, has made important successes in science-technic, art and literature. Also made improvements on other areas such as religous and philosophical knowledge, in these eras raised important Islam scholars who made important contributions to those areas. One of those scholars undoubtedly is Ibn ？azm who was born in Andalusia (d. 456/1064). The aim of this paper is to analyze and determine Ibn ？azm’s critiques on Mushabbiha and Mujassima, based on Ibn ？azm’s thought found in his al-Fasl,who was one of the leading scholars of Anatolia civilization and played an important role in development of Islam thought nearly in all areas by his precious writings. Ibn ？azm, in his work gives systematic information on sects under Islamic thought and beliefs and religions out of Islam, their relations and differences with Islam, which he accepts as one and unchangeable, and analyzes them gives in an analytic, defensive and rejective method, puts them under critique. In other words, with his theologian identity and dialectical method, under the Sunnī classical tradition, he criticizes other sects’ thoughts. Ibn ？azm used a very sharp language and rough method in his critiques. This kind of attitude was symbolized by a traditional saying “Ibn ？azm’s language is sharper than Hajjāj’s sword”. As it very well known in the Qur？ān, oneness (tawhīd) was emphasized very much, God does not look like anything ever created, and does not have any resemblance or sameness with anything, in order to eliminate polytheist (shirk) belief. On the other hand, in some verses representations and