Bila Kayf

The Arabic phrase Bila Kayf, also pronounced as Bila Kayfa, (Arabic: بلا كيف, romanized: bi-lā kayfa, lit. 'with-no (without) how') is roughly translated as "without asking how", "without knowing how or what",^[1] or "without modality"^[2] and refers to the belief that the verses of the Qur'an with an "unapparent meaning" should be accepted as they have come without saying how they are meant or what is meant, i.e. not attributing a specific meaning to them.^[3] Literally, the phrase is translated as "without how" but figuratively as "in a manner that suits His majesty and transcendence".^[4]

Bila Kayf was a way of resolving theological problems in Islam in āyāt (verses of the Quran) by accepting without questioning.^[3]^[5] This approach was applied to a variety of questions in Islamic theology, including on traditions relating to the anthropomorphism and corporealism of God, as well as on others involved in the doctrine of the Createdness of the Quran.^[6]^[7]

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An example of a use of this approach is with regards to verses in the Quran and in hadith that use anthropomorphic and corporeal language to describe God. The attribution, in such texts, of a "hand" or "face" of God have been approached by some in a manner that seeks to accept such statements but without applying any consideration about what they may mean, Bila Kayf.^[8]^[9]^[10] In this context, Al-Ash'ari, the founder of the Ash'arism, originated the use of the term and concept of Bila Kayf in formulating his approach to such statements.^[11]^[7]

Another source credits Ahmad ibn Hanbal, founder of the Hanbali school of fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence) as the original creator of the doctrine.^[12]

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[1]
Aaron W. Hughes (2013). Muslim Identities: An Introduction to Islam. Columbia University Press. p. 193. ISBN 9780231531924.
[2]
Reuven Firestone (2001). Children of Abraham: An Introduction to Judaism for Muslims. KTAV Publishing House. p. 92. ISBN 9780881257205.
[3]
Kadri, Sadakat (2012). Heaven on Earth: A Journey Through Shari'a Law from the Deserts of Ancient Arabia to the Streets of the Modern Muslim World. Farrar, Straus and Giroux. p. 187. ISBN 978-1-4668-0218-6.
[4]
Zulfiqar Ali Shah (2012). Anthropomorphic Depictions of God: The Concept of God in Judaic, Christian and Islamic Traditions: Representing the Unrepresentable. International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT). pp. 399–400. ISBN 9781565645752.
[5]
Rafiabadi, Hamid Naseem (2009). The Intellectual Legacy of Ibn Taimiyah. Pinnacle Technology. p. 48. ISBN 978-1-61820-648-0.
[6]
Wensinck, A J (2013). The Muslim Creed: Its Genesis and Historical Development. Routledge. p. 99. ISBN 978-1-135-03009-4.
[7]
Rafiabadi, Hamid Naseem (2009). The Intellectual Legacy of Ibn Taimiyah. Pinnacle Technology. pp. 74–5. ISBN 978-1-61820-648-0.
[8]
Opwis, Felicitas; Reisman, David (2011). Islamic Philosophy, Science, Culture, and Religion: Studies in Honor of Dimitri Gutas. BRILL. p. 458. ISBN 978-90-04-20274-0.
[9]
Izutsu 井筒, Toshihiko 俊彦 (1984). Sufism and Taoism: A Comparative Study of Key Philosophical Concepts. University of California Press. p. 49. ISBN 978-0-520-05264-2.
[10]
نور, مكتبة. "Detailed Response to Ash'aris (pdf)". www.noor-book.com (in Arabic). Archived from the original on 2021-06-02. Retrieved 2021-05-29.
[11]
Hoover, Jon (2022-12-21). "God Spatially Above and Spatially Extended: The Rationality of Ibn Taymiyya's Refutation of Faḫr al-Dīn al-Rāzī's Ašʿarī Incorporealism". Arabica. 69 (6): 630–631. doi:10.1163/15700585-12341641. ISSN 0570-5398.
[12]
Akhtar, Shabbir (2007). The Quran and the Secular Mind: A Philosophy of Islam. Routledge. p. 120. ISBN 978-1-134-07255-2.

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[1] [1]
Aaron W. Hughes (2013). Muslim Identities: An Introduction to Islam. Columbia University Press. p. 193. ISBN 9780231531924.

[2] [2]
Reuven Firestone (2001). Children of Abraham: An Introduction to Judaism for Muslims. KTAV Publishing House. p. 92. ISBN 9780881257205.

[SKHE-187-3] [3]
Kadri, Sadakat (2012). Heaven on Earth: A Journey Through Shari'a Law from the Deserts of Ancient Arabia to the Streets of the Modern Muslim World. Farrar, Straus and Giroux. p. 187. ISBN 978-1-4668-0218-6.

[4] [4]
Zulfiqar Ali Shah (2012). Anthropomorphic Depictions of God: The Concept of God in Judaic, Christian and Islamic Traditions: Representing the Unrepresentable. International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT). pp. 399–400. ISBN 9781565645752.

[Rafiabadi-bilakaifa-5] [5]
Rafiabadi, Hamid Naseem (2009). The Intellectual Legacy of Ibn Taimiyah. Pinnacle Technology. p. 48. ISBN 978-1-61820-648-0.

[AJWMC-6] [6]
Wensinck, A J (2013). The Muslim Creed: Its Genesis and Historical Development. Routledge. p. 99. ISBN 978-1-135-03009-4.

[SKHE74-5-7] [7]
Rafiabadi, Hamid Naseem (2009). The Intellectual Legacy of Ibn Taimiyah. Pinnacle Technology. pp. 74–5. ISBN 978-1-61820-648-0.

[8] [8]
Opwis, Felicitas; Reisman, David (2011). Islamic Philosophy, Science, Culture, and Religion: Studies in Honor of Dimitri Gutas. BRILL. p. 458. ISBN 978-90-04-20274-0.

[9] [9]
Izutsu 井筒, Toshihiko 俊彦 (1984). Sufism and Taoism: A Comparative Study of Key Philosophical Concepts. University of California Press. p. 49. ISBN 978-0-520-05264-2.

[10] [10]
نور, مكتبة. "Detailed Response to Ash'aris (pdf)". www.noor-book.com (in Arabic). Archived from the original on 2021-06-02. Retrieved 2021-05-29.

[11] [11]
Hoover, Jon (2022-12-21). "God Spatially Above and Spatially Extended: The Rationality of Ibn Taymiyya's Refutation of Faḫr al-Dīn al-Rāzī's Ašʿarī Incorporealism". Arabica. 69 (6): 630–631. doi:10.1163/15700585-12341641. ISSN 0570-5398.

[akhtar-12] [12]
Akhtar, Shabbir (2007). The Quran and the Secular Mind: A Philosophy of Islam. Routledge. p. 120. ISBN 978-1-134-07255-2.

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Bila Kayf

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Bila Kayf

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Anthropomorphism and corporealism

See also

References

External links