A Censure of The Intellect

[Amar.Abu.Yahia]

Imaam Abul Muthaffar As Sam'aanee Rahimahullah said:

The People of the Sunnah say, 'The foundation of the Religion is following (Ittibaa'), and the intellect is subservient.' So if the foundation of the Religion was left to the intellect, the creation would have been in no need of Revelation, nor of Prophets, and the commands and prohibitions would have no meaning, and anyone could have said whatever he wanted. (1)

From Abdullah Ibn Umar Radi'Allahu Anhu said:

My brother and I were sitting in a gathering...and then some elders from the companions of the Messenger of Allah Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam came and they sat by one of his doors. We hated to divide between them so we sat to one side. They mentioned an aayah from the Qur'aan and began arguing about it until they raised their voices. So the Messenger of Allah Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam came out angry. Indeed his face was red: He flung his dust at them and said:

Slow Down of my People! Nations befor you were destroyed because for this, due to their differing about their Prophets and due to their claims that parts of their books contradicted other Parts. Verily the Qur'aan was not sent down to contradict itself, rather it affirms itself. So whatever you know from it, then act upon it; and whatever you are ignorant of, then refer it to someone who is knowledgeable about it." (2)

Imaam Ahmad Rahimahullah said, "So we refer the Qur'aan to One who is knowledgeable about it, to Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, as He is the most knowledgeable about it." (3)

Imaam As Sam'aanee said:

Indeed they make their intellects callers to Allah, and they take them to the level of Messengers concerning what is between them. So if a Person says:'None has the Right to be worshipped except Allah and my intellect is the Messenger of Allah,' it will not be objectionable for this to be ascribed to the people of rhetoric by way of its meaning. (4)

(1)= al Hujjah (85/a)
(2)= Hasan: Related by Ahmad in his Musnad (2/181) by way of Abu Haazim from Amr ibn Shu'ayb, from his father, form his grandfather. Abu Haazim is Salamah Ibn Dinar whi is reliable. Its chain of narrators is hasan.
(3)= Related by Hanbal Ibn Ishaq in al Mihnah (p.45) from Ahmad
(4)= See al Hujjah (83/a)

Source:
The Creed of the Four Imaams Pg. 8-9