as for this man's ignorance of one of Allāh's attributes in His knowledge and power, that does not remove him from faith. Do you not see that ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb, ʿImrān ibn Ḥuṣayn, and a group of the Companions asked the Messenger of Allāh (ṣallá Allāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam) about destiny? It is known that they only asked him about it because they were ignorant of it, and it is not permissible for any Muslim to consider them disbelievers for asking about it, or to consider them non-believers at the time of their questioning. Al-Layth narrated from Abū Qabīl from Shufayy al-Aṣbaḥī from ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿAmr ibn al-ʿĀṣ—he mentioned a ḥadīth about destiny, in which the Companions of the Messenger of Allāh (ṣallá Allāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam) said: "What should we do if the matter has already been decided?"—so these were the Companions of the Messenger of Allāh (ṣallá Allāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam), and they were the learned and virtuous ones. They asked about destiny as a learner ignorant of it would, not as a stubborn objector. The Messenger of Allāh (ṣallá Allāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam) taught them what they did not know about it, and their ignorance of it before learning did not harm them. If it were not permissible for them to be ignorant of it at any time, he would have taught them that along with the testimony of faith and taken it from them at the time of their acceptance of Islam, and made it a sixth pillar of Islam. So reflect and seek help from Allāh. This is what has come to my mind based on my understanding of the principles and what I have retained. I have exerted my utmost effort in interpreting the ḥadīth of this chapter entirely and have not fallen short. I do not absolve myself, and above every knowledgeable person is one more knowledgeable. And with Allāh is success." All of this is the speech of al-Ḥāfiẓ Ibn ʿAbd al-Barr, and it is strong and solid speech indicating that he was an imam in knowledge and understanding of the principles and branches of the sharīʿah. May Allāh reward him with goodness on behalf of Islam and the Muslims
وأما جهل هذا الرجل بصفة من صفات الله في علمه وقدره؛ فليس ذلك بمخرجه من الإيمان، ألا ترى أن عمر بن الخطاب وعمران بن حصين وجماعة من الصحابة سألوا رسول الله ﷺ عن القدر. ومعلوم أنهم إنما سألوه عن ذلك وهم جاهلون به، وغير جائز عند أحد من المسلمين أن يكونوا بسؤالهم عن ذلك كافرين، أو يكونوا حين سؤالهم عنه غير مؤمنين. وروى الليث عن أبي قبيل عن شُفَيٍّ الأصبحي عن عبد الله بن عمرو بن العاص- فذكر حديثاً في القدر، وفيه: فقال أصحاب رسول الله ﷺ: فأي شيء نعمل إن كان الأمر قد فرغ منه؟ (١) -، فهؤلاء أصحاب رسول الله- ﷺ وهم العلماء الفضلاء- سألوا عن القدر سؤال متعلم جاهل؛ لا سؤال متعنت معاند، فعلمهم رسول الله ﷺ ما جهلوا من ذلك، ولم يضرهم جهلهم به قبل أن يعلموه، ولو كان لا يسعهم جهله وقتاً من الأوقات؟ لعلمهم ذلك مع الشهادة بالإيمان، وأخذ ذلك عليهم في حين إسلامهم، ولجعله عموداً سادساً للإسلام، فتدبر واستعن بالله. فهذا الذي حضرني على ما فهمته من الأصول ووعيته، وقد أديت اجتهادي في تأويل حديث هذا الباب كله ولم آلُ، وما أبرئ نفسي، وفوق كل ذي علم عليم. وبالله التوفيق ". هذا كله كلام الحافظ ابن عبد البر، وهو كلام قوي متين يدل على أنه كان إماماً في العلم والمعرفة بأصول الشريعة وفروعها، جزاه الله عن الإسلام والمسلمين خيراً.