The ulema of his time and after his time made his condition
known to the seekers of truth and guidance hanbalis and other ulema.
Shaykh Mashur al-Salmaan said,
"....I saw that it was necessary upon me to inform about the confusion of ibn al-Jawzee generally, and his errors concerning
the Names and Attributes of Allaah specifically. For he has attributed in his book, ‘Daf' Shubah at-Tashbeeh’,
things to Imaam Ahmad which he is free of.
Adh-Dhahabee states, ‘woe to him, if only he had not delved
into ta’weel and thereby opposed his Imaam’ [‘Siyar’ (2/368)] [taking to note he was shafi'ee]
And
he said also, adding to the saying of Abdul Lateef (Abdul-Lateef Ibn Abdur-Rahman ali-Shaykh) about him, ‘and there
were many mistakes in what he wrote, for indeed he used to finish a book and not give it any consideration’, ‘I
say: due to this he had many misinterpretations and different shades of neglecting examination. And he gained knowledge from
writings...’
Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali said about him, ‘a group of the scholars of our companions took
a stand against him for his inclination towards ta’weel in his speech. And their rejection (of him) was severe in that.
And their is no doubt that his speech in that (i.e. ta’weel) was confused and contradicting. So if he was cognisant
of the ahaadeeth or narrations he would not consider lawful the doubts of the Mutakallimeen (People of Theological Rhetoric)
and expose their corruptions. And he used to exalt Abu Wafaa ibn Aqueel and follow him in most of what he found in his words
- although he refuted him in some points - and ibn Aqueel was skilled in philosophy but he was not well acquainted with Hadeeth
and narration. And this is why ibn Aqueel was shaky/confused in this topic...and Abul Farj followed him in this hue (talawwun)’
Ibn Qudaama al-Maqdisi said, ‘ibn al-Jawzee was the Imaam of his time except that we are not pleased
with his writings on the Sunnah (in this context to mean belief/tawheed) nor his methodology in them’ [‘Dhail
Tabaqaat al-Hanaabila’ (1/415)]
Ibn Taymiyyah states, ‘verily Abul Farj (ibn al-Jawzee) contradicted
himself in this subject (i.e. the Names and Attributes of Allaah). And it is not established that he gave precedence to
affirmation or negation. Rather he has speech in affirmation of (Allaah's Names and Attributes) and much speech scattered
about in this work (i.e. ‘Daf' Shubah at-Tashbeeh’) that establishes that he negated (Allaah's Names and Attributes).
And in this subject he is like many others, sometimes affirming and sometimes negating as is the state of Abu Wafaa' ibn Aqueel...’
[‘Fataawaa’ (4/169)]
And it is not my purpose here to set forth examples, and to follow the occurrences
of ta’weel, or tafweed or affirmation in the speech of ibn al-Jawzee. But the important point here to clarify is that
it is not permissible for the researcher, who desires to attain the truth and what is correct, to depend on the likes of this
work of ibn al-Jawzee....
And we shall mention here sections from a letter which the Shaykh, the Ascetic and Example,
Ishaaq bin Ahmad al-Ulthee sent to his contemporary Ibn al-Jawzee, ‘....and know that much rejection has occurred
against you from the scholars and noble personalities, and outstanding people from distant lands, due to your corrupt stands....and
they have ruled that you are in need of advice, for you have statements which do not befit the Sunnah which time does not
allow to mention…then you objected to the Attributes of the Creator as if they (objections?) arose not from a heart
which has the respect of the Exalted, the Great or a heart filled with fear and exaltation, rather from the occurrences of
the glittering false souls. And you have claimed that a group of Ahlus Sunnah and noble personalities received your letters
but did not understand them - and how far removed are they from this - rather they have controlled their mouths and tongues.
Not due to disability - and all praise is due to Allaah - in debating and opposing, and neither..’ [‘Dhail Tabaqaat
al-Hanaabilaa’ (2/209-211) for the full letter which goes on to refute ibn al-Jawzee in some detail.]" [‘Rudood
wat Ta’qubaat alaa maa Waqa’a lil Imaam Nawawee fee Sharhi Saheeh Muslim min at-Ta’weel fee Sifaat’
(pp.97+) of Shaykh Mashur Salmaan, his superb analysis of the position of Imaam Nawawee on ta’weel.]
It was
his being confuded in why he saw "contradictions" within the hanbalis, (really the salafi ulema) and he ulema state it here
So
his "dhuf a shubah" is not to be relied upon on top of the fact that it is not even an established text on creed, not like
tahawiyyah, risalah ibn abi zayd, waasitiyyah, hamawiyyah, usoolu-thalatha and kitaabu-tawheed nor aqeedatu-salaf ashaabul-hadeeth.
these are the established texts on creed and they are all onme, only the dhuf is opposed to every single one of these making
it in opposition to the jama'ah
