Ibn Khuzaymah Dan Takwil Hadis Sifat: Sebuah Analisis Kepada Kandungan Hadis Wajh Dan Ṣūrah

How to understand the content of Hadis Sifat is one of the most contested topics in the history of Islamic theology. In short, Hadis Sifat is a term for certain hadiss that seem to assign human attributes to God. Methodological differences in understanding the content of such hadiss have sparked polemics between those who endorse ta’wil (figurative interpretation) and those who disapprove it. This article will examine the approach used by Muhammad bin Ishāq bin Khuzaymah (d. 311 H), a respected scholar of hadis in Nishapur, in dealing with Hadis Sifat in his Kitāb al-Tawḥīd. It will observe his commentaries on certain hadiss in which the prophet explicitly mentioned divine face (wajh) and form (ṣūrah). This study applied document and textual analysis. It found that although Ibn Khuzaymah generally stressed on the obligation of accepting the literal meaning, he did not entirely discard the ta’wil interpretation. He in some cases applied speculative interpretation to avoid misconceptions and to prevent anthropomorphism.