How do you reconcile Allah’s saying (Glorified and Exalted is He), “And We built the sky with might, and We are expanding it,” with His saying, “Those who possess might and vision”?

Shaykh Salih ibn Fawzan al-Fawzan

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Question:
May Allah reward you. Honorable Shaykh, a questioner asks: How do you reconcile Allah's saying,

And the heaven We constructed with strength, and indeed, We are [its] expander.

وَالسَّمَاءَ بَنَيْنَاهَا بِأَيْدٍ وَإِنَّا لَمُوسِعُونَ

[Adh-Dhariyat 51:47]

, with His saying in describing the prophets,

those of strength and [religious] vision.

أُولِي الْأَيْدِي وَالْأَبْصَارِ

[Sad 38:45]

?

Answer:
My brother, if you consult the tafsir (exegesis), you will be at ease with this question. We told you that “ayd” (might) means strength. “Al-ayd” means strength, the strength of faith, the strength of faith. This is regarding the messengers: the strength of faith and the strength of authority as well. Allah gave them authority.

and remember Our servant, David, the possessor of strength

وَاذْكُرْ عَبْدَنَا دَاوُودَ ذَا الْأَيْدِ

[Sad 38:17]

. “Al-aydi” (the hands) means he has hands. All people have hands. “Al-aydi” means strength. Allah gave him strength. The strength of kingship. The strength of authority. “We built the sky with might” means with strength. This verse is not among the verses of attributes, but rather it is among the verses of tawhid al-rububiyyah (oneness of lordship). Yes.

Source قناة «العلامة الدكتور صالح الفوزان»، [253 -560] ما الجمع بين قوله تعالى (والسماء بنيناها بأيد وإنا لموسعون) وقوله (أولي الأيدي والأبصار)؟ — youtube.com

The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.

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