Enumerating the eight proofs that Allah has made clear for creation to use as evidence of the perfection of His power and the possibility of reassembling the crumbled bones.
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The Shaykh : Now let us return to enumerating the proofs that Allah (Mighty and Majestic) has made clear for creation to use as evidence of the perfection of His power and the possibility of reassembling these crumbled bones. So let us begin with the first proof. Who will mention it to us?
The questioner : The first proof is that re-creation is easier than the initial creation.
The Shaykh : Re-creation is easier than the initial creation. Where is this taken from? From which verse?
The questioner : At the beginning of the context.
The Shaykh : Recite it.
The questioner : I do not have it memorized.
The Shaykh : Okay, who has the verse memorized?
The questioner : His saying, the Exalted: In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful:[Ya-Sin 36:79].
The Shaykh : Well done. His saying, the Exalted:[Ya-Sin 36:79], meaning that the One who is capable of the initial creation is capable of re-creation. The second proof. Yes.
The questioner : The knowledge of Allah encompasses everything.
The Shaykh : The knowledge of Allah encompasses everything, or every creation. Where is this taken from?
The questioner :[Ya-Sin 36:79].
The Shaykh : What is the indication from it?
The questioner : The encompassing knowledge.
The Shaykh : That knowledge of creation is evidence of the possibility of creation, because one who is ignorant of a thing cannot bring it into existence, while one who knows it can bring it into existence, provided he has the power. And this power is derived from His saying:[Al-Mu'minun 23:88]. Okay, the third proof?
The questioner :[Ya-Sin 36:80].
The Shaykh : Okay, what is the point of this verse?
The questioner : It means that the One who was able, Exalted is He, to bring forth fire from this cold, wet thing, to bring forth a thing from its opposite, is able to reassemble these bones.
The Shaykh : For example, green wood combines coldness and wetness, and fire combines dryness and heat. So the One who is able to bring forth this opposite from its opposite is able to reassemble these crumbled bones again. And our brother’s answer says that the one who can do such-and-such can do such-and-such. Is the term "ability" (istita'ah) used with regard to Allah (Mighty and Majestic)? This is a matter concerning the attributes. Do we express power as "ability" (istita'ah) or as "power" (qudrah)? Because "ability" (istita'ah) may imply weakness, as Allah the Exalted said:[At-Taghabun 64:16]. For this reason, Allah describes Himself with "power" (qudrah) and did not describe Himself with "ability" (istita'ah). However, we may be presented with the saying of Allah the Exalted regarding the disciples: "Can your Lord not bring down a table spread with food for us from the heaven?" Here they said, "Can your Lord not...?" The answer to this is that the intended meaning of "ability" (istita'ah) here is "will" (iradah), meaning, does Allah will to bring it down? Because the disciples do not doubt the power of Allah (Mighty and Majestic). The fourth proof?
The questioner :[Ya-Sin 36:81].
The Shaykh : His saying, the Exalted:[Ya-Sin 36:81]. What is the indication?
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : It is greater than the creation of people. So if He is able to create the greater, He is able to create what is lesser than it. For this reason, the answer here came as:[Ya-Sin 36:81]. Okay, the fifth proof. Where is the fifth proof, everyone?
The questioner :[Ya-Sin 36:81].
The Shaykh : Okay, His saying:[Ya-Sin 36:81], "He is the Creator, the All-Knowing." And "the Creator" (al-Khalaq), we said, is a form of exaggeration indicating the perfection of His power in creating and the abundance of His creation. And no one can count the species of created things, let alone their types and individuals. The sixth proof?
The questioner :[Ya-Sin 36:77].
The Shaykh : No, my brother, we are done with that. That was the first one.
The questioner : No, no one has said it yet.
The Shaykh : We will say it now. We will present it after we finish this one. Be patient.
The questioner :[Ya-Sin 36:82].
The Shaykh : Yes. That He, the Exalted, when He commands a thing, that thing does not resist Him.[Ya-Sin 36:82]. And if nothing resists Him, then if He commands these crumbled bones to live and to be created again, alive, they will be created again. The seventh proof?
The questioner : His saying:[Ya-Sin 36:83].
The Shaykh :[Ya-Sin 36:83]. What is the indication?
The questioner : Man is from the creation of Allah, meaning He encompasses him.
The Shaykh : That the dominion of everything is in the hand of Allah. So if Allah is the Owner of everything, the Owner of the animals and the manager of these animals, then the One in whose hand is the dominion of everything is not unable to reassemble these bones. The eighth proof?
The questioner :.
The Shaykh : The indication is:.
The questioner : That we will be held to account.
The Shaykh : That this creation which Allah created must return to Allah. Because if this creation were just to exist and perish, and exist and perish, without returning, it would be futile, and Allah is free from that. So this creation must return to Allah (Mighty and Majestic).. These are eight proofs. And perhaps we can also take evidence from His saying: [Ya-Sin 36:77]. So if He created this human being from a drop of fluid until he became a clear adversary, this is evidence of the power of Allah. But this has already been mentioned in the context of the denial and the answer to it, and that is what made us leave it out and not take evidence from it. Otherwise, in reality, it is a proof.
The questioner : The first proof is that re-creation is easier than the initial creation.
The Shaykh : Re-creation is easier than the initial creation. Where is this taken from? From which verse?
The questioner : At the beginning of the context.
The Shaykh : Recite it.
The questioner : I do not have it memorized.
The Shaykh : Okay, who has the verse memorized?
The questioner : His saying, the Exalted: In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful:
Say, "He will give them life who produced them the first time
قل يحيها الذي أنشأها أول مرةThe Shaykh : Well done. His saying, the Exalted:
Say, "He will give them life who produced them the first time
قل يحيها الذي أنشأها أول مرةThe questioner : The knowledge of Allah encompasses everything.
The Shaykh : The knowledge of Allah encompasses everything, or every creation. Where is this taken from?
The questioner :
and He is, of all creation, Knowing."
وهو بكل خلق عليمThe Shaykh : What is the indication from it?
The questioner : The encompassing knowledge.
The Shaykh : That knowledge of creation is evidence of the possibility of creation, because one who is ignorant of a thing cannot bring it into existence, while one who knows it can bring it into existence, provided he has the power. And this power is derived from His saying:
In whose hand is the realm of all things
بيده ملكوت كل شيءThe questioner :
[It is] He who made for you from the green tree, fire, and then from it you ignite.
الذي جعل لكم من الشجر الأخضر نارا فإذا أنتم منه توقدونThe Shaykh : Okay, what is the point of this verse?
The questioner : It means that the One who was able, Exalted is He, to bring forth fire from this cold, wet thing, to bring forth a thing from its opposite, is able to reassemble these bones.
The Shaykh : For example, green wood combines coldness and wetness, and fire combines dryness and heat. So the One who is able to bring forth this opposite from its opposite is able to reassemble these crumbled bones again. And our brother’s answer says that the one who can do such-and-such can do such-and-such. Is the term "ability" (istita'ah) used with regard to Allah (Mighty and Majestic)? This is a matter concerning the attributes. Do we express power as "ability" (istita'ah) or as "power" (qudrah)? Because "ability" (istita'ah) may imply weakness, as Allah the Exalted said:
So fear Allah as much as you are able
فاتقوا الله ما استطعتمThe questioner :
Is not He who created the heavens and the earth Able to create the likes of them?
أوليس الذي خلق السماوات والأرض بقادر على أن يخلق مثلهمThe Shaykh : His saying, the Exalted:
Is not He who created the heavens and the earth Able
أوليس الذي خلق السماوات والأرض بقادرThe questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : It is greater than the creation of people. So if He is able to create the greater, He is able to create what is lesser than it. For this reason, the answer here came as:
Yes, [it is so]; and He is the Knowing Creator.
بلى وهو الخلاق العليمThe questioner :
Yes, [it is so]; and He is the Knowing Creator.
بلى وهو الخلاق العليمThe Shaykh : Okay, His saying:
and He is the Knowing Creator.
وهو الخلاق العليمThe questioner :
Does man not consider that We created him from a [mere] sperm-drop - then at once he is a clear adversary?
أولم ير الإنسان أنا خلقناه من نطفة فإذا هو خصيم مبينThe Shaykh : No, my brother, we are done with that. That was the first one.
The questioner : No, no one has said it yet.
The Shaykh : We will say it now. We will present it after we finish this one. Be patient.
The questioner :
His command is only when He intends a thing that He says to it, "Be," and it is.
إنما أمره إذا أراد شيئا أن يقول له كن فيكونThe Shaykh : Yes. That He, the Exalted, when He commands a thing, that thing does not resist Him.
His command is only when He intends a thing that He says to it, "Be," and it is.
إنما أمره إذا أراد شيئا أن يقول له كن فيكونThe questioner : His saying:
So exalted is He in whose hand is the realm of all things
فسبحان الذي بيده ملكوت كل شيءThe Shaykh :
So exalted is He in whose hand is the realm of all things
فسبحان الذي بيده ملكوت كل شيءThe questioner : Man is from the creation of Allah, meaning He encompasses him.
The Shaykh : That the dominion of everything is in the hand of Allah. So if Allah is the Owner of everything, the Owner of the animals and the manager of these animals, then the One in whose hand is the dominion of everything is not unable to reassemble these bones. The eighth proof?
The questioner :
and to Him you will return
وإليه ترجعونThe Shaykh : The indication is:
and to Him you will return
وإليه ترجعونThe questioner : That we will be held to account.
The Shaykh : That this creation which Allah created must return to Allah. Because if this creation were just to exist and perish, and exist and perish, without returning, it would be futile, and Allah is free from that. So this creation must return to Allah (Mighty and Majestic).