The ruling on speaking of the attributes in terms of the original essence versus individual instances
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Our statement that the attribute of speech is an essential attribute in terms of its original essence, but an action attribute in terms of its individual instances: does this apply to the remaining attributes or some of them, such as coming, descending, hearing, and seeing, meaning do we say: that they are essential attributes in terms of their original essence, and action attributes in terms of their individual instances? And what is the criterion for this?
No,First: The attributes of Allah, Mighty and Majestic, are divided into: - Descriptive attributes.
- Conceptual attributes.
Descriptive attributes: Such as the Face, the Hand, the Eye, the Leg, and the Foot; Allah the Exalted has always possessed these attributes and will continue to do so.
Conceptual attributes: Some of them have individual instances that renew, while others do not. Knowledge, power, hearing, and sight do not have renewing individual instances; He has always been and will continue to be All-Knowing of everything, All-Powerful over everything, and All-Hearing and All-Seeing.We cannot say about these: It is an action attribute, neither in its original essence nor in its individual instances.
There is a third category of attributes: They are conceptual attributes, but they are action attributes in terms of the renewal of their individual instances.
For example, speech has renewing individual instances. Allah’s speaking to Musa occurred in the time of Musa, and Allah the Exalted’s speaking to Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) occurred in the time of Muhammad. That is, the second speech is not the first speech. Here, its individual instances renew.And for this reason we say: It is an essential attribute in terms of its original essence, meaning in terms of the fact that Allah has always been and will continue to be a Speaker. In terms of its individuals and instances, it is an action attribute. As for descending to the lowest heaven, it is purely an action attribute, because He descends to the lowest heaven, and the lowest heaven is a created thing that came into existence after it did not exist. Therefore, the descent is purely an action attribute. However, the genus of action, and the fact that Allah has always been and will continue to be an Actor, is an essential attribute.
No,First: The attributes of Allah, Mighty and Majestic, are divided into: - Descriptive attributes.
- Conceptual attributes.
Descriptive attributes: Such as the Face, the Hand, the Eye, the Leg, and the Foot; Allah the Exalted has always possessed these attributes and will continue to do so.
Conceptual attributes: Some of them have individual instances that renew, while others do not. Knowledge, power, hearing, and sight do not have renewing individual instances; He has always been and will continue to be All-Knowing of everything, All-Powerful over everything, and All-Hearing and All-Seeing.We cannot say about these: It is an action attribute, neither in its original essence nor in its individual instances.
There is a third category of attributes: They are conceptual attributes, but they are action attributes in terms of the renewal of their individual instances.
For example, speech has renewing individual instances. Allah’s speaking to Musa occurred in the time of Musa, and Allah the Exalted’s speaking to Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) occurred in the time of Muhammad. That is, the second speech is not the first speech. Here, its individual instances renew.And for this reason we say: It is an essential attribute in terms of its original essence, meaning in terms of the fact that Allah has always been and will continue to be a Speaker. In terms of its individuals and instances, it is an action attribute. As for descending to the lowest heaven, it is purely an action attribute, because He descends to the lowest heaven, and the lowest heaven is a created thing that came into existence after it did not exist. Therefore, the descent is purely an action attribute. However, the genus of action, and the fact that Allah has always been and will continue to be an Actor, is an essential attribute.