This, and among their tawhid (the oneness of Allah) is affirming the attributes of perfection for our Lord, the Most Merciful (explaining the second type of the first type, which is affirmative tawhid, and explaining that the names and attributes of Allah are attributes of perfection and good, along with the negation of likeness and the mention of an example)
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The Shaykh : As for the second, it is affirmative. Affirmative means singling out Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) and making Him unique in what is obligatory for Him in terms of names and attributes.
He said: "This, and among their tawhid is affirming the attributes of perfection for our Lord, the Most Merciful"
So all attributes of perfection are established for Him, and the evidence for this is the saying of Allah the Exalted:[Ar-Rum 30:27] The Most High Example: meaning the most perfect description in every respect. And regarding the names, Allah the Exalted said: [Al-A'raf 7:180] Therefore, you will not find a name among the names of Allah that entails any deficiency in any way, nor an attribute among the attributes of Allah that entails any deficiency in any way. And you will find that the attribute... who is reading?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Do not read, you boys. Let one go and inform them. And cunning and deception, for they are not attributed to Allah in an absolute sense. So affirmative tawhid is affirming the attributes of perfection for Allah (Mighty and Majestic), but it is necessary to add something else to it, namely the negation of likeness, because affirmation without the negation of likeness is not tawhid. For tawhid is based on negation and affirmation. And the point and evidence, meaning an example that clarifies the matter: if I say so-and-so is good, this is a description of him with goodness, and goodness is a perfection. But does this necessitate tawhid? No, because he may be good and another person may also be good. So if I say "there is no good one except so-and-so" or "the only good one is so-and-so," then at that point I have made him unique in goodness. So the author's statement:
"Affirming the attributes of perfection for our Lord"
requires an addition, which is what? The negation of likeness, so that the tawhid is complete.
He said: "This, and among their tawhid is affirming the attributes of perfection for our Lord, the Most Merciful"
So all attributes of perfection are established for Him, and the evidence for this is the saying of Allah the Exalted:
To Him belongs the highest attribute in the heavens and earth
وله المثل الأعلى في السماوات والأرضAnd to Allah belong the best names
ولله الأسماء الحسنىThe student: ...
The Shaykh : Do not read, you boys. Let one go and inform them. And cunning and deception, for they are not attributed to Allah in an absolute sense. So affirmative tawhid is affirming the attributes of perfection for Allah (Mighty and Majestic), but it is necessary to add something else to it, namely the negation of likeness, because affirmation without the negation of likeness is not tawhid. For tawhid is based on negation and affirmation. And the point and evidence, meaning an example that clarifies the matter: if I say so-and-so is good, this is a description of him with goodness, and goodness is a perfection. But does this necessitate tawhid? No, because he may be good and another person may also be good. So if I say "there is no good one except so-and-so" or "the only good one is so-and-so," then at that point I have made him unique in goodness. So the author's statement:
"Affirming the attributes of perfection for our Lord"
requires an addition, which is what? The negation of likeness, so that the tawhid is complete.