What is the meaning of "Al-ʿAlīm al-Ḥakīm" and "Al-ʿazīz al-Ḥakīm" in the two verses where Allah the Exalted says: "And to Allah belong the hosts of the heavens and the earth, and Allah is Al-ʿAlīm al-Ḥakīm"

The Shaykh : The word of our brotherAbu Layla : That those who are most deserving of asking questions are the ones for whom we were invited, and the host is more aware of what is in his house. Therefore, Abu Maʿhar is the one who decides which questioner takes precedence over another.

The questioner : Peace be upon you.

The Shaykh : And upon you be peace and the mercy of Allah.

The questioner : He says here in Surat al-Fath: Then his saying: So what is the meaning of "Al-ʿAlīm al-Ḥakīm" and "Al-ʿazīz al-Ḥakīm" in each of the two verses? This is the question.

The Shaykh : Are you the one who asked the question, or was the question written for you? What is the difficulty between "Al-ʿAlīm" and "Al-Ḥakīm" and "Al-ʿazīz" and "Al-Ḥakīm"?

The questioner : In the first verse, it mentions "And to Allah belong the hosts of the heavens and the earth" and "And Allah is Al-ʿAlīm al-Ḥakīm," and in the second verse, "And to Allah belong the hosts of the heavens and the earth" and "And Allah is Al-ʿazīz al-Ḥakīm."

The Shaykh : Is there any objection to Allah the Mighty and Majestic describing Himself with two attributes in one occasion, and then in the same verse describing Himself with two attributes, one of which was mentioned in the first place and the other is a new description? Allah the Mighty and Majestic has the Most Beautiful Names, so He described Himself in both places with a total of three attributes: in the first place He described Himself with two attributes, and in the second place He also described Himself with two attributes, but in the second place He added a third attribute, which is Al-ʿazīz (The Mighty). Allah the Mighty and Majestic is Al-ʿazīz, Al-Ḥakīm, Al-ʿAlīm, Ar-Raʿūf, and Ar-Raḥīm. So what is the contradiction in His describing Himself in the first verse with two attributes and then in the other verse describing Himself with two attributes, one of which is a third attribute? There is nothing strange about the fact that in the same verse, a phrase is repeated, and in one place our Lord the Mighty and Majestic describes Himself with two attributes, and then in the same verse, when He mentions it again, He describes Himself with two attributes, one of which was mentioned before and the other is new. There is no objection to that.