The Meaning of the Poet's Words: "Since He is independent of the Lord of the Most High *** Then there would be two Lords for us at that time, and the Lord is One in His independence *** Is it possible for two to be independent?"
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The Shaykh : Yes, "Since He is independent of the Lord of the Most High *** Then there would be two Lords for us at that time"
Because if two eternal things were posited, each of them would be independent of the other, right? Because this one is eternal and does not need a creator, and the second is eternal and does not need a creator. So at that time, we would have two Lords, each of them being eternal and independent of the other. Pay attention, everyone.
"Since He is independent of the Lord of the Most High *** Then there would be two Lords for us at that time
And the Lord is One in His independence *** Is it possible for two to be independent?"
The answer is: No, the Lord must be independent and one; it is not possible for there to be two Lords. The evidence for this is what is known among scholars as the proof of mutual contradiction. For example, he said: "If that were the case" meaning if there were two, "they would conflict and cancel each other out ***" correct? If there were two Lords, they would conflict, meaning they would oppose each other and cancel each other out, "*** Then they would be two non-existent things, which is impossible"
Now, how is that? If there were two independent Lords, each would be independent, yes, of his own dominion and creations. And at that time, a conflict would necessarily occur between them. So either each of them would be incapable of overcoming the other, or one of them would overpower the other. If each of them were incapable of overcoming the other, they would cancel each other out, and neither would be fit to be a Lord, because the Lord must be overpowering and dominant. And if one of them overpowered the other, then he would be the Lord and the second would not be a Lord.
So the conclusion is that if the universe had two creators, one of two things would necessarily follow: either lordship would be negated for both of them, or it would be affirmed for one of them. As for it being affirmed for both of them, that is impossible. And to this points the saying of Allah the Exalted:[Al-Mu'minun 23:91] And if some of them had been superior to others, the superior one would be the Lord. And this is what Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) pointed to:
"If that were the case, they would conflict and cancel each other out *** Then they would be two non-existent things, which is impossible"
One possibility remains, and that is that one of them overpowers the other. So if one of them overpowers the other, then he is the Lord.
Because if two eternal things were posited, each of them would be independent of the other, right? Because this one is eternal and does not need a creator, and the second is eternal and does not need a creator. So at that time, we would have two Lords, each of them being eternal and independent of the other. Pay attention, everyone.
"Since He is independent of the Lord of the Most High *** Then there would be two Lords for us at that time
And the Lord is One in His independence *** Is it possible for two to be independent?"
The answer is: No, the Lord must be independent and one; it is not possible for there to be two Lords. The evidence for this is what is known among scholars as the proof of mutual contradiction. For example, he said: "If that were the case" meaning if there were two, "they would conflict and cancel each other out ***" correct? If there were two Lords, they would conflict, meaning they would oppose each other and cancel each other out, "*** Then they would be two non-existent things, which is impossible"
Now, how is that? If there were two independent Lords, each would be independent, yes, of his own dominion and creations. And at that time, a conflict would necessarily occur between them. So either each of them would be incapable of overcoming the other, or one of them would overpower the other. If each of them were incapable of overcoming the other, they would cancel each other out, and neither would be fit to be a Lord, because the Lord must be overpowering and dominant. And if one of them overpowered the other, then he would be the Lord and the second would not be a Lord.
So the conclusion is that if the universe had two creators, one of two things would necessarily follow: either lordship would be negated for both of them, or it would be affirmed for one of them. As for it being affirmed for both of them, that is impossible. And to this points the saying of Allah the Exalted:
Allah has not taken any son, nor has there ever been with Him any deity. [If there had been], then each deity would have taken what it created, and some of them would have sought to overcome others.
ما اتخذ الله من ولد وما كان معه من إله إذن لذهب كل إله بما خلق ولعلا بعضهم على بعض"If that were the case, they would conflict and cancel each other out *** Then they would be two non-existent things, which is impossible"
One possibility remains, and that is that one of them overpowers the other. So if one of them overpowers the other, then he is the Lord.