The Meaning of the Poet's Statement: Denying that any new event subsists in the Lord *** Out of fear of the infinite regression of entities
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The Shaykh :"Denying that any new event subsists in the Lord *** Out of fear of the infinite regression of entities"
They say that any new event does not subsist in the Lord, such as: rising above the Throne, descending to the lowest heaven, coming to judge between the servants, rejoicing at the servant's repentance when he repents, laughing at two men where one kills the other and both enter Paradise, and so on. Everything that is new is prohibited from subsisting in the Lord. Who said this? They said it because it necessitates that new events subsist in Him, and whatever new events subsist in is itself new. Here he says:
"Out of fear of the infinite regression of entities
So that blocks for them, in their opinion, *** The proof of the Creator of these universes
Since they established it by the fact that the possessor of bodies is *** New, and thus cannot be free from newness
So if new events regress infinitely, there is *** No proof for their newness at that time
For this reason" to the end.
They say: We do not establish the pre-existence of the Lord unless we establish the newness of the creation, the newness of new events; otherwise, we are unable to establish the pre-existence of the Lord. It is said: The pre-existence of the Lord is undoubtedly established. Allah the Exalted has nothing before Him; He begets not, nor was He begotten. All new events exist after they did not exist. Even if they regress infinitely in eternity, they are new and must be so. He said:
"For this reason, they said that infinite regression is invalid *** And that a body is not free from newness"
This body is not free from newness; this is correct. But regarding the Great Lord, we cannot say this. Because speaking of a body, whether denying or affirming it, regarding Allah is prohibited. We do not say that Allah is a body, nor do we say that He is not a body. But we say: Allah (Mighty and Majestic) is a High, Sovereign, Holy, Peaceful, Noble, Wise Being, and so on, as Allah has described Himself.
They say that any new event does not subsist in the Lord, such as: rising above the Throne, descending to the lowest heaven, coming to judge between the servants, rejoicing at the servant's repentance when he repents, laughing at two men where one kills the other and both enter Paradise, and so on. Everything that is new is prohibited from subsisting in the Lord. Who said this? They said it because it necessitates that new events subsist in Him, and whatever new events subsist in is itself new. Here he says:
"Out of fear of the infinite regression of entities
So that blocks for them, in their opinion, *** The proof of the Creator of these universes
Since they established it by the fact that the possessor of bodies is *** New, and thus cannot be free from newness
So if new events regress infinitely, there is *** No proof for their newness at that time
For this reason" to the end.
They say: We do not establish the pre-existence of the Lord unless we establish the newness of the creation, the newness of new events; otherwise, we are unable to establish the pre-existence of the Lord. It is said: The pre-existence of the Lord is undoubtedly established. Allah the Exalted has nothing before Him; He begets not, nor was He begotten. All new events exist after they did not exist. Even if they regress infinitely in eternity, they are new and must be so. He said:
"For this reason, they said that infinite regression is invalid *** And that a body is not free from newness"
This body is not free from newness; this is correct. But regarding the Great Lord, we cannot say this. Because speaking of a body, whether denying or affirming it, regarding Allah is prohibited. We do not say that Allah is a body, nor do we say that He is not a body. But we say: Allah (Mighty and Majestic) is a High, Sovereign, Holy, Peaceful, Noble, Wise Being, and so on, as Allah has described Himself.