The Meaning of the Poet's Statement: (And Explaining the Difference Between the Body, the Attribute, and the Essence) A body subsists in itself, likewise *** An attribute subsists in another; two brothers in the ruling of possibility, and not
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The Shaykh :"A body subsists in itself, likewise *** An attribute subsists in another; two brothers
in the ruling of possibility *** "
He says that the thing that subsists in itself is either a body or an attribute. Either a body, yes. The one that subsists in itself is a body, and the one that subsists in another is an attribute. So length, shortness, health, and sickness—these exist in another, so they are attributes. As for the essence, this is a body. They say that Allah is free from bodies and attributes. You do not say Allah is a body, nor do you say He is an attribute, nor do you describe Him with attributes that necessitate Him being a body or an attribute, according to their claim. Therefore, negating the body and negating the attribute with regard to Allah is a possible matter. It is a possible matter because He is not susceptible to that. He says
"A body subsists in itself, likewise *** An attribute subsists in another; two brothers "
This means that if you say He subsists in Himself, you liken Him to a body, and if you say He does not subsist in Himself, you liken Him to an attribute.
"In the ruling of possibility, and not obligatory *** What possesses the reality of possibility "
He says that this is possible and not obligatory. That means it is possible that He subsists in another or in Himself, and it is not obligatory. That is, it is permissible for us to negate both matters from Him. But we say that the reality is that it is obligatory that He be either subsisting in Himself or subsisting in another, and there is no escape from that. Likewise, we say with regard to His being inside the creation or outside it: one of the two matters is necessary, either inside or outside, or the third matter, which is what?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : No.
The student: ...
The Shaykh : The unity is that He is the very creation. If you say He is not inside it and not outside it, then say He is its very essence, and follow the path of the people of the Unity of Existence.
in the ruling of possibility *** "
He says that the thing that subsists in itself is either a body or an attribute. Either a body, yes. The one that subsists in itself is a body, and the one that subsists in another is an attribute. So length, shortness, health, and sickness—these exist in another, so they are attributes. As for the essence, this is a body. They say that Allah is free from bodies and attributes. You do not say Allah is a body, nor do you say He is an attribute, nor do you describe Him with attributes that necessitate Him being a body or an attribute, according to their claim. Therefore, negating the body and negating the attribute with regard to Allah is a possible matter. It is a possible matter because He is not susceptible to that. He says
"A body subsists in itself, likewise *** An attribute subsists in another; two brothers "
This means that if you say He subsists in Himself, you liken Him to a body, and if you say He does not subsist in Himself, you liken Him to an attribute.
"In the ruling of possibility, and not obligatory *** What possesses the reality of possibility "
He says that this is possible and not obligatory. That means it is possible that He subsists in another or in Himself, and it is not obligatory. That is, it is permissible for us to negate both matters from Him. But we say that the reality is that it is obligatory that He be either subsisting in Himself or subsisting in another, and there is no escape from that. Likewise, we say with regard to His being inside the creation or outside it: one of the two matters is necessary, either inside or outside, or the third matter, which is what?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : No.
The student: ...
The Shaykh : The unity is that He is the very creation. If you say He is not inside it and not outside it, then say He is its very essence, and follow the path of the people of the Unity of Existence.