Reading from al-Harās’s commentary on this verse and the Shaykh’s annotation: For both of them negate the reality of the deity *** And both are equal in their negation
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The Shaykh :"For both of them negate the reality of the deity *** And both are equal in their negation"
It seems, and Allah knows best, that this requires explanation... the commentary is by al-Harās, yes.
Another student: He says...
The Shaykh : Yes
The reader: "... it is said with what he himself said, and the attribute is that which subsists in another. There is no doubt that the body and the attribute are brothers in the ruling of possibility. Thus, each of these two attributes, namely subsisting in itself and subsisting in another, is an attribute of a possible thing. And what is possible is not obligatory, so it is not permissible for either of them to be an attribute... and thus the hesitation between them... it is said to him that the term 'contradictories' here, by saying... neither subsisting in itself nor in another, necessitates the negation of the reality of the deity, just as it was necessitated... in your saying 'neither inside nor outside.' Rather, both are equal in their negation, because the necessity that... establishes one of the attributes of entering or exiting is the very same that necessitates that it be established for Him either subsisting in itself or subsisting in another. And just as it is inconceivable for there to be something neither inside nor outside, it is inconceivable for there to be something that is neither subsisting in itself nor in another."
The Shaykh : So, the address is now with a group who say that it is not subsisting, on the assumption of the saying of one who says it is not subsisting in itself nor in another. We say to them that this is exactly equal to the saying of one who says it is not inside the world nor outside it. If it is impossible that it not be subsisting in itself or in another, then it is impossible that it not be inside the world or outside it. That is, it must be subsisting in itself or in another, just as it must be inside the world or outside it. This is like that; his saying...
"*** For both of them" refers to the one who says it is not inside the world nor outside it, and the one who says it is not subsisting in itself nor in another. Even though, note, the Jahmiyyah and the Mu'tazilah who deny the first say that Allah is subsisting in Himself, and they say it is impossible to say it is not subsisting in itself nor in another; it is impossible. So we say, if you have made this impossible, then make the second...
The student: Impossible.
The Shaykh : What is the second?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Neither inside nor outside. Make it impossible. And if you make 'neither inside the world nor outside it' possible, then make 'neither subsisting in itself nor in another' possible. And for this reason he said:
"For both of them negate the reality of the deity *** And both are equal in their negation"
It seems, and Allah knows best, that this requires explanation... the commentary is by al-Harās, yes.
Another student: He says...
The Shaykh : Yes
The reader: "... it is said with what he himself said, and the attribute is that which subsists in another. There is no doubt that the body and the attribute are brothers in the ruling of possibility. Thus, each of these two attributes, namely subsisting in itself and subsisting in another, is an attribute of a possible thing. And what is possible is not obligatory, so it is not permissible for either of them to be an attribute... and thus the hesitation between them... it is said to him that the term 'contradictories' here, by saying... neither subsisting in itself nor in another, necessitates the negation of the reality of the deity, just as it was necessitated... in your saying 'neither inside nor outside.' Rather, both are equal in their negation, because the necessity that... establishes one of the attributes of entering or exiting is the very same that necessitates that it be established for Him either subsisting in itself or subsisting in another. And just as it is inconceivable for there to be something neither inside nor outside, it is inconceivable for there to be something that is neither subsisting in itself nor in another."
The Shaykh : So, the address is now with a group who say that it is not subsisting, on the assumption of the saying of one who says it is not subsisting in itself nor in another. We say to them that this is exactly equal to the saying of one who says it is not inside the world nor outside it. If it is impossible that it not be subsisting in itself or in another, then it is impossible that it not be inside the world or outside it. That is, it must be subsisting in itself or in another, just as it must be inside the world or outside it. This is like that; his saying...
"*** For both of them" refers to the one who says it is not inside the world nor outside it, and the one who says it is not subsisting in itself nor in another. Even though, note, the Jahmiyyah and the Mu'tazilah who deny the first say that Allah is subsisting in Himself, and they say it is impossible to say it is not subsisting in itself nor in another; it is impossible. So we say, if you have made this impossible, then make the second...
The student: Impossible.
The Shaykh : What is the second?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Neither inside nor outside. Make it impossible. And if you make 'neither inside the world nor outside it' possible, then make 'neither subsisting in itself nor in another' possible. And for this reason he said:
"For both of them negate the reality of the deity *** And both are equal in their negation"