What is the difference between His saying, the Exalted: “A select group from the former and a few from the latter” and His saying: “A select group from the former and a select group from the latter”?
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The questioner : May Allah reward you, O honorable Shaykh: What is the difference between the saying of Allah, Mighty and Majestic, in Surat al-Waqi'ah: [Al-Waqi'ah 56:13-14] and in the other verse: [Al-Waqi'ah 56:39-40]?
The Shaykh : The difference is that the first refers to the Forerunners. The Forerunners are a select group from the former and a few from the latter, because as time passes, the religion weakens. The second group, the People of the Right Hand, are of a lower rank than the Forerunners, so among them are groups from both these and those.
The questioner : Does “select group” mean a small number?
The Shaykh : A “select group” is a party, whether small or large, but[Al-Waqi'ah 56:13] means: a large number, as evidenced by His saying: [Al-Waqi'ah 56:14] after it, on the left.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good, O Shaykh. Was the Night Journey and the Ascension in a waking state or in sleep?
The Shaykh : Ah?
The questioner : O Shaykh, was the Night Journey and the Ascension in a waking state or in sleep?
The Shaykh : What?
The questioner : And is it related?
(13) A [large] company of the former peoples (14) And a few of the later peoples,
ثُلَّةٌ مِنْ الأَوَّلِينَ * وَقَلِيلٌ مِنْ الآخِرِينَ(39) A company of the former peoples (40) And a company of the later peoples.
ثُلَّةٌ مِنْ الأَوَّلِينَ * وَثُلَّةٌ مِنْ الآخِرِينَThe Shaykh : The difference is that the first refers to the Forerunners. The Forerunners are a select group from the former and a few from the latter, because as time passes, the religion weakens. The second group, the People of the Right Hand, are of a lower rank than the Forerunners, so among them are groups from both these and those.
The questioner : Does “select group” mean a small number?
The Shaykh : A “select group” is a party, whether small or large, but
A [large] company of the former peoples
ثُلَّةٌ مِنْ الأَوَّلِينَAnd a few of the later peoples,
وَقَلِيلٌ مِنْ الآخِرِينَThe questioner : May Allah reward you with good, O Shaykh. Was the Night Journey and the Ascension in a waking state or in sleep?
The Shaykh : Ah?
The questioner : O Shaykh, was the Night Journey and the Ascension in a waking state or in sleep?
The Shaykh : What?
The questioner : And is it related?