The Shaykh’s review of the previous lesson with a set of questions
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The Shaykh : In the previous lesson, we established that the categories of tawhid (the oneness of Allah) are three. What are they? Tawhid al-uluhiyyah (oneness of worship), tawhid al-rububiyyah (oneness of lordship), and tawhid al-asma' wa al-sifat (oneness of the names and attributes). What is the evidence that they are confined to these three categories? Look into it and examine the evidence.
The student: They found that they are confined to these three.
The Shaykh : Good. What is it that the Muslims and the mushrikin (those who associate partners with Allah) agreed upon from these categories?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Tawhid al-rububiyyah. What is the evidence for the mushrikin’s acknowledgment of tawhid al-rububiyyah?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Good. What is it that the mushrikin and the Muslims differed on from these categories?
The student: Tawhid al-uluhiyyah.
The Shaykh : What is the evidence for the mushrikin’s opposition to the Muslims? The student: ...
The Shaykh :[As-Saffat 37:35-36] Good. What is it that the Muslims differed on from these categories?
The student: Tawhid al-asma' wa al-sifat.
The Shaykh : Good, well done. The Shaykh al-Islam mentioned that the disagreement among Muslims regarding this category is of six types, and we did not mention it yesterday. Can any of you answer this question? The Shaykh al-Islam said that they divided into six categories. The first category: those who took the texts according to their apparent meaning in a manner befitting Allah, saying: We affirm what Allah has affirmed for Himself without likening Him to creation (tashbih) or asking how an attribute is (takyif). The second: those who took the texts according to their apparent meaning and made their apparent meaning of the same kind as the attributes of created beings. The third: those who diverted them from their apparent meaning, interpreting them contrary to their apparent meaning and assigning them meanings that they themselves assigned, saying for example that the meaning of istawa' (rising above the Throne) is istawla (dominated). The fourth: those who opposed their apparent meaning but said, “Allah knows best what He intended.” They did not affirm the apparent meaning, nor did they affirm a meaning as those who affirmed the apparent meaning did, but rather they said, “Allah knows best what He intended.” The fifth: those who said it is permissible that the intended meaning is affirming an attribute befitting Allah, or that the intended meaning is not that. The sixth: those who turned away from all of this and confined themselves to reciting the Qur'an and hadith, without affirming an apparent meaning or a stated meaning, and without permitting anything. These are the six categories mentioned by him (may Allah have mercy on him) in the Fatwa al-Hamawiyyah.
The first category: those who affirmed them according to their apparent meaning befitting Allah are the Salaf, the people of the Sunnah and the community.
And the second category: those who took them according to their apparent meaning and made their apparent meaning of the same kind as the attributes of created beings are the people of likening Allah to creation (tashbih).
And the third category: those who diverted them from their apparent meaning and invented a meaning for them themselves are the people of distortion (tahrif) and figurative interpretation (ta'wil), such as the Asha'irah, the Mu'tazilah, and the like. The fourth category: those who said it is not permissible that it be such and such, and it is not permissible that it be such and such; they diverted them from the apparent meaning but said that we know that Allah did not intend the attribute. These are a group of the theologians (mutakallimin), and the Shaykh did not specify them.
And the fifth: those who said it is permissible that the intended meaning is such and such, and it is permissible that it is such and such. These are a group of the jurists (mutafaqihin), and he did not specify them.
And the sixth: those who said, “Do not speak to us about anything regarding this; we recite the Qur'an and hadith, and we do not know what is intended, nor do we know what Allah intended, whether the apparent meaning or contrary to the apparent meaning. We do not go beyond reciting the Qur'an verbally and the hadiths in the chapter of attributes verbally, and we do not speak of anything.” These too, the Shaykh (may Allah have mercy on him) did not specify. But in reality, the foundations in this matter are three: the people of likening Allah to creation (tashbih), the people of denial of the divine attributes (ta'til), and the Salaf. These views are well-known in the chapter of names and attributes, and they are the foundations.
The Shaykh : Good. We raised an objection regarding tawhid al-rububiyyah. Khalid, regarding Allah’s uniqueness in creation.
The student: ...
The Shaykh : That is, is creation attributed to created beings? That is, is it said: So-and-so is a creator?
The student: Yes, it is attributed.
The Shaykh : But it is not creation that corresponds to Allah’s creation, because Allah’s creation is creative creation, while creation [by others] is alteration and change. The creation of the human being is merely alteration, change, and transformation, but the Creator who brings into existence is Allah (Mighty and Majestic).
The Shaykh : And we raised an objection regarding kingship (malik)?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Kingship is limited and restricted according to what the Shari'ah requires. Good. We also raised an objection regarding management (tadbir). The student: ...
The Shaykh : In contrast to the created being, whose management is restricted by what the Shari'ah requires. We mentioned the hadith of Ibn Abbas regarding the sending of Mu'adh to Yemen, which al-Bukhari narrated in this chapter. What did he narrate in this chapter? Do not read it from your memory?
The student: ... Two narrations.
The Shaykh : There are several narrations that the author narrated in this chapter.
The student: Until they worship Allah alone.
The Shaykh : Until they worship Allah alone, because it is in the chapter of tawhid. Good. In the wording in the context mentioned by the author, the wording he mentioned in some of the wordings of the hadith: “If they obey you for that.” And here, what did he say? The wording al-Bukhari narrated: “If they know that.” What is the meaning of the knowledge about which the theologians spoke? That is, did they know what you command them? Good. How can the servants have a right over Allah, when it is He who obligates upon the creation?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : And Allah obligates upon Himself what He wills, whereas we do not obligate anything upon Allah. Tawhid al-asma' wa al-sifat, what is its meaning?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : It must involve affirmation and negation,[Ash-Shuraa 42:11] negating likeness and affirming perfection.
We will take a new lesson now in Surat[Al-Ikhlas 112:1]. It is said that it equals one-third of the Qur'an. How was that?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : The news about Allah. Correct. Did Surat[Al-Ikhlas 112:1] include all types of tawhid?
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh : How? In His saying, “He is Allah.” Tawhid of what? Lordship?
The student: Tawhid of the names and attributes...
The Shaykh : Good, I heard.
The student: They found that they are confined to these three.
The Shaykh : Good. What is it that the Muslims and the mushrikin (those who associate partners with Allah) agreed upon from these categories?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Tawhid al-rububiyyah. What is the evidence for the mushrikin’s acknowledgment of tawhid al-rububiyyah?
The student: ...
The Shaykh :
They will say, "Allah"
ليقولن اللهThe student: Tawhid al-uluhiyyah.
The Shaykh : What is the evidence for the mushrikin’s opposition to the Muslims? The student: ...
The Shaykh :
(35) Indeed they, when it was said to them, "There is no deity but Allah," were arrogant (36) And were saying, "Are we to leave our gods for a mad poet?"
إنهم كانوا إذا قيل لهم لا إله إلا الله يستكبرون * ويقولون أئنا لتاركوا آلهتنا لشاعر مجنونThe student: Tawhid al-asma' wa al-sifat.
The Shaykh : Good, well done. The Shaykh al-Islam mentioned that the disagreement among Muslims regarding this category is of six types, and we did not mention it yesterday. Can any of you answer this question? The Shaykh al-Islam said that they divided into six categories. The first category: those who took the texts according to their apparent meaning in a manner befitting Allah, saying: We affirm what Allah has affirmed for Himself without likening Him to creation (tashbih) or asking how an attribute is (takyif). The second: those who took the texts according to their apparent meaning and made their apparent meaning of the same kind as the attributes of created beings. The third: those who diverted them from their apparent meaning, interpreting them contrary to their apparent meaning and assigning them meanings that they themselves assigned, saying for example that the meaning of istawa' (rising above the Throne) is istawla (dominated). The fourth: those who opposed their apparent meaning but said, “Allah knows best what He intended.” They did not affirm the apparent meaning, nor did they affirm a meaning as those who affirmed the apparent meaning did, but rather they said, “Allah knows best what He intended.” The fifth: those who said it is permissible that the intended meaning is affirming an attribute befitting Allah, or that the intended meaning is not that. The sixth: those who turned away from all of this and confined themselves to reciting the Qur'an and hadith, without affirming an apparent meaning or a stated meaning, and without permitting anything. These are the six categories mentioned by him (may Allah have mercy on him) in the Fatwa al-Hamawiyyah.
The first category: those who affirmed them according to their apparent meaning befitting Allah are the Salaf, the people of the Sunnah and the community.
And the second category: those who took them according to their apparent meaning and made their apparent meaning of the same kind as the attributes of created beings are the people of likening Allah to creation (tashbih).
And the third category: those who diverted them from their apparent meaning and invented a meaning for them themselves are the people of distortion (tahrif) and figurative interpretation (ta'wil), such as the Asha'irah, the Mu'tazilah, and the like. The fourth category: those who said it is not permissible that it be such and such, and it is not permissible that it be such and such; they diverted them from the apparent meaning but said that we know that Allah did not intend the attribute. These are a group of the theologians (mutakallimin), and the Shaykh did not specify them.
And the fifth: those who said it is permissible that the intended meaning is such and such, and it is permissible that it is such and such. These are a group of the jurists (mutafaqihin), and he did not specify them.
And the sixth: those who said, “Do not speak to us about anything regarding this; we recite the Qur'an and hadith, and we do not know what is intended, nor do we know what Allah intended, whether the apparent meaning or contrary to the apparent meaning. We do not go beyond reciting the Qur'an verbally and the hadiths in the chapter of attributes verbally, and we do not speak of anything.” These too, the Shaykh (may Allah have mercy on him) did not specify. But in reality, the foundations in this matter are three: the people of likening Allah to creation (tashbih), the people of denial of the divine attributes (ta'til), and the Salaf. These views are well-known in the chapter of names and attributes, and they are the foundations.
The Shaykh : Good. We raised an objection regarding tawhid al-rububiyyah. Khalid, regarding Allah’s uniqueness in creation.
The student: ...
The Shaykh : That is, is creation attributed to created beings? That is, is it said: So-and-so is a creator?
The student: Yes, it is attributed.
The Shaykh : But it is not creation that corresponds to Allah’s creation, because Allah’s creation is creative creation, while creation [by others] is alteration and change. The creation of the human being is merely alteration, change, and transformation, but the Creator who brings into existence is Allah (Mighty and Majestic).
The Shaykh : And we raised an objection regarding kingship (malik)?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Kingship is limited and restricted according to what the Shari'ah requires. Good. We also raised an objection regarding management (tadbir). The student: ...
The Shaykh : In contrast to the created being, whose management is restricted by what the Shari'ah requires. We mentioned the hadith of Ibn Abbas regarding the sending of Mu'adh to Yemen, which al-Bukhari narrated in this chapter. What did he narrate in this chapter? Do not read it from your memory?
The student: ... Two narrations.
The Shaykh : There are several narrations that the author narrated in this chapter.
The student: Until they worship Allah alone.
The Shaykh : Until they worship Allah alone, because it is in the chapter of tawhid. Good. In the wording in the context mentioned by the author, the wording he mentioned in some of the wordings of the hadith: “If they obey you for that.” And here, what did he say? The wording al-Bukhari narrated: “If they know that.” What is the meaning of the knowledge about which the theologians spoke? That is, did they know what you command them? Good. How can the servants have a right over Allah, when it is He who obligates upon the creation?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : And Allah obligates upon Himself what He wills, whereas we do not obligate anything upon Allah. Tawhid al-asma' wa al-sifat, what is its meaning?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : It must involve affirmation and negation,
There is nothing like unto Him
ليس كمثله شيءWe will take a new lesson now in Surat
Say, "He is Allah, [who is] One,
قل هو الله أحدThe student: ...
The Shaykh : The news about Allah. Correct. Did Surat
Say, "He is Allah, [who is] One,
قل هو الله أحدThe student: Yes.
The Shaykh : How? In His saying, “He is Allah.” Tawhid of what? Lordship?
The student: Tawhid of the names and attributes...
The Shaykh : Good, I heard.