Raising an issue regarding the implications of correspondence, inclusion, and necessity in the names and attributes
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The Shaykh : There is a point here that raises a difficulty regarding the implications of correspondence, inclusion, and necessity. We mentioned yesterday that a name indicates the Essence and the attribute. Every name among the names of Allah indicates an Essence and an attribute. Its indication of both is called the implication of correspondence. Its indication of one of them is called the implication of inclusion, meaning this word includes this, but it is not its full meaning. The implication of necessity indicates a matter that the word does not indicate in terms of its material, but the meaning indicates it, such that it is necessary that so-and-so implies so-and-so and so-and-so. Do you understand? Good. The example: We will give an example with something rational and something perceptible from the names of Allah the Exalted. Al-Khaliq (The Creator). Al-Khaliq indicates the Essence of the Lord, Glory and Exaltation be upon Him, and the attribute of creation. It indicates that there is a Creator and that there is creation. As I said, "standing" indicates that a person is standing and the act of standing. Al-Khaliq indicates the Lord, Mighty and Majestic, and the attribute of creation. Its indication of the Essence and the attribute is an implication of correspondence, because the word matched the meaning and became equal to it, like a plate on a dish that equals it in correspondence. Its indication of one of them is inclusion, for example: Al-Khaliq includes the indication of the Lord, Mighty and Majestic, and includes the indication of creation, which is the attribute. Is it possible for there to be creation without knowledge and power? The answer is: No. How did we know that Al-Khaliq indicates the attributes of knowledge and power? Through necessity. It is necessary that the Creator be knowledgeable and powerful, because the ignorant cannot create and the incapable cannot create. This is a rational example.
The perceptible example: I said, "This is so-and-so's palace." The word "palace" encompasses the entire building, including its rooms, chambers, courtyards, and so on. Does it not indicate that by correspondence? The palace includes everything in it. It indicates every room in it, or every chamber in it, or every courtyard in it, by inclusion. That is, among what is in this palace is a room, among it is a chamber, among it is a courtyard. It indicates that there is a builder who built this palace by necessity, because it is necessary for a built, standing palace to have a builder. Do you understand? The implications of correspondence and inclusion are understood by most people and do not cause them difficulty, but the implication of necessity is where scholars differ greatly, according to the understanding that Allah the Exalted has given them. Because knowing that so-and-so necessitates so-and-so or so-and-so is not grasped by anyone but the experts. For this reason, we say that every name among the names of Allah indicates an Essence and an attribute, and it may indicate more than one attribute through necessity.
The perceptible example: I said, "This is so-and-so's palace." The word "palace" encompasses the entire building, including its rooms, chambers, courtyards, and so on. Does it not indicate that by correspondence? The palace includes everything in it. It indicates every room in it, or every chamber in it, or every courtyard in it, by inclusion. That is, among what is in this palace is a room, among it is a chamber, among it is a courtyard. It indicates that there is a builder who built this palace by necessity, because it is necessary for a built, standing palace to have a builder. Do you understand? The implications of correspondence and inclusion are understood by most people and do not cause them difficulty, but the implication of necessity is where scholars differ greatly, according to the understanding that Allah the Exalted has given them. Because knowing that so-and-so necessitates so-and-so or so-and-so is not grasped by anyone but the experts. For this reason, we say that every name among the names of Allah indicates an Essence and an attribute, and it may indicate more than one attribute through necessity.