Explanation of the Book of Tawhid-02b

The reciter: Abu al-Nu'man narrated to us, saying: Hammad ibn Zayd narrated to us, from Asim al-Ahwal from Abu Usman al-Nahdi, from Usamah ibn Zayd, who said: .

The Shaykh : Allahu Akbar. The evidence from this hadith is his saying: Now, if someone asks: Is mercy an essential attribute inherent to Allah, or an attribute of action? The answer is that in its essence, it is an essential attribute because it is an attribute of perfection. However, in its specific instances and individual cases, it is an attribute of action, because He shows mercy to whom He wills, and everything that is connected to the will is an attribute of action. In this hadith, there is the mercy of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), because the boy was brought to him while he was in the process of dying, and his breath was rattling, meaning it had a rattling sound as if in a leather bag. The "shan" is a worn-out leather bag in which something moves, and you hear a rattling sound. This was the rattling of the breath in the chest of this boy. So the eyes of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) overflowed with tears out of mercy for him. Then Sa'd said: , as if he was surprised that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would cry over this boy. So he said: . In these luminous words from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) lies the greatest consolation: . Subhan Allah, the words of prophethood have a light of brevity along with the greatness and breadth of their meaning. If the matter belongs to Allah, then to Him belongs what He takes and what He gives. So what is our position regarding what Allah has taken from before us? Submission, because the matter belongs to Allah; to Him belongs what He takes and what He gives, (Glorified and Exalted is He). Everything with Him is by a specified term. The decreed thing cannot be advanced or delayed because it is by a specified term, meaning a specific time. At that hour, this thing occurs; it cannot be advanced or delayed. Everything is by a specified term. And in the Noble Qur'an: . So this hadith refers to duration, and that refers to quantity. Everything is by a measure, and we can consider "everything is by a measure" to apply even to time. This is evidence of the perfection of the care of the Lord (Mighty and Majestic) for His creation, and that He (Glorified and Exalted is He) decrees everything by a term that is not exceeded nor shortened. Now, from the names of Allah, al-Rahman indicates the attribute of mercy and the action of mercy. Now, in the Basmala, "Bism Allah al-Rahman al-Rahim," are they synonymous or distinct? Considering their indication of the Essence and considering their meaning, you say that considering them, they are distinct. How can they be distinct when both are from mercy? Al-Rahman is from mercy, and al-Rahim is from mercy? The scholars answered this in a way that necessitates two answers. The first answer is that al-Rahman is a general attribute and al-Rahim is a specific attribute. So al-Rahman is general for everyone, and al-Rahim is specific for the believers, as He said: . The second meaning is that al-Rahman is considered in terms of the attribute.