Explanation of the author's statement: ". . . As for the indication of reason regarding the establishment of the attributes of perfection for Allah, its approach is to say"

The Shaykh :"As for reason, as for the indication of reason regarding the establishment of the attributes of perfection for Allah, its approach is to say that every existent in the external world must necessarily have an attribute, either an attribute of perfection or an attribute of deficiency". Or rather, every existent in the external world. The phrase "in the external world" is a precaution against what exists in the mind, because minds posit things that cannot exist in reality. So, our saying "in the external world" is a precaution against what? Against what exists in the mind. Yes, in your mind, you might imagine things that are impossible in the external world. You might imagine a coal burning in the middle of water in your mind, or not? Does the mind posit this? It posits this. It posits a coal burning in the middle of water, or not? The mind posits that a woman carries a child in her head, or does it not posit this? It posits it. But does it have existence in the external world? It has no existence in the external world. The mind posits the existence of both contradictories, but it has no existence in the external world. So, pay attention to the word "in the external world" when it passes you in the speech of Ibn Taymiyyah or others, as a precaution against the mind, because minds posit what does not occur in reality, and this is an observed fact. Is it possible to posit an existent that has no attribute, or is it not possible? Posited in your mind? In your mind, it is possible. You can imagine that something exists but has no attribute; it is not tall or short, not white or black, yes, not thick or light, or anything. You can posit this, but in the external world, it is not possible. Every existent in the external world must necessarily have an attribute. Okay, hmm?

The questioner : ...

The Shaykh : The mind posits everything. Now, for example, let us answer with the first example we used, which is clear. If you put a coal in water, what happens? It is extinguished. Does your mind posit that there is a coal burning in water, or is it extinguished? It is possible. Now, your mind cannot posit that there is a car that floats on the air? A car, the car you have with you now, you started it and said it immediately runs on the air. The point is, do you posit this or not?
The student: There is a difference between reality and imagination.

The Shaykh : Posit it, posit it. You do not imagine. You are not imagining now that there are a thousand airplanes above us? It is possible, but in the external world, there is nothing above us except the roof of the mosque. Yes, a person imagines that there is someone walking on his head from here to Makkah. Do you imagine it or not? No, it appears you understood that reality is one thing and the posited is another thing.

The questioner : ...

The Shaykh : No, it is possible, it is possible. Okay, Allah the Mighty and Majestic said: Do you imagine that or not?
The student: No.

The Shaykh : No, it is possible. How can Allah inform about something we do not imagine?!
The student: ...

The Shaykh : It is an explanation because it is impossible, but as a supposition? Is it possible or not possible? As a supposition, but on the basis of supposition, it is possible. If that were the case, they would both be ruined. So it becomes clear that Allah depicted for us something impossible that exists in the external world, but the mind might imagine that there are two gods, mentally, but in reality, it is not possible. So we must know that the mind posits things that cannot exist in the external world. Did you understand? Does it mean that it only posits reality? No, it posits something that can never exist. Yes, exactly.

The questioner : He imagines himself to be a scholar...

The Shaykh : The point is that this is one thing. The point is that you imagine, you imagine an existent that has no attribute. You can imagine this, but does there exist something before us in the external world that has no attribute? Everything that exists, everything that exists must have an attribute. If its only attribute were that it exists, that would be sufficient.
So we say now, is the Creator existent or non-existent? We say to those who deny the attributes, first we ask them: Is the Lord existent or not? They will say He is existent. If they denied the existence of the Lord, they would be in disbelief. We say, if He is existent, then every existent must necessarily be described with an attribute, or not? Can they say no? They cannot, because if they said no, we would first strike their heads with the attribute of existence, and you are now saying He is existent. So the meaning of existent is being described with the attribute of existence. So every existent must have an attribute, is that not so? It may be a body or it may be non-body, correct or not? Blackness and whiteness, length and shortness, are they existent and are they a body or non-body?
The student: Non-body.

The Shaykh : Non-body. Okay, and it may be a thick body or a thin body, correct or not? Iron is a heavy body, foam is thin. So, every existent must have an attribute. If that is the case, we say that it must have an attribute, either an attribute of perfection or an attribute of deficiency. The Lord is existent, so He must have what? An attribute, either an attribute of perfection or an attribute of deficiency. And what is the second one? The attribute of deficiency is invalid with respect to the Perfect Lord who is worthy of worship. Yes, the second one is invalid with respect to the Perfect Lord who is worthy of worship, and He is Allah the Mighty and Majestic. Is "Lord" one of the names of Allah or not?
The student: Yes.

The Shaykh : "Lord" is one of the names of Allah. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: and it is in Sahih Muslim: So we say that deficiency with respect to Allah is impossible and cannot occur.