Explanation of the author's statement: "As for the negative attributes: those whose meaning is the absence of a matter that is not befitting for Allah (Mighty and Majestic), such as their saying"
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The Shaykh :"As for the attributes, the negative ones are those whose meaning is the absence of a matter that is not befitting for Allah, such as their saying: 'Indeed, Allah is One.'"
The word "One," in our view, is an affirmative attribute.
They say that it is a negative attribute. How is that? They say, in the sense of, yes, "in the sense that He is devoid of division by quantity or by parts, and devoid of a partner." What?
The student: ... .
The Shaykh :"In the sense that He is devoid of division by quantity or by parts, and devoid of a partner," and what does that mean?
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : What do you have?
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : Yes.
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : Yes.
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : Very well.
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : Like knowledge? Yes.
The student: Knowledge of the attributes of Allah, which is an affirmative matter... they say its meaning is the removal of ignorance from Him...
The Shaykh : There is a difference. We need to change all of this. I say the example you have is clearer. Let us first explain the example I have, and then we will explain the example you have.
They say: "Indeed, Allah is One," and the meaning of "One" is not the establishment of the attribute of Oneness for Him. No, "One" means that He is devoid of division, whether that be by multiplicity or by division into parts, and devoid of a partner. That is to say: He does not accept division by fragmentation or by multiplicity in quantity. That is to say: He is not two, nor is He one that can be divided. Do you understand? So now, "the One" for them does not mean the one for whom Oneness is established, but rather it means what? The one from whom division is negated, meaning He is not divided and not fragmented, neither by quantity such that He would be one, two, three, four, nor by parts such that He would have a half, a quarter, an eighth, and the like. And likewise, He is devoid of a partner, meaning He has no partner.
And the second example that Hamad has: they say, "Indeed, Allah has knowledge," but the meaning of knowledge is not that Allah is All-Knowing. Rather, "All-Knowing" does not mean the one who possesses the attribute of knowledge, but "All-Knowing" means: not ignorant. "All-Knowing" means not ignorant. They also say "All-Powerful" means not incapable, and it does not mean the establishment of the attribute of power.
And it is known that this statement is not comprehensible, because if He is not ignorant, is He not All-Knowing? He is All-Knowing, because knowledge and ignorance are contradictory. If one of them is negated, the other is established, and if one of them is established, the other is negated.
"As for the relative attributes, they are those by which Allah is not described as having a fixed attribute." What? What?
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : Okay, and what do we have now that is different?
The word "One," in our view, is an affirmative attribute.
They say that it is a negative attribute. How is that? They say, in the sense of, yes, "in the sense that He is devoid of division by quantity or by parts, and devoid of a partner." What?
The student: ... .
The Shaykh :"In the sense that He is devoid of division by quantity or by parts, and devoid of a partner," and what does that mean?
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : What do you have?
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : Yes.
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : Yes.
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : Very well.
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : Like knowledge? Yes.
The student: Knowledge of the attributes of Allah, which is an affirmative matter... they say its meaning is the removal of ignorance from Him...
The Shaykh : There is a difference. We need to change all of this. I say the example you have is clearer. Let us first explain the example I have, and then we will explain the example you have.
They say: "Indeed, Allah is One," and the meaning of "One" is not the establishment of the attribute of Oneness for Him. No, "One" means that He is devoid of division, whether that be by multiplicity or by division into parts, and devoid of a partner. That is to say: He does not accept division by fragmentation or by multiplicity in quantity. That is to say: He is not two, nor is He one that can be divided. Do you understand? So now, "the One" for them does not mean the one for whom Oneness is established, but rather it means what? The one from whom division is negated, meaning He is not divided and not fragmented, neither by quantity such that He would be one, two, three, four, nor by parts such that He would have a half, a quarter, an eighth, and the like. And likewise, He is devoid of a partner, meaning He has no partner.
And the second example that Hamad has: they say, "Indeed, Allah has knowledge," but the meaning of knowledge is not that Allah is All-Knowing. Rather, "All-Knowing" does not mean the one who possesses the attribute of knowledge, but "All-Knowing" means: not ignorant. "All-Knowing" means not ignorant. They also say "All-Powerful" means not incapable, and it does not mean the establishment of the attribute of power.
And it is known that this statement is not comprehensible, because if He is not ignorant, is He not All-Knowing? He is All-Knowing, because knowledge and ignorance are contradictory. If one of them is negated, the other is established, and if one of them is established, the other is negated.
"As for the relative attributes, they are those by which Allah is not described as having a fixed attribute." What? What?
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : Okay, and what do we have now that is different?