Discussion of the saying of Allah the Exalted: ((And Allah was ever Forgiving and Merciful))
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There is a point of difficulty in the verse; I do not know if I have raised it and answered it before, which is His saying: [An-Nisa 4:96] "Allah was," meaning, and now?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Yes, but how do we answer His saying:[An-Nisa 4:96]?
The student: "Was" indicates continuity.
The Shaykh : No, it is not for continuity. "Was" itself comes to indicate continuity.
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Yes, I said that it is established that Allah was Forgiving and Merciful, but "was" ...?
The student: ...?
The Shaykh : Yes, we say that if "was" is intended to mean that the subject possesses the attribute described by the predicate, regardless of time, which is known as "was" stripped of time, meaning that time is not intended at all, but rather the realization of this attribute is intended, then "was" means "established." Do you understand? So[An-Nisa 4:96] means that He, Mighty and Majestic, has always been and continues to be so, Forgiving and Merciful. I think we can conclude here.
And Allah is ever Forgiving and Merciful.
وكان الله غفوراً رحيماًThe student: ...
The Shaykh : Yes, but how do we answer His saying:
And Allah is ever Forgiving
كان الله غفوراًThe student: "Was" indicates continuity.
The Shaykh : No, it is not for continuity. "Was" itself comes to indicate continuity.
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Yes, I said that it is established that Allah was Forgiving and Merciful, but "was" ...?
The student: ...?
The Shaykh : Yes, we say that if "was" is intended to mean that the subject possesses the attribute described by the predicate, regardless of time, which is known as "was" stripped of time, meaning that time is not intended at all, but rather the realization of this attribute is intended, then "was" means "established." Do you understand? So