Discussion of the interpretation of the saying of Allah the Exalted: “Indeed, your God is One, Lord of the heavens and the earth and what is between them, and Lord of the easts. Indeed, We have adorned the nearest heaven…”
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The Shaykh : I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Shaytan. Allah the Exalted said: [As-Saffat 37:1-4] What is the grammatical position of this phrase, O Muhammad, in relation to what precedes it, “Indeed, your God is One”? It is the answer to the oath. The breaking of the *in* here has two reasons.
The student: ...
The Shaykh : No.
The student: ...
The Shaykh : This is one, and first.
That it is the answer to the oath.
The Shaykh : That it is the answer to the oath. “Your God” means “God,” right, O Abd al-Rahman?
The student: The one who is worshipped.
The Shaykh : The one who is worshipped, meaning the one who is worshipped. Good. As for his saying “One,” this responds to the fact that the polytheists have multiple gods.
The student: ...
The Shaykh : We say, yes, they have gods, but they are false idols. What is the evidence?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : No, no. What is the evidence that they are false? It is the reasoning.
The student:[An-Najm 53:23]
The Shaykh : Correct. And his saying:[An-Najm 53:23] The saying of Allah the Exalted:
[Maryam 19:65] He pluralized the heavens and singularized the earth. Is that because the earth is one? What else? And what is the evidence?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : … Why did you say that the intended meaning of “likeness” here is likeness in number? Could it not be that the intended meaning is likeness in attribute?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Yes, exactly. For this reason, Allah describes the heaven with strength:[An-Naba 78:12] [Al-Anbya 21:32] [Adh-Dhariyat 51:47], and that was not mentioned regarding the earth. Now, O Hidayat Allah, what does it signify to make “what is between them” a parallel to the heavens and the earth?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : The heavens are clearly great, and the earth is likewise. What is between them? Why did Allah make it a parallel and equal to these two, even though it is far less than them?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Like what?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : The clouds and the sun. Good, so this indicates that what is between the heavens and the earth is great creations. Good. The saying of Allah the Exalted: What is the intended meaning of “the easts”?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : It means that every day has an east, so its easts would be three hundred and sixty. And according to the second opinion,
The student: ...
The Shaykh : And everything that rises or sets. Yes. Now, O Salman, in this verse the easts are pluralized, and in another verse also:[Al-Ma'arij 70:40] In some verses it is dualized, and in some verses it is singularized. How do you reconcile these forms?
The student: … Every day and its setting…
The Shaykh : Every day and its setting, or everything that rises and sets. Good. What is our position regarding what has come in the Noble Qur’an or the authentic Prophetic Sunnah that appears to be contradictory? Isa?
The student: We try to reconcile the texts.
The Shaykh : The first position is reconciliation, and this is necessary. Why is it necessary? If it is possible.
The student: Because it results in acting upon both pieces of evidence.
The Shaykh : Because it results in acting upon both pieces of evidence. Well done. And if it is not possible,
The student: Then abrogation.
The Shaykh : Then abrogation, with a condition.
The student: The presence of the conditions of abrogation and the impossibility of reconciliation.
The Shaykh : And among them is knowledge of the later date of the abrogating text.
The student: Knowledge of the chronology.
The Shaykh : Knowledge of the chronology. And if there is no abrogation,
The student: Then preference.
The Shaykh : Then preference, and the reasons for preference are many. And if that is not the case,
The student: Then suspension of judgment.
Then suspension of judgment. Is this possible in light of reality? Yasser.
The student: ...
The Shaykh : It is not possible for a contradiction to exist in which these three things are absent. But in light of the view of the one deriving the ruling, it is possible, either due to his deficiency or his negligence. That is complete. Good. His saying:[As-Saffat 37:6] Ahmad, what is the intended meaning of the nearest heaven?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Correct. The one that follows the earth. Why was it described as “nearest”?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Because of its nearness. Good. This is one. The second, Ahmad.
The student: Because it is less than the other heavens in strength.
The Shaykh : This is correct, and in width, because everything that expands in circle becomes greater. How can it be said “We adorned the nearest heaven” when we have established that the stars are in an orbit between the heaven and the earth?
The student: A thing can be adorned… separately.
The Shaykh : Separately from it. Can you give us an example?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Like chandeliers, even though they are separate from it. Now, his saying: There are two readings in it, Sulayman.
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Meaning, with the genitive construction and with the tanween. On the reading of the genitive construction, Bandar, what is the meaning?
The student: The stars themselves.
The Shaykh : With the adornment of the star, meaning with the adornment that the stars produce. And on the reading of the tanween,
The student: Not the stars themselves.
The Shaykh : No.
The student: General…
The Shaykh : Meaning that it is with a general adornment. What is this adornment? He specified it by saying “the stars” in the detail or explanation after the generalization. What is the benefit?
The student: You see the soul…
The Shaykh : So the explanation or detail falls upon a soul that is looking for it, and that makes it more eloquent and more inviting to acceptance. Meaning, if something comes in a general form and then comes in a detailed or explained form, it is more eloquent, because if it comes to the soul in a general form, the soul seeks an explanation of this generalization, so it falls upon a soul looking for explanation, and that makes it more eloquent and more firmly rooted in the heart. Yes.
(1) By those [angels] lined up in rows (2) And those who drive [the clouds] (3) And those who recite the message, (4) Indeed, your God is One,
والصافات صفا فالزاجرات زجرا فالتاليات ذكرا إن إلهكم لواحدThe student: ...
The Shaykh : No.
The student: ...
The Shaykh : This is one, and first.
That it is the answer to the oath.
The Shaykh : That it is the answer to the oath. “Your God” means “God,” right, O Abd al-Rahman?
The student: The one who is worshipped.
The Shaykh : The one who is worshipped, meaning the one who is worshipped. Good. As for his saying “One,” this responds to the fact that the polytheists have multiple gods.
The student: ...
The Shaykh : We say, yes, they have gods, but they are false idols. What is the evidence?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : No, no. What is the evidence that they are false? It is the reasoning.
The student:
They are not but [mere] names you have named them - you and your forefathers
إن هي إلا أسماء سميتموها أنتم وآباؤكمThe Shaykh : Correct. And his saying:
They are not but [mere] names you have named them - you and your forefathers - for which Allah has sent down no authority.
إن هي إلا أسماء سميتموها أنتم وآباؤكم ما أنزل الله بها من سلطانLord of the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them
رب السماوات والأرض وما بينهماThe student: ...
The Shaykh : … Why did you say that the intended meaning of “likeness” here is likeness in number? Could it not be that the intended meaning is likeness in attribute?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Yes, exactly. For this reason, Allah describes the heaven with strength:
And constructed above you seven strong [heavens]
وخلقنا فوقكم سبعا شداداAnd We made the sky a protected ceiling
وجعلنا السماء سقفا محفوظاAnd the heaven We constructed with strength
والسماء بنيناها بأيدThe student: ...
The Shaykh : The heavens are clearly great, and the earth is likewise. What is between them? Why did Allah make it a parallel and equal to these two, even though it is far less than them?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Like what?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : The clouds and the sun. Good, so this indicates that what is between the heavens and the earth is great creations. Good. The saying of Allah the Exalted:
Lord of the easts.
رب المشارقThe student: ...
The Shaykh : It means that every day has an east, so its easts would be three hundred and sixty. And according to the second opinion,
The student: ...
The Shaykh : And everything that rises or sets. Yes. Now, O Salman, in this verse the easts are pluralized, and in another verse also:
So I swear by the Lord of [all] risings and settings
أفلا أقسم برب المشارق والمغاربThe student: … Every day and its setting…
The Shaykh : Every day and its setting, or everything that rises and sets. Good. What is our position regarding what has come in the Noble Qur’an or the authentic Prophetic Sunnah that appears to be contradictory? Isa?
The student: We try to reconcile the texts.
The Shaykh : The first position is reconciliation, and this is necessary. Why is it necessary? If it is possible.
The student: Because it results in acting upon both pieces of evidence.
The Shaykh : Because it results in acting upon both pieces of evidence. Well done. And if it is not possible,
The student: Then abrogation.
The Shaykh : Then abrogation, with a condition.
The student: The presence of the conditions of abrogation and the impossibility of reconciliation.
The Shaykh : And among them is knowledge of the later date of the abrogating text.
The student: Knowledge of the chronology.
The Shaykh : Knowledge of the chronology. And if there is no abrogation,
The student: Then preference.
The Shaykh : Then preference, and the reasons for preference are many. And if that is not the case,
The student: Then suspension of judgment.
Then suspension of judgment. Is this possible in light of reality? Yasser.
The student: ...
The Shaykh : It is not possible for a contradiction to exist in which these three things are absent. But in light of the view of the one deriving the ruling, it is possible, either due to his deficiency or his negligence. That is complete. Good. His saying:
Indeed, We have adorned the nearest heaven with an adornment of stars
إنا زينا السماء الدنيا بزينة الكواكبThe student: ...
The Shaykh : Correct. The one that follows the earth. Why was it described as “nearest”?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Because of its nearness. Good. This is one. The second, Ahmad.
The student: Because it is less than the other heavens in strength.
The Shaykh : This is correct, and in width, because everything that expands in circle becomes greater. How can it be said “We adorned the nearest heaven” when we have established that the stars are in an orbit between the heaven and the earth?
The student: A thing can be adorned… separately.
The Shaykh : Separately from it. Can you give us an example?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Like chandeliers, even though they are separate from it. Now, his saying:
With the adornment of the stars.
بزينة الكواكبThe student: ...
The Shaykh : Meaning, with the genitive construction and with the tanween. On the reading of the genitive construction, Bandar, what is the meaning?
The student: The stars themselves.
The Shaykh : With the adornment of the star, meaning with the adornment that the stars produce. And on the reading of the tanween,
The student: Not the stars themselves.
The Shaykh : No.
The student: General…
The Shaykh : Meaning that it is with a general adornment. What is this adornment? He specified it by saying “the stars” in the detail or explanation after the generalization. What is the benefit?
The student: You see the soul…
The Shaykh : So the explanation or detail falls upon a soul that is looking for it, and that makes it more eloquent and more inviting to acceptance. Meaning, if something comes in a general form and then comes in a detailed or explained form, it is more eloquent, because if it comes to the soul in a general form, the soul seeks an explanation of this generalization, so it falls upon a soul looking for explanation, and that makes it more eloquent and more firmly rooted in the heart. Yes.