Discussion of the interpretation of the saying of Allah the Exalted: “And when man is touched by harm, he calls upon his Lord, turning back to Him. Then when He bestows upon him a favor from Him, he forgets what he used to call upon Him for before…”
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The Shaykh : Well, I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Shaytan. Allah Blessed and Exalted is He said: [Az-Zumar 39:8] What is meant by “man” here? Fahd!
The student: The disbeliever.
The Shaykh : The disbeliever. Why do we not take it in the general sense, just as we took the saying of Allah the Exalted:[An-Nisa 4:28] in the general sense?
The student: … By the indication of the context.
The Shaykh : What is the context?
The student: The indication of the context regarding the disbeliever is…[Az-Zumar 39:8]
The Shaykh :[Az-Zumar 39:8] Well done. Now, is it permissible in the Arabic language for the general to be used in the sense of the specific?
The student: Yes, very often.
The Shaykh : Very often. And an example? Other than this verse?
The student: The saying of Allah the Exalted:[Ali 'Imran 3:173]
The Shaykh : The saying of Allah the Exalted:[Ali 'Imran 3:173] So the first “people” is one man, and the second
is a group of people, not all people. Now, the saying of Allah the Exalted:[Az-Zumar 39:8] What is the meaning of ?
The student: He gave him.
The Shaykh : He gave him. And from that is the saying of Allah the Exalted:[Al-An'am 6:94]. Now, “favor”?
The student: … The author interpreted it as “bestowing a favor,” and this is incorrect, because “bestowing a favor” is an action of Allah Glorified and Exalted is He.
The Shaykh : And the correct answer is better than saying “this is incorrect.” The correct meaning is that He gave him a favor, because He granted him the thing being favored, not the act of bestowing. The act of bestowing is from the action of Allah. Now, the saying of Allah the Exalted:[Az-Zumar 39:8] Are there two readings?
The student: With the yā’ open and with the yā’ closed, with its closing and opening.
The Shaykh : Read them.
The student: Liyuḍill and liyaḍill.
The Shaykh : Yes, well done. Now, what is the meaning of the lām in both readings?
The student: In the case of the open yā’, it is for the result. If it is the closed yā’, it is
The Shaykh : for the cause. Abd al-Qadir explains to us that the lām entering the present tense verb is for the result and for the cause, as in this verse. Does it have a third meaning? Come, Abd al-Qadir, we think you are a grammarian.
The student: … It is superfluous.
The Shaykh : Superfluous like what?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : No, no, no. The one that enters the present tense is not the lām that enters the noun.
The student: On the present tense?
The Shaykh : Yes, it comes as superfluous, but we need the example now.
The student: It comes with the meaning of the lām.
The Shaykh : There is no power and no strength except by Allah. Yes.
The student: Like[An-Nisa 4:26]
The Shaykh :[An-Nisa 4:26] The lām here?
The student: Superfluous.
The Shaykh : Superfluous. Why? Because “willing” indicates its meaning. If Allah Mighty and Majestic had said: “Allah wills to make clear to you,”
The student: Correct.
The Shaykh : Correct, the speech is sound.
And when adversity touches man, he calls upon his Lord, turning to Him
وإذا مس الانسان ضُرٌّ دعا ربه منيبًا إليهThe student: The disbeliever.
The Shaykh : The disbeliever. Why do we not take it in the general sense, just as we took the saying of Allah the Exalted:
and mankind was created weak.
وخُلِقَ الإنسانُ ضعيفًاThe student: … By the indication of the context.
The Shaykh : What is the context?
The student: The indication of the context regarding the disbeliever is…
and he attributes to Allah equals
وجعل لله أندادًاThe Shaykh :
and he attributes to Allah equals
وجعل لله أنداداThe student: Yes, very often.
The Shaykh : Very often. And an example? Other than this verse?
The student: The saying of Allah the Exalted:
Those to whom hypocrites said, "Indeed, the people have gathered against you, so fear them."
الذين قال لهم الناس إنَّ الناس قد جمعوا لكم فاخشوهمThe Shaykh : The saying of Allah the Exalted:
Those to whom hypocrites said, "Indeed, the people have gathered against you
الذين قال لهم الناس إنَّ الناس قد جمعوا لكمthe people
الناسis a group of people, not all people. Now, the saying of Allah the Exalted:
then when He bestows on him a favor from Himself
ثم إذا خوَّلَه نِعْمَةٌ منهHe granted him
خوَّلَهThe student: He gave him.
The Shaykh : He gave him. And from that is the saying of Allah the Exalted:
and you have left whatever We bestowed upon you
وتركتم ما خوَّلْنَاكمThe student: … The author interpreted it as “bestowing a favor,” and this is incorrect, because “bestowing a favor” is an action of Allah Glorified and Exalted is He.
The Shaykh : And the correct answer is better than saying “this is incorrect.” The correct meaning is that He gave him a favor, because He granted him the thing being favored, not the act of bestowing. The act of bestowing is from the action of Allah. Now, the saying of Allah the Exalted:
and he attributes to Allah equals to mislead
وجعل لله أندادًا ليُضِلّThe student: With the yā’ open and with the yā’ closed, with its closing and opening.
The Shaykh : Read them.
The student: Liyuḍill and liyaḍill.
The Shaykh : Yes, well done. Now, what is the meaning of the lām in both readings?
The student: In the case of the open yā’, it is for the result. If it is the closed yā’, it is
The Shaykh : for the cause. Abd al-Qadir explains to us that the lām entering the present tense verb is for the result and for the cause, as in this verse. Does it have a third meaning? Come, Abd al-Qadir, we think you are a grammarian.
The student: … It is superfluous.
The Shaykh : Superfluous like what?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : No, no, no. The one that enters the present tense is not the lām that enters the noun.
The student: On the present tense?
The Shaykh : Yes, it comes as superfluous, but we need the example now.
The student: It comes with the meaning of the lām.
The Shaykh : There is no power and no strength except by Allah. Yes.
The student: Like
Allah wants to make clear to you
يريد الله ليبين لكمThe Shaykh :
Allah wants to make clear to you
يريد الله ليبين لكمThe student: Superfluous.
The Shaykh : Superfluous. Why? Because “willing” indicates its meaning. If Allah Mighty and Majestic had said: “Allah wills to make clear to you,”
The student: Correct.
The Shaykh : Correct, the speech is sound.