The benefits of the saying of Allah the Exalted: “So who is more unjust than one who lies about Allah and denies the truth when it comes to him? Is there not in Hell a dwelling place for the disbelievers?”
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Among the benefits of this noble verse is that no one is more unjust than one who lies about Allah and denies the truth, because he combines two evils. The first evil is lying about the unseen, and the second evil is denying the true unseen. If one of them were to occur alone, would that person deserve this description of being the most unjust of people?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : If he lied about Allah but believed in the truth, would he deserve this description?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : No, because the description or ruling attached to a set of attributes is not established unless they are all present. However, if the attributes are separated, he has a share of this description; he has a share of this description. So His saying, the Exalted,[Al-Ma'un 107:4-7] is one of these attributes, and he has a share of the woe, but the full woe does not occur unless the attributes are gathered. [Al-Muddaththir 74:42] They said
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Recite for me.
The student:[Al-Muddaththir 74:43]
The Shaykh : Yes
The student:[Al-Muddaththir 74:43]
The Shaykh : And we used to engage in idle talk
The student: ...
The Shaykh :[Al-Muddaththir 74:46] Four attributes are the cause of their entry into the Fire. If one of them were to occur alone, it would not be so; their entry into the Fire would not be deserved. But he has a share of this threat. Now, here, [Az-Zumar 39:32] how many attributes are there, O Muhammad?
The student: Two attributes
The Shaykh : Two
The student: Lying about Allah, fabricating against Allah, and denying the truth
The Shaykh : And denying the truth. If he fabricated without denying the truth
The student: It does not apply
The Shaykh : The description of being the most unjust did not apply to him, but he is still an oppressor. And if he denied the truth but did not lie about Allah, it is the same. Now, if someone were to say that this verse indicates that the one who possesses these two attributes is the most unjust of people, how do we reconcile this with other texts that indicate the same meaning? Such as[Al-Baqarah 2:114] and in the hadith Sahih al-Bukhari 7559
The student: ...
The Shaykh : And many other texts. The answer is that we say all of these share in being the most unjust. O Abd al-Rahman, yes.
We say these matters shared in what?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : In the description of being the most unjust. There is no harm in them sharing in it. For example, you might say “So-and-so is the most truthful of people” and the second one also “So-and-so is the most truthful of people” and the third “So-and-so is the most truthful of people” meaning they shared in this high rank, which is the highest of all things, because the name of superlative indicates perfection in that attribute. Or we say that being the most unjust is considered in terms of the genus of this sin, in terms of the genus of this sin. For example, who is the most oppressive of people in lying about the unseen?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Who is the most oppressive of people in lying about Allah? Who is the most oppressive of people in denying the unseen? Who denied
The student: The truth.
The Shaykh : Who denied the truth. And this view is closer, because sharing in being the most unjust can prevent the name of superlative in the other genus. That is, it is not fully conceivable that the sharing of these actions in being the most unjust necessitates that none of them is more unjust than the others. So if we say that being the most unjust here is considered in terms of what?
The student: The genus
The Shaykh : In terms of the genus of the one being compared to. That is,[Az-Zumar 39:32]
The student: ...
The Shaykh : And the one who denies what may be true or false is not like the one who denies what
The student: Does not allow
The Shaykh : What is known to be the truth.[Az-Zumar 39:32] Now, [Al-Baqarah 2:114] the one who prevents the mosques of Allah is more unjust than the one who prevents another from his right. If you prevented a man from entering his house, your preventing this man from entering the mosque of Allah and mentioning His name
The student: ...
The Shaykh : And mentioning His name therein
The student: Is greater
The Shaykh : Is greater. Now,Sahih al-Bukhari 7559 If someone went to create like the creation of so-and-so or so-and-so, whom it is forbidden to compete with in his craft, then the one who went to create like the creation of Allah
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Is more unjust, and so on. And this answer, as you see, is sound and no objection is raised against it. Now, we
And among the benefits of this noble verse is that lying about Allah is the most oppressive type of lying, because of His saying[Az-Zumar 39:32] And if the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Sahih al-Bukhari 1291 then what about lying
The student: Upon Allah.
The Shaykh : About Allah who sent him? If this lying about the Messenger is of this magnitude, what about the one who lies about Allah?
And among the benefits of this noble verse is the obligation of being careful in interpreting the Qur'an, the obligation of being careful in interpreting the Qur'an, because the interpreter of the Qur'an is a witness for Allah that He
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Intended such and such, and it may be that the matter is otherwise, in which case he would be lying about Allah. For this reason, the distinguished Companions were cautious about interpreting the Qur'an, even though it was revealed in their language, in their era, and in their presence, and yet they were cautious. Abu Bakr was asked about His saying, the Exalted, “What is al-abb?” He said: “What earth will carry me, and what sky will shade me, if I say in the speech of Allah what I do not know?” Meaning he does not know, and he said “What earth will carry me, and what sky will shade me” What Allah willed. Now, we have people who interpret the verse as if they were Ibn 'Abbas, and he is one of the most ignorant of Allah's servants, and he does not care if he interprets. If he interpreted the speech of Zayd and 'Amr, it would not concern us, it would not concern us at all, and what would concern us? But if he interprets the speech of Allah, he is a witness for Allah that He
The student: Intended...
The Shaykh : What?
The student: Intended...
The Shaykh : Intended such and such. And for this reason, we find that the most dangerous thing is to interpret the speech of Allah away from its apparent meaning to a meaning that contradicts the apparent meaning without clear evidence. And by this we know the misguidance of the people of ta'til (denial of the divine attributes), the misguidance of the people of ta'til who said: “He rose above the Throne” meaning?
The student: He took possession of it...
The Shaykh : He took possession of it. You are a witness for Allah that He intended this?[Sad 38:75]
The Shaykh : By my strength or by my blessing or the like of that. This is lying about Allah, because Allah addressed us in the Qur'an in the Arabic language, so we must take this Qur'an in terms of what?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : In the Arabic language without distorting it. Now, yes.
The student: ...
The Shaykh : If he lied about Allah but believed in the truth, would he deserve this description?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : No, because the description or ruling attached to a set of attributes is not established unless they are all present. However, if the attributes are separated, he has a share of this description; he has a share of this description. So His saying, the Exalted,
(4) So woe to those who pray (5) [But] who are heedless of their prayer - (6) Those who make show [of their deeds] (7) And withhold [simple] assistance.
فويل للمصلين * الذين هم عن صلاتهم ساهون * الذين هم يراؤن * ويمنعون الماعون[And asking them], "What put you into Saqar?"
ما سلككم في سقرThe student: ...
The Shaykh : Recite for me.
The student:
We were not of those who prayed,
لم نك من المصلينThe Shaykh : Yes
The student:
We were not of those who prayed,
لم نك من المصلينAnd we used to engage in idle talk.
وكنا نخوض ُThe Shaykh : And we used to engage in idle talk
The student: ...
The Shaykh :
And we used to deny the Day of Recompense
ووكنا نكذب بيوم الدينSo who is more unjust than one who lies about Allah and denies the truth
فمن أظلم ممن كذب على الله وكذب بالصدقThe student: Two attributes
The Shaykh : Two
The student: Lying about Allah, fabricating against Allah, and denying the truth
The Shaykh : And denying the truth. If he fabricated without denying the truth
The student: It does not apply
The Shaykh : The description of being the most unjust did not apply to him, but he is still an oppressor. And if he denied the truth but did not lie about Allah, it is the same. Now, if someone were to say that this verse indicates that the one who possesses these two attributes is the most unjust of people, how do we reconcile this with other texts that indicate the same meaning? Such as
And who are more unjust than those who prevent the name of Allah from being mentioned in His mosques and strive toward their destruction
فمن أظلم ممن منع مساجد الله أن يذكر فيها اسمه وسعى في خرابهاWho are most unjust than those who try to create something like My creation?
ومن أظلم ممن ذهب يخلق كخلقيThe student: ...
The Shaykh : And many other texts. The answer is that we say all of these share in being the most unjust. O Abd al-Rahman, yes.
We say these matters shared in what?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : In the description of being the most unjust. There is no harm in them sharing in it. For example, you might say “So-and-so is the most truthful of people” and the second one also “So-and-so is the most truthful of people” and the third “So-and-so is the most truthful of people” meaning they shared in this high rank, which is the highest of all things, because the name of superlative indicates perfection in that attribute. Or we say that being the most unjust is considered in terms of the genus of this sin, in terms of the genus of this sin. For example, who is the most oppressive of people in lying about the unseen?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Who is the most oppressive of people in lying about Allah? Who is the most oppressive of people in denying the unseen? Who denied
The student: The truth.
The Shaykh : Who denied the truth. And this view is closer, because sharing in being the most unjust can prevent the name of superlative in the other genus. That is, it is not fully conceivable that the sharing of these actions in being the most unjust necessitates that none of them is more unjust than the others. So if we say that being the most unjust here is considered in terms of what?
The student: The genus
The Shaykh : In terms of the genus of the one being compared to. That is,
So who is more unjust than one who lies about Allah
فمن أظلم ممن كذب على اللهThe student: ...
The Shaykh : And the one who denies what may be true or false is not like the one who denies what
The student: Does not allow
The Shaykh : What is known to be the truth.
denies the truth when it has come to him
كذب بالصدق إذ جاءهAnd who are more unjust than those who prevent the name of Allah from being mentioned in His mosques
ومن أظلم ممن منع مساجد الله أن يذكر فيها اسمهThe student: ...
The Shaykh : And mentioning His name therein
The student: Is greater
The Shaykh : Is greater. Now,
Who are most unjust than those who try to create something like My creation
من ظلم ممن ذهب يخلق كخلقيThe student: ...
The Shaykh : Is more unjust, and so on. And this answer, as you see, is sound and no objection is raised against it. Now, we
And among the benefits of this noble verse is that lying about Allah is the most oppressive type of lying, because of His saying
So who is more unjust than one who lies about Allah
فمن أظلم ممن كذب على اللهAscribing false things to me is not like ascribing false things to anyone else
إن كذباً عليّ ليس ككذب على أحدكمThe student: Upon Allah.
The Shaykh : About Allah who sent him? If this lying about the Messenger is of this magnitude, what about the one who lies about Allah?
And among the benefits of this noble verse is the obligation of being careful in interpreting the Qur'an, the obligation of being careful in interpreting the Qur'an, because the interpreter of the Qur'an is a witness for Allah that He
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Intended such and such, and it may be that the matter is otherwise, in which case he would be lying about Allah. For this reason, the distinguished Companions were cautious about interpreting the Qur'an, even though it was revealed in their language, in their era, and in their presence, and yet they were cautious. Abu Bakr was asked about His saying, the Exalted,
and fruit and a father
وفاكهة وأباThe student: Intended...
The Shaykh : What?
The student: Intended...
The Shaykh : Intended such and such. And for this reason, we find that the most dangerous thing is to interpret the speech of Allah away from its apparent meaning to a meaning that contradicts the apparent meaning without clear evidence. And by this we know the misguidance of the people of ta'til (denial of the divine attributes), the misguidance of the people of ta'til who said: “He rose above the Throne” meaning?
The student: He took possession of it...
The Shaykh : He took possession of it. You are a witness for Allah that He intended this?
to that which I created with My hands
لما خلقت بيديThe Shaykh : By my strength or by my blessing or the like of that. This is lying about Allah, because Allah addressed us in the Qur'an in the Arabic language, so we must take this Qur'an in terms of what?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : In the Arabic language without distorting it. Now, yes.