Discussion regarding the verse: ((Alif, Lam, Meem. Allah, there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer)).
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
I seek refuge in Allah from Satan, the accursed. We have previously explained the saying of the Exalted: [Al-Baqarah 2:255] and we clarified that the stronger opinion regarding and its counterparts.
The student: He said that the disjointed letters have no meaning?
The Shaykh : No, he did not say they have no meaning.
The student: He said they indicate a purpose that came to baffle you because it is composed of these letters, which is why the mention of the Qur'an came after the letters.
The student: They have no meaning in themselves.
The Shaykh : But they have a good purpose. What is the evidence, Bandar, that they have no meaning in themselves?
The student: The evidence is that they are always followed in the Qur'an by...
The Shaykh : What is the evidence that they have no meaning?
The student: Yes, that the Qur'an is in a clear Arabic language, and these letters are in a clear Arabic language with no meaning.
The Shaykh : Correct. The evidence is that the Qur'an was revealed in a clear Arabic language, and these letters have no meaning in the Arabic language in themselves, so they have no meaning. Now, what is the evidence that they have a purpose, Abd al-Rahman?
The student: That the letters are followed by the mention of the Qur'an.
The Shaykh : The mention of the Qur'an and the speech.
The student: Second thing: meaning that they are the letters that you know and speak with, and the Noble Qur'an is composed of them.
The Shaykh : It was better than the word "composed."
The student: It was composed of them.
The Shaykh : Yes, good. His saying: What is its meaning?
The student: There is no deity worthy of worship in truth except Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He).
The Shaykh : There is no deity worthy of worship in truth, no deity in truth except Allah. Now, why do we not say that the negation applies to what comes after "except," meaning there is no deity except Allah, there is no deity except Allah?
The student: Because there are deities, but they are not true.
The Shaykh : Well done. We say that we cannot negate divinity absolutely because other than Allah may be called a deity. Ya Fahd? What is the evidence for applying the term "deity" to other than Allah?
The student: His saying, the Exalted:[Maryam 19:81]
The Shaykh : And His saying:[Al-Isra 17:39] [Hud 11:101]. We mentioned that they include the Greatest Name of Allah. Why, Ahmad?
The student: Because they have two meanings: the meaning of the temporal one that was not preceded by non-existence.
The Shaykh : No, no, Abdullah?
The student: Because they are two names that include attributes of action and essence.
The Shaykh : Correct, the perfection of essence and action. So in is the perfection of essence, and in is the perfection of action. Therefore, they include all perfection, both essential and active. Describe it, Adam?
The student: The Ever-Living is the complete life that does not die and...
The Shaykh : Meaning the One possessing the complete life that was not preceded by non-existence and is not followed by cessation.
The Shaykh :؟
The student: He is the Self-Sustaining, and the Sustainer of Himself, and also the Sustainer of others.
The Shaykh : The Self-Sustaining and the Sustainer of others. Good. What is the evidence for being Self-Sustaining, Khalid?
The student: Because Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) is Rich and does not need anyone.
The Shaykh : Yes,
The student: As for...
The Shaykh : If the Rich is described like [At-Taghabun 64:6] this indicates His being Self-Sustaining. What is the evidence for His being the Sustainer of others?
The student: That all the servants are poor in need of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He).
The Shaykh : What is the evidence? What is the reasoning?
The student:[Fatir 35:15]
The Shaykh : And another verse explicit on the subject?
The student: His saying, the Exalted:[Ar-Ra'd 13:33]
The Shaykh : Correct.[Ar-Ra'd 13:33] means like one who is not Self-Sustaining.
The Shaykh : The conjugation of "al-Qayyum" in the Arabic language? How is the conjugation of "al-Qayyum" in the Arabic language?
The student: On the pattern of "fi'ul."
The Shaykh : On the pattern of "fi'ul," and what does this form indicate?
The student: That He (Glorified and Exalted is He)...
The Shaykh : No, this is a form, because its original form is "Qayyim," which was changed to "Qayyum," so "Fa'il" was changed to "Fi'ul"?
The student: He sustains others and sustains Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He)...
The student: It indicates plurality and exaggeration.
The Shaykh : Correct.
Allah - there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of [all] existence
آلم الله لا إله إلا هو الحي القيومAlif-Lam-Mim
ألمThe student: He said that the disjointed letters have no meaning?
The Shaykh : No, he did not say they have no meaning.
The student: He said they indicate a purpose that came to baffle you because it is composed of these letters, which is why the mention of the Qur'an came after the letters.
The student: They have no meaning in themselves.
The Shaykh : But they have a good purpose. What is the evidence, Bandar, that they have no meaning in themselves?
The student: The evidence is that they are always followed in the Qur'an by...
The Shaykh : What is the evidence that they have no meaning?
The student: Yes, that the Qur'an is in a clear Arabic language, and these letters are in a clear Arabic language with no meaning.
The Shaykh : Correct. The evidence is that the Qur'an was revealed in a clear Arabic language, and these letters have no meaning in the Arabic language in themselves, so they have no meaning. Now, what is the evidence that they have a purpose, Abd al-Rahman?
The student: That the letters are followed by the mention of the Qur'an.
The Shaykh : The mention of the Qur'an and the speech.
The student: Second thing: meaning that they are the letters that you know and speak with, and the Noble Qur'an is composed of them.
The Shaykh : It was better than the word "composed."
The student: It was composed of them.
The Shaykh : Yes, good. His saying:
There is no god but He
لا إله إلا هوThe student: There is no deity worthy of worship in truth except Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He).
The Shaykh : There is no deity worthy of worship in truth, no deity in truth except Allah. Now, why do we not say that the negation applies to what comes after "except," meaning there is no deity except Allah, there is no deity except Allah?
The student: Because there are deities, but they are not true.
The Shaykh : Well done. We say that we cannot negate divinity absolutely because other than Allah may be called a deity. Ya Fahd? What is the evidence for applying the term "deity" to other than Allah?
The student: His saying, the Exalted:
And they have taken besides Allah [false] deities that they would be for them [a source of] honor.
واتخذوا من دون الله آلهة ليكونوا لهم عزاThe Shaykh : And His saying:
do not make [as equal] with Allah another deity
ولا تجعل مع الله إلها آخرthey were not availed at all by their gods which they invoked other than Allah
فما أغنت عنهم آلهتهم التي يدعونها من دون الله من شيءthe Ever-Living, the Self-Subsisting
الحي القيومThe student: Because they have two meanings: the meaning of the temporal one that was not preceded by non-existence.
The Shaykh : No, no, Abdullah?
The student: Because they are two names that include attributes of action and essence.
The Shaykh : Correct, the perfection of essence and action. So in
the Ever-Living
الحيthe Sustainer
القيومthe Ever-Living
الحيThe student: The Ever-Living is the complete life that does not die and...
The Shaykh : Meaning the One possessing the complete life that was not preceded by non-existence and is not followed by cessation.
The Shaykh :
the Sustainer
القيومThe student: He is the Self-Sustaining, and the Sustainer of Himself, and also the Sustainer of others.
The Shaykh : The Self-Sustaining and the Sustainer of others. Good. What is the evidence for being Self-Sustaining, Khalid?
The student: Because Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) is Rich and does not need anyone.
The Shaykh : Yes,
The student: As for...
The Shaykh : If the Rich is described like
And He is the Rich, the Praiseworthy
وهو الغني الحميدand disbelieved and turned away. And Allah dispensed [with them]; and Allah is Free of need and Praiseworthy.
فكفروا وتولوا واستغنى الله والله غني حميدThe student: That all the servants are poor in need of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He).
The Shaykh : What is the evidence? What is the reasoning?
The student:
O mankind, you are those in need of Allah
يا أيها الناس أنتم الفقراء إلى اللهThe Shaykh : And another verse explicit on the subject?
The student: His saying, the Exalted:
Then is He who is a maintainer of every soul, [knowing] what it has earned
أفمن هو قائم على كل نفس بما كسبتThe Shaykh : Correct.
Then is He who is a maintainer of every soul, [knowing] what it has earned
أفمن هو قائم على كل نفس بما كسبتThe Shaykh : The conjugation of "al-Qayyum" in the Arabic language? How is the conjugation of "al-Qayyum" in the Arabic language?
The student: On the pattern of "fi'ul."
The Shaykh : On the pattern of "fi'ul," and what does this form indicate?
The student: That He (Glorified and Exalted is He)...
The Shaykh : No, this is a form, because its original form is "Qayyim," which was changed to "Qayyum," so "Fa'il" was changed to "Fi'ul"?
The student: He sustains others and sustains Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He)...
The student: It indicates plurality and exaggeration.
The Shaykh : Correct.