Allah the Exalted said: << ومكروا مكرا ومكرنا مكرا وهم لايشعرون >
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
For this reason, Allah, Mighty and Majestic, says: [Surat al-Naml:50] " therein [Surat al-Naml:50] ". The word *makran* is in the indefinite form, and sometimes the benefit of the indefinite form is to indicate greatness. That is: they plotted a great plot.
And *makar* (plotting) has been interpreted by some as reaching through hidden means to bring about the downfall of the matter, so that one achieves the defeat of his opponent through hidden means, because apparent means are not called *makar*; rather, they are hidden means.
Allah, Mighty and Majestic, said in response to that:[Surat al-Naml:50] meaning: greater than their plotting.
The author said: " meaning: We recompensed them by hastening their punishment " So he interpreted *makar* as recompense.
And the correct view is that *makar* is more severe than recompense, because it is a recompense from the perspective of the one being recompensed’s sense of security. However, the author (may Allah have mercy on him) intended by this to remove the attribute of *makar* from Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, so he interpreted it as recompense.
The correct view according to the people of the Sunnah and the community is that *makar* must not be distorted to mean recompense in any absolute sense, and that it is not impermissible to attribute it to Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, in its proper context. So *makar* in its proper context is considered praise, or is it not? And in a context other than its proper one, it is considered blame. So *makar* against these plotters is considered great praise.
Therefore, the correct view in this matter, which is the position of the people of the Sunnah and the community, is that Allah the Exalted is described with *makar* not in an absolute sense. So one does not say: "Allah is a plotter," because in an absolute sense it includes the attribute of blame. Rather, one says: "He is a plotter against those who plot against Him, or against those who deserve plotting." And in that case, it becomes an attribute of praise.
And the attributes are divided into three categories. The first is: attributes of excellence in every state. These are established for Him in an absolute sense, such as hearing, such as sight, such as knowledge, such as life, such as power... and the like.
The second is: attributes of deficiency in every state, or attributes of evil in every state. These are those from which Allah is purified in every state, such as: injustice, ...., ignorance, blindness, death, sickness, hunger and thirst... and the like. These are those from which Allah is purified in every state, as well as birth, ........, and a partner... and the like. These are those from which Allah is purified in every state.
The third is: attributes that have two aspects, being praise in one state and blame in another. These are not attributed to Allah in an absolute sense, nor are they denied of Him in an absolute sense, such as: *makar*, deception, mockery, and ridicule... and the like. These are not attributed to Allah in every state, nor are they denied of Him in every state. Rather, He is attributed with them where they constitute perfection, and they are denied of Him where they constitute deficiency. Allah the Exalted said:[Surat al-Tawbah:79], and He the Exalted said: [Surat al-Baqarah:15], and He the Exalted said: [Surat al-Nisa:142], and He the Exalted said: [Surat al-Anfal:30].
[Surat al-Naml:50] meaning: they are not aware of the outcome of their plotting, nor whether what they intended will be accomplished for them or not, and they are not aware of how Allah plots against them. So they are not aware of this nor that... not of the result of their plotting, nor of Allah’s plotting against them, because they, may Allah protect us from that, are persisting in misguidance, and the general rule is that the one who persists in misguidance becomes blind so he does not see, and deaf so he does not hear.
For this reason, He said:[Surat al-Naml:50] And the phrase in His saying: [Surat al-Naml:50] what is its grammatical position? Is it a state (hal) from the waw in *makaru* (they plotted), or from the deleted pronoun in His saying: [Surat al-Naml:50] meaning: against them [Surat al-Naml:50]?
And they plotted a plot
وَمَكَرُوا مَكْرًاAnd they plotted
وَمَكَرُواa plot
مَكْرًاAnd *makar* (plotting) has been interpreted by some as reaching through hidden means to bring about the downfall of the matter, so that one achieves the defeat of his opponent through hidden means, because apparent means are not called *makar*; rather, they are hidden means.
Allah, Mighty and Majestic, said in response to that:
And We plotted a plot
وَمَكَرْنَا مَكْرًاThe author said: " meaning: We recompensed them by hastening their punishment " So he interpreted *makar* as recompense.
And the correct view is that *makar* is more severe than recompense, because it is a recompense from the perspective of the one being recompensed’s sense of security. However, the author (may Allah have mercy on him) intended by this to remove the attribute of *makar* from Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, so he interpreted it as recompense.
The correct view according to the people of the Sunnah and the community is that *makar* must not be distorted to mean recompense in any absolute sense, and that it is not impermissible to attribute it to Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, in its proper context. So *makar* in its proper context is considered praise, or is it not? And in a context other than its proper one, it is considered blame. So *makar* against these plotters is considered great praise.
Therefore, the correct view in this matter, which is the position of the people of the Sunnah and the community, is that Allah the Exalted is described with *makar* not in an absolute sense. So one does not say: "Allah is a plotter," because in an absolute sense it includes the attribute of blame. Rather, one says: "He is a plotter against those who plot against Him, or against those who deserve plotting." And in that case, it becomes an attribute of praise.
And the attributes are divided into three categories. The first is: attributes of excellence in every state. These are established for Him in an absolute sense, such as hearing, such as sight, such as knowledge, such as life, such as power... and the like.
The second is: attributes of deficiency in every state, or attributes of evil in every state. These are those from which Allah is purified in every state, such as: injustice, ...., ignorance, blindness, death, sickness, hunger and thirst... and the like. These are those from which Allah is purified in every state, as well as birth, ........, and a partner... and the like. These are those from which Allah is purified in every state.
The third is: attributes that have two aspects, being praise in one state and blame in another. These are not attributed to Allah in an absolute sense, nor are they denied of Him in an absolute sense, such as: *makar*, deception, mockery, and ridicule... and the like. These are not attributed to Allah in every state, nor are they denied of Him in every state. Rather, He is attributed with them where they constitute perfection, and they are denied of Him where they constitute deficiency. Allah the Exalted said:
so they ridicule them - Allah will ridicule them
فَيَسْخَرُونَ مِنْهُمْ سَخِرَ اللَّهُ مِنْهُمْ[But] Allah mocks them and prolongs them
اللَّهُ يَسْتَهْزِئُ بِهِمْ وَيَمُدُّهُمْ[think to] deceive Allah, but He is deceiving them
يُخَادِعُونَ اللَّهَ وَهُوَ خَادِعُهُمْBut they plan, and Allah plans
وَيَمْكُرُونَ وَيَمْكُرُ اللَّهُAnd they planned a plan, and We planned a plan, while they perceived not.
وَمَكَرُوا مَكْرًا وَمَكَرْنَا مَكْرًا وَهُمْ لا يَشْعُرُونَFor this reason, He said: