Continuation of the Exegesis of the Verse [al-Hashr: 22-24]
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The Shaykh : So everything in the heavens and the earth glorifies Allah with the tongue of reality and the tongue of speech, except the disbeliever, who glorifies Allah with the tongue of reality but not with the tongue of speech. It is clear.
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh : Now, regarding His saying[Ibrahim 14:4], the meaning of al-Aziz (the Mighty) has already been mentioned. As for al-Hakim (the Wise), pay attention to it. The root of al-Hakim is H-K-M (Ha, Kaf, Mim). This root indicates two meanings: hukm (judgment) and ihamam (precision). Ihamam means perfection, such that a thing is perfectly in accordance with wisdom, so it is placed in its proper station. Now it is clear to you that al-Hakim is derived from hukm and what else? And ihamam, which is perfection.
So let us look at the judgment of Allah (Mighty and Majestic). It can be cosmic and it can be legislative. The judgment of Allah can be cosmic and legislative. So in His saying, Blessed and Exalted is He,[Al-Ma'idah 5:50]
The questioner : Legislative.
The Shaykh : This is legislative. And in the saying of Allah the Exalted in Surat al-Mumtahanah,[Al-Mumtahanah 60:10] this is also legislative. And in the saying of Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, about the brother of Yusuf, [Yusuf 12:80]
The student: Creation
The Shaykh : Yes
The student: Creation
The Shaykh : Think.
The student: Creation
The Shaykh : Yes
The student: Creation
The Shaykh : Now the disagreement begins to appear.
The student: Creation
The Shaykh : Cosmic.
The student: Yes.
The student: Cosmic, legislative.
The Shaykh : Cosmic, legislative. This combines the two positions. It is not cosmic, and it is not legislative, because Allah did not prohibit him legislatively from coming; He did not prohibit him from leaving the land. So if He did not prohibit him, He has permitted him legislatively. Thus the judgment remains cosmic. And on this basis, His saying[Yusuf 12:80], this judgment is what? Cosmic.
[At-Tin 95:8]
The student: Cosmic, legislative.
The Shaykh : This is cosmic and legislative. So He is a judge cosmically and a judge legislatively. If the judgment is of two types, legislative and what? And cosmic, and each of them contains wisdom, then the divisions become four, or not? A cosmic judgment and a cosmic wisdom, a legislative judgment and a legislative wisdom.
Now, as for wisdom, is the intended meaning that a thing is in a specific state, or is the intended meaning that it is in a specific form and that its goal is...? I mean, is the wisdom in the goal, or in the form in which the thing is?
The student: The goal.
The Shaykh : So wisdom can be in a thing being in this specific form, and in the goal of this thing, right? Yes, it is so. Wisdom has two aspects. The first aspect is placing it in this specific form, and the second is its goal. So all of it is wisdom. Now, the creation of man, yes, yes. The creation of man being in this form, "in the best of forms," there is no doubt that this is wisdom. It means that man was not like a horse, walking on his hands and feet and constantly bent over, but rather he was upright and straight, adapting from standing to bowing to prostration. His being in this form is wisdom, without doubt. The goal of that is to be able to perform the various acts of worship: bowing, prostration, standing, and sitting. It is clear.
Now, likewise, the legislation, the legislative rulings, their being in this form is wisdom, without doubt. Prayer in this form: bowing, then yes, standing, then bowing, then standing, then prostration. There is no doubt that this is wisdom. The goal of these acts of worship is for man to reach the highest of goals. This is also wisdom. And the conclusion is that the judgment is divided into two parts, what?
The student: Cosmic...
The Shaykh : Cosmic and legislative. And wisdom is divided into two parts.
The student: Cosmic and legislative...
The Shaykh : No, goal-oriented and situational, or formal if you wish. It is clear. All of this is included in the name al-Hakim. And you have known the evidence for that. You have known the evidence: the fact that the menstruating woman makes up the fast but does not make up the prayer.
The student: Legal
The Shaykh : It is a legislative wisdom, without doubt. It is a legislative wisdom. And if you reflect on it, you will find that the wisdom behind that is that fasting does not repeat, but prayer repeats. So what is missed of it during the days of menstruation is made up by the days of purity. Also, if the woman were obligated to make up the prayer, there would be hardship for her, because prayer repeats every day, whereas fasting does not come in the year except once.
And the result is that you must know that al-Hakim is one of the names of Allah, derived from judgment and precision. And judgment is divided into legislative and cosmic, and wisdom into formal and goal-oriented. Now, has anyone among the people denied wisdom for Allah?
The student: No.
The Shaykh : Yes, the Asha'irah denied it. They say that Allah has no wisdom. There is no wisdom for Allah; He only does a thing for the sake of will, and He legislates the Shari'ah for the sake of will only, and there is no wisdom. So they have corrupted for themselves and for others the knowledge of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), because the more a person knows of the wisdom of Allah, the more his faith in Allah (Mighty and Majestic) increases. And that He (Exalted and Majestic is He) will not do anything except for a wisdom, and will not legislate anything except for a wisdom. It is not in vain or play, but wisdom is necessary. It is clear.
They say that His action and His judgment, Exalted is He, is for the sake of will only, not for a profound wisdom. And without doubt, this is a bad opinion of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), and that He acts in a random manner. And we say, rather, Allah has a profound wisdom, but sometimes we know it, and sometimes our minds fall short of it, because we are limited. And then, wisdom is sometimes clear, and we all know it, and sometimes it is hidden, and only those firmly grounded in knowledge know it.
So the wisdom of Allah is of three categories in terms of its appearance and concealment. Sometimes the wisdom is clear to everyone, and sometimes it is hidden from everyone, and sometimes it is clear to the people of knowledge who are firmly grounded in it, and hidden from those below them. al-Aziz al-Hakim, and He is[Al-Hashr 59:24]
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh : Now, regarding His saying
And He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise.
وهو العزيز الحكيمSo let us look at the judgment of Allah (Mighty and Majestic). It can be cosmic and it can be legislative. The judgment of Allah can be cosmic and legislative. So in His saying, Blessed and Exalted is He,
Then is it the judgement of [the time of] ignorance they desire? But who is better than Allah in judgement for a people who are certain [in faith].
أفحكم الجاهلية يبغون ومن أحسن من الله حكما لقوم يوقنونThe questioner : Legislative.
The Shaykh : This is legislative. And in the saying of Allah the Exalted in Surat al-Mumtahanah,
That is the judgement of Allah; He judges between you
ذلكم حكم الله يحكم بينكمSo I will never leave [this] land until my father permits me or Allah decides for me
فلن أبرح الأرض حتى يأذن لي أبي او يحكم الله ليThe student: Creation
The Shaykh : Yes
The student: Creation
The Shaykh : Think.
The student: Creation
The Shaykh : Yes
The student: Creation
The Shaykh : Now the disagreement begins to appear.
The student: Creation
The Shaykh : Cosmic.
The student: Yes.
The student: Cosmic, legislative.
The Shaykh : Cosmic, legislative. This combines the two positions. It is not cosmic, and it is not legislative, because Allah did not prohibit him legislatively from coming; He did not prohibit him from leaving the land. So if He did not prohibit him, He has permitted him legislatively. Thus the judgment remains cosmic. And on this basis, His saying
or Allah decides for me
أو يحكم الله ليIs not Allah the most just of judges?
أليس الله بأحكم الحاكمينThe student: Cosmic, legislative.
The Shaykh : This is cosmic and legislative. So He is a judge cosmically and a judge legislatively. If the judgment is of two types, legislative and what? And cosmic, and each of them contains wisdom, then the divisions become four, or not? A cosmic judgment and a cosmic wisdom, a legislative judgment and a legislative wisdom.
Now, as for wisdom, is the intended meaning that a thing is in a specific state, or is the intended meaning that it is in a specific form and that its goal is...? I mean, is the wisdom in the goal, or in the form in which the thing is?
The student: The goal.
The Shaykh : So wisdom can be in a thing being in this specific form, and in the goal of this thing, right? Yes, it is so. Wisdom has two aspects. The first aspect is placing it in this specific form, and the second is its goal. So all of it is wisdom. Now, the creation of man, yes, yes. The creation of man being in this form, "in the best of forms," there is no doubt that this is wisdom. It means that man was not like a horse, walking on his hands and feet and constantly bent over, but rather he was upright and straight, adapting from standing to bowing to prostration. His being in this form is wisdom, without doubt. The goal of that is to be able to perform the various acts of worship: bowing, prostration, standing, and sitting. It is clear.
Now, likewise, the legislation, the legislative rulings, their being in this form is wisdom, without doubt. Prayer in this form: bowing, then yes, standing, then bowing, then standing, then prostration. There is no doubt that this is wisdom. The goal of these acts of worship is for man to reach the highest of goals. This is also wisdom. And the conclusion is that the judgment is divided into two parts, what?
The student: Cosmic...
The Shaykh : Cosmic and legislative. And wisdom is divided into two parts.
The student: Cosmic and legislative...
The Shaykh : No, goal-oriented and situational, or formal if you wish. It is clear. All of this is included in the name al-Hakim. And you have known the evidence for that. You have known the evidence: the fact that the menstruating woman makes up the fast but does not make up the prayer.
The student: Legal
The Shaykh : It is a legislative wisdom, without doubt. It is a legislative wisdom. And if you reflect on it, you will find that the wisdom behind that is that fasting does not repeat, but prayer repeats. So what is missed of it during the days of menstruation is made up by the days of purity. Also, if the woman were obligated to make up the prayer, there would be hardship for her, because prayer repeats every day, whereas fasting does not come in the year except once.
And the result is that you must know that al-Hakim is one of the names of Allah, derived from judgment and precision. And judgment is divided into legislative and cosmic, and wisdom into formal and goal-oriented. Now, has anyone among the people denied wisdom for Allah?
The student: No.
The Shaykh : Yes, the Asha'irah denied it. They say that Allah has no wisdom. There is no wisdom for Allah; He only does a thing for the sake of will, and He legislates the Shari'ah for the sake of will only, and there is no wisdom. So they have corrupted for themselves and for others the knowledge of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), because the more a person knows of the wisdom of Allah, the more his faith in Allah (Mighty and Majestic) increases. And that He (Exalted and Majestic is He) will not do anything except for a wisdom, and will not legislate anything except for a wisdom. It is not in vain or play, but wisdom is necessary. It is clear.
They say that His action and His judgment, Exalted is He, is for the sake of will only, not for a profound wisdom. And without doubt, this is a bad opinion of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), and that He acts in a random manner. And we say, rather, Allah has a profound wisdom, but sometimes we know it, and sometimes our minds fall short of it, because we are limited. And then, wisdom is sometimes clear, and we all know it, and sometimes it is hidden, and only those firmly grounded in knowledge know it.
So the wisdom of Allah is of three categories in terms of its appearance and concealment. Sometimes the wisdom is clear to everyone, and sometimes it is hidden from everyone, and sometimes it is clear to the people of knowledge who are firmly grounded in it, and hidden from those below them. al-Aziz al-Hakim, and He is