Exegesis of the saying of Allah the Exalted: “You call me to disbelieve in Allah and to associate with Him that of which I have no knowledge, while I call you to the Mighty, the Forgiver.”

Then, after summarizing in His saying: , He specified the deeds to which they call him, saying: “You call me to disbelieve.” The lam here indicates the object of the call, meaning you call me to this. Accordingly, “disbelieve” is in the accusative case with a hidden “an” after the lam, according to the school of the Basrans, or with the lam, according to the school of the Kufans.
means I deny Him and reject Him. The intended meaning is the denial of His oneness, as evidenced by His saying: . It may also be said that the intended meaning is the denial of His existence entirely, or associating partners with Him while acknowledging Him. In that case, they are calling him to two things: either denying the Creator, Mighty and Majestic, which is derived from His saying: “I deny Him,” or affirming Him while He has a partner, which is derived from His saying: .
And His saying: is a qualifying phrase that clarifies the reality, indicating that everyone who associates partners with Allah does so without knowledge, but rather contrary to what they know by their innate disposition. However, it is known that if something is without knowledge, it has no establishment or basis. Therefore, the attribute, or rather the connection, in His saying: is to clarify the reality. We have explained that every qualifying phrase that clarifies the reality, the common occurrence, or exaggeration has no conceptual implication.
He began here with the name “al-Aziz” (the Mighty) because the context requires it, as these are Copts from the family of Pharaoh who think that might belongs to him. So he said: “I call you to the Mighty.” He did not say “the Forgiving, the Merciful,” but rather “the Mighty, the Forgiver.” This means the Mighty who prevails and will destroy you if you disbelieve in Him or associate partners with Him, and the Forgiver who will forgive you for what has passed if you believe in Him. This is part of the complete understanding of this believing man.
For one might say: The context requires him to say: “And I call you to the Forgiving, the Merciful.” But the matter is the opposite; the context requires mentioning His name “al-Aziz” (the Mighty) because these people claim to be above people, that their Lord is Pharaoh, and that no one prevails over him.
And His saying “al-Aziz” is a name among the names of Allah, and “al-Ghafar” is a name among the names of Allah, and “al-Ghafur” is a name among the names of Allah. And know that the names of Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, are divided into two categories:
The first is what is derived from a transitive attribute. Faith in this is not complete except with three things:
First: affirming it as a name for Allah. Second: affirming the attribute it indicates. Third: affirming the ruling, meaning the effect resulting from this attribute.
The second category is intransitive, not transitive. Faith in this is not complete except by affirming two things: affirming it as a name among the names of Allah, and affirming the attribute indicated by this name.
Because every name among the names of Allah indicates an attribute. There is no name for Allah that is static. This is contrary to those who said that the word “Allah” is a static name, not derived. This is not correct. There is no name among the names of Allah that is not derived, because Allah described His names as beautiful. What does not contain an attribute is not beautiful, let alone the most beautiful. We give examples of this:
“Al-Hayy” (the Living) is intransitive. You believe in it as a name among the names of Allah, and in the life indicated by the name. “Al-Sami'” (the Hearing) is transitive. You believe in “Al-Sami'” as a name for Allah, in hearing as an attribute for Allah, and in the fact that He hears, affirming the ruling, which is the effect resulting from this attribute.
Then know that a name sometimes contains one attribute, sometimes two, and sometimes more, because there are three types of indication:
Correspondence, inclusion, and implication. For example, among the names of Allah the Exalted is “Al-Khaliq” (the Creator): . You believe in “Al-Khaliq” as a name among the names of Allah. You believe in the attribute of creation contained in the name “Al-Khaliq.” Your belief in the name and the attribute is belief by the indication of correspondence. Belief in the name alone or the attribute alone is belief by the indication of inclusion. Then, your belief that He is All-Knowing and All-Powerful is belief by the indication of implication, because there is no Creator who is not All-Knowing, and there is no Creator who is not All-Powerful. For if He were ignorant, how would He create? And if He were incapable, how would He create? So the indication of “Al-Khaliq” to knowledge and power is an indication of implication.
And in this indication of implication, people differ greatly. Some people, Allah the Exalted grants them understanding by which they grasp the implications that follow from this name. And some people are below that. You will find some people deriving several benefits by the indication of implication, while another cannot. And the favor of Allah is given to whom He wills. Good.
So, faith in it is not complete except? “Al-Aziz” (the Mighty) means, first, the Possessor of Might . And they said that might is of three types:
The might of decree, the might of subjugation, and the might of immunity. The might of decree means that He, Glorified and Exalted is He, is Mighty in decree, such that there is nothing comparable to Him. The might of immunity means that He, Mighty and Majestic, is Mighty, meaning it is impossible for harm to reach Him. “Al-Aziz” comes to mean immunity, as in His saying: meaning immune.
The third is the might of subjugation: meaning He is the Prevailing One. From this is His saying: . So Allah the Exalted said: . “Al-Aziz” means prevailing. If “Al-Aziz” means the Prevailing One, it is among the transitive names. “Aziz” means He prevailed, so He is the Prevailing One, and its opposite is the one who is overpowered. And if “Aziz” means immune or possessing great power, it is intransitive. Good.
So we say “Al-Aziz” is among the transitive names in the sense of the Prevailing One, and in another sense it is intransitive in the sense of immunity or in the sense of power. Good.
An interjected phrase. Allah the Exalted said: [Al-Munafiqun: 8]. Is the answer consistent with their statement or not? Consistency would be to say: “Allah is mightier and the believers.” But this was not mentioned. Rather, he said: , indicating that the hypocrites have no might at all. For if he had said “Allah is mightier,” he would have affirmed might for the hypocrites. But they have no might. He restricted might to Allah, His Messenger, and the believers. This is among the eloquence of the Qur'an. And if you reflect on the Qur'an, matters will become clear to you that amaze you in its indication, references, and allusions. So, glory to the One who revealed it, Mighty and Majestic. Good.
“Al-Ghafar” is a name among the names of Allah, and it is among the transitive names, because Allah said: . So we must affirm “Al-Ghafar” as a name among the names of Allah, and we must affirm the attribute, which is forgiveness . Good. And we affirm that He forgives, granting forgiveness to whom He wills. Good. He said: .