In His saying, the Exalted: “They glorify Him by night and day,” we said that the preposition *ba* means *fi* (in). Is this in accordance with the school of the Basrans?
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The student: ... In the worship of the attributes of Allah, you mentioned that it is not permissible. Also, there is a phrase common among the general public, which is their saying: “We thank the favor of Allah,” or a phrase like that which I do not remember now, meaning they thank the favor of Allah, Mighty and Majestic.
The Shaykh : Mention it now so that we may know.
The student: We praise Allah and thank Him for His favor.
The Shaykh : Yes, well, does not Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, say:?
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh : And what is intended is the created blessing of Allah, not the attribute, meaning: what Allah has bestowed. Likewise, “I thank the favor of Allah” does not mean that I make this attribute the thing being thanked, but rather I thank Allah for this favor that Allah has bestowed upon me.
The student: So, is this phrase permissible?
The Shaykh : There is nothing wrong with them.
The student: His saying, O Shaykh: ... the scholars of Basra who deny ... the letters ... how do you respond to verses like these?
The Shaykh : May Allah bless you. We have a rule that if the Qur'an indicates that something is permissible, then the opinion of those who disagree is not considered. This is one point. Second: if the grammarians differ on an issue, we follow the easier one, provided there is no legal evidence supporting one group over the other. I have given this rule to our students: if you see the scholars of Basra and the scholars of Kufa differing on something, follow the easier one and say: “Praise be to Allah for the ease.” Yes, take this rule with you, if Allah wills, so that you may carry it to your people.
The student: Because the Shaykh al-Islam is strict
The Shaykh : No, this is not how Shaykh al-Islam is strict. He is strict when the verb is implied to have a meaning that suits the preposition, such as:[Al-Insan 76:6] Some of them say: The letter ba means "The servants of Allah drink from it," and we say: No, it is better to imply a meaning in the verb that suits the preposition. Do you understand? As for the verses with us, [Fussilat 41:38] they do not hold up.
The Shaykh : Mention it now so that we may know.
The student: We praise Allah and thank Him for His favor.
The Shaykh : Yes, well, does not Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, say:
Give thanks for the blessing of Allah
اشكروا نعمة اللهThe student: Yes.
The Shaykh : And what is intended is the created blessing of Allah, not the attribute, meaning: what Allah has bestowed. Likewise, “I thank the favor of Allah” does not mean that I make this attribute the thing being thanked, but rather I thank Allah for this favor that Allah has bestowed upon me.
The student: So, is this phrase permissible?
The Shaykh : There is nothing wrong with them.
The student: His saying, O Shaykh:
by night and by day
بالليل والنهارThe Shaykh : May Allah bless you. We have a rule that if the Qur'an indicates that something is permissible, then the opinion of those who disagree is not considered. This is one point. Second: if the grammarians differ on an issue, we follow the easier one, provided there is no legal evidence supporting one group over the other. I have given this rule to our students: if you see the scholars of Basra and the scholars of Kufa differing on something, follow the easier one and say: “Praise be to Allah for the ease.” Yes, take this rule with you, if Allah wills, so that you may carry it to your people.
The student: Because the Shaykh al-Islam is strict
The Shaykh : No, this is not how Shaykh al-Islam is strict. He is strict when the verb is implied to have a meaning that suits the preposition, such as: