Discussion of the interpretation of the saying of Allah the Exalted: “And those who dispute concerning Allah after His command has been accepted, their argument is refuted with their Lord, and upon them is anger, and for them is a severe punishment”
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The Shaykh : I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Shaytan. We have previously mentioned that “those who dispute concerning Allah” encompasses more than what the author mentioned. The author says: “in the religion of Allah”, and we mentioned that it is more comprehensive than what he said, in the essence of Allah, His names, His attributes, His actions, and His religion. That is to say, it is more knowledgeable than what the author said, not limited to the religion alone. Good. His saying: What is its grammatical parsing? “Their argument” is the subject (mubtada'), “refuted” is the predicate (khabar), and the sentence?
The student: Predicate.
The Shaykh : For the first subject. May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : His saying: What is the benefit of this qualifier? ... That is to say, it is refuted with Allah in any case, whereas in this world, the one disputing may be from the people of religion but weak in argument, so he does not refute the argument of this falsifier.
The Shaykh : His saying: From whom? ... From Allah and from His awliya (close friends of Allah).
The Shaykh : Why did Allah Mighty and Majestic say in al-Fatihah:[Al-Fatihah 1:7] and not say: “other than those upon whom I was angry”? ... And the blessing is specifically from Allah; He did not say: “the path of those upon whom the bestower of blessings was, other than those who were angry,” and He did not say: “those upon whom You bestowed favor, other than those who were angry,” because the blessing is from whom? From Allah alone, as He Mighty and Majestic said: [An-Nahl 16:53] Anger may be from Allah and from His servants and His awliya (close friends of Allah).
The Shaykh : In the noble verse, is there an affirmation of anger for Allah Mighty and Majestic? ... That is to say, if someone were to say: “Upon them is anger” and did not say “from Allah,” how is it correct for you to say: that this is evidence that Allah becomes angry? ... And secondly, other verses indicate the anger of Allah upon these people.
The Shaykh : His saying:[Ash-Shuraa 42:17] What is meant by “the Book”? A single book?
The student: The Qur'an and the previous books.
The Shaykh : That is to say, is the meaning of “the Book” a single one or the generic?
The student: The generic.
The Shaykh : The generic. Good, what is your evidence for this?
The student: His saying, Exalted is He:[Ash-Shuraa 42:17] He did not say “sent down a book.”
The Shaykh : We understood that the “al” (the) is for the generic, but what is the evidence for this? Yes, indicating this is His saying, the Exalted:[Al-Hadid 57:25].
This is a very useful rule: if a text is equally susceptible to two meanings and there is no contradiction between them, it must be taken to include both, because Allah Mighty and Majestic knows what His speech entails, and so does the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). This is a beneficial rule for the student of knowledge. However, if they contradict, the stronger one is sought from another piece of evidence. And if one is stronger, it is taken and the other is left. So here there are three categories: if one is stronger, it is taken and the other is left; if there is no stronger one and the wording does not support both, the stronger one is sought from another piece of evidence; if the wording supports both, it is taken to include both, because that is broader and more comprehensive.
Their argument is refuted
حجتهم داحضةThe student: Predicate.
The Shaykh : For the first subject. May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : His saying:
before their Lord
عند ربهمThe Shaykh : His saying:
And upon them is anger
وعليهم غضبThe Shaykh : Why did Allah Mighty and Majestic say in al-Fatihah:
The path of those upon whom You have bestowed favor, not of those who have evoked [Your] anger
صراط الذين أنعمت عليهم غير المغضوب عليهمAnd whatever you have of favor - it is from Allah
وما بكم من نعمة فمن اللهThe Shaykh : In the noble verse, is there an affirmation of anger for Allah Mighty and Majestic? ... That is to say, if someone were to say: “Upon them is anger” and did not say “from Allah,” how is it correct for you to say: that this is evidence that Allah becomes angry? ... And secondly, other verses indicate the anger of Allah upon these people.
The Shaykh : His saying:
has sent down the Book in truth
أنزل الكتاب بالحقThe student: The Qur'an and the previous books.
The Shaykh : That is to say, is the meaning of “the Book” a single one or the generic?
The student: The generic.
The Shaykh : The generic. Good, what is your evidence for this?
The student: His saying, Exalted is He:
It is Allah who has sent down the Book in truth
الله الذي أنزل الكتاب بالحقThe Shaykh : We understood that the “al” (the) is for the generic, but what is the evidence for this? Yes, indicating this is His saying, the Exalted:
We have already sent Our messengers with clear evidences and sent down with them the Scripture
لقد أنزلنا رسلنا بالبيات وأنزلنا معهم الكتاب بالحق والميزانThis is a very useful rule: if a text is equally susceptible to two meanings and there is no contradiction between them, it must be taken to include both, because Allah Mighty and Majestic knows what His speech entails, and so does the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). This is a beneficial rule for the student of knowledge. However, if they contradict, the stronger one is sought from another piece of evidence. And if one is stronger, it is taken and the other is left. So here there are three categories: if one is stronger, it is taken and the other is left; if there is no stronger one and the wording does not support both, the stronger one is sought from another piece of evidence; if the wording supports both, it is taken to include both, because that is broader and more comprehensive.