Explanation of the Author's Statement: The Chapter on One Who Denies Any of the Names and Attributes
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The Shaykh : Then the author (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "The Chapter on One Who Denies Any of the Names and Attributes".
Denial is rejection, and rejection is of two types: rejection by disbelief and rejection by figurative interpretation. Rejection by disbelief is undoubtedly disbelief. If anyone disbelieves in any of the names of Allah or any of His attributes established in the Book and the Sunnah, this is undoubtedly disbelief, because disbelieving in the news of Allah and His Messenger is disbelief. For example, if one says: Allah does not have a hand, Allah did not rise above the Throne, Allah is not above His servants, Allah does not have a face, Allah does not have an eye, and the like of that, this is disbelief. Why? Because he disbelieved in the report, and disbelieving in the report of Allah and His Messenger is disbelief, which takes one out of the religion...
So this type is disbelief, because it is disbelief in Allah and His Messenger, and it is a matter of consensus among the Muslims.
Now, the second is: denial by figurative interpretation. He denies them, but he interprets them. This is of two types. The first is that this interpretation has a justification in the language; this does not take one out of the religion and does not necessitate disbelief. The second is that it has no justification in the language; its ruling is the ruling of the first, the ruling of the first section, because if it has no justification in the language, it is disbelief in reality; it becomes disbelief.
So the result is that one who denies any of the attributes, his ruling, as we mentioned, is divided first into two sections. The first is that the denial is by disbelief, so this is disbelief. The second is that the denial is by figurative interpretation, and this is of two types. The first type is that it has a justification in the Arabic language, so this does not make one a disbeliever. The second is that it has no justification, so this makes one a disbeliever, because it is like denial by disbelief. For example, if one says: Allah does not have a hand, not in reality and not in the sense that it is power, he negates it absolutely. We say: Now you have not believed in it in reality, as long as you have not interpreted it with a permissible interpretation, and you have not affirmed it in reality, you are a disbeliever. If one said the meaning of the saying of Allah the Exalted:[Al-Ma'idah 5:64] the meaning of His hands is the heavens and the earth, rather His hands are His heavens and His earth, what is the ruling of that? This is disbelief, because its reality is rejection and disbelief, since it is not possible for the hand in the Arabic language, nor by the requirement of the Shari'ah reality, to mean the heavens and the earth. Is that clear?
Now, if he said the meaning of His hands is power or grace? This does not make one a disbeliever, because it has a justification in the Arabic language. So the hand in the Arabic language is used in the sense of grace, as in the saying of the poet:
"And how many hands of the darkness of the night are with you *** that claim that the Manichaeans lie"
And how many hands of the darkness of night are with you, meaning: how many graces, because the Manichaeans believe that darkness does not create good, but only creates evil.
So denial is divided into two sections: denial by disbelief and denial by figurative interpretation. Denial by disbelief is disbelief, and denial by figurative interpretation is of two types: the first type is what has a justification in the language, and the second type is what has no justification in the language. Yes, and you have known the ruling.
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Yes, because it is denial of its reality, denial of the reality. So it is denial of the hand that Allah Mighty and Majestic intended in His saying:[Al-Ma'idah 5:64], so it is denial. Denial of mercy in the saying of Allah the Exalted: [Al-A'raf 7:156] and he interpreted it as grace or the intention of grace, this is denial.
The questioner : What is the meaning of Manichaeans?
The Shaykh : The Manichaeans are a sect of the Zoroastrians who claim that there is no good in darkness, there is only evil in it.
He said: And the saying of Allah the Exalted.
Now, the names, we will complete the names.
The people of language differed from where its derivation is? It was said from *samw* (rising), which is elevation, and it was said from *simah* (mark), which is a sign. So as for the first, its aspect is that the named thing rises with its name and becomes clear and apparent. And as for the second, from the mark and sign, that the name is a sign for its named thing. The reality is that the name is derived from both this and that, from the mark and from the rising.
And what is intended by the names here are the names of Allah Mighty and Majestic. The names of Allah the Exalted have two considerations. The first is by their indication of the Essence, and the second is by their indication of the attribute. So by their indication of the Essence, they are names, and by their indication of the attribute, they are descriptions. *Al-Sami'* (The All-Hearing) by its indication of the Essence of Allah Mighty and Majestic is a name by which Allah is named, and by its indication of the meaning derived from it, which is hearing, it becomes a description. For this reason, it is correct to describe Him with it, so He said: In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Bestower of Mercy. *Al-Rahman* is an attribute of Allah, and *Al-Rahim* is a second attribute. So the names of Allah the Exalted are proper nouns and descriptions. They are proper nouns by their indication of the Essence of Allah Mighty and Majestic, and descriptions by their indication of the attribute that this name contains.
And the indication of the name to the attribute is divided into three sections: indication of correspondence, indication of inclusion, and indication of implication.
An example of that: *Al-Khaliq* (The Creator) indicates the attribute of creation by indication of inclusion, and indicates the Essence of the Creator by indication of inclusion, and indicates the Essence and creation by indication of correspondence, and indicates knowledge and power by indication of implication. So what is the difference between indication of inclusion, correspondence, and implication? Indication of correspondence is what the word indicates while encompassing it, meaning: the indication of the word to the meaning while encompassing it is indication of correspondence, meaning its indication to all of its meaning. And its indication to a part of it is indication of inclusion, and its indication to something external that is necessary for it is indication of implication. This is the difference between the three indications. So *Al-Khaliq*, we said it indicates the Essence of Allah alone and the attribute of creation alone by indication of what?
The student: Inclusion (tadammun).
The Shaykh : Indication of inclusion, and it indicates the Essence of Allah and the attribute of His creation by indication of correspondence, and it indicates knowledge and power by indication of implication.
Then Allah the Exalted said:[At-Talaq 65:12] Look [At-Talaq 65:12] From where did we know that Allah is All-Able over everything? From His having created the heavens and the earth. From where did we know? From the fact that creation necessarily involves knowledge, and whoever does not know does not have power. How can He create something He does not know? From where did we take that Allah is All-Able over everything from the attribute of creation? We took it because creation is formation, and there is no formation except by power. And this indication of implication is very beneficial for the student of knowledge. How many people derive several issues from one piece of evidence through implication, and how many people...
Denial is rejection, and rejection is of two types: rejection by disbelief and rejection by figurative interpretation. Rejection by disbelief is undoubtedly disbelief. If anyone disbelieves in any of the names of Allah or any of His attributes established in the Book and the Sunnah, this is undoubtedly disbelief, because disbelieving in the news of Allah and His Messenger is disbelief. For example, if one says: Allah does not have a hand, Allah did not rise above the Throne, Allah is not above His servants, Allah does not have a face, Allah does not have an eye, and the like of that, this is disbelief. Why? Because he disbelieved in the report, and disbelieving in the report of Allah and His Messenger is disbelief, which takes one out of the religion...
So this type is disbelief, because it is disbelief in Allah and His Messenger, and it is a matter of consensus among the Muslims.
Now, the second is: denial by figurative interpretation. He denies them, but he interprets them. This is of two types. The first is that this interpretation has a justification in the language; this does not take one out of the religion and does not necessitate disbelief. The second is that it has no justification in the language; its ruling is the ruling of the first, the ruling of the first section, because if it has no justification in the language, it is disbelief in reality; it becomes disbelief.
So the result is that one who denies any of the attributes, his ruling, as we mentioned, is divided first into two sections. The first is that the denial is by disbelief, so this is disbelief. The second is that the denial is by figurative interpretation, and this is of two types. The first type is that it has a justification in the Arabic language, so this does not make one a disbeliever. The second is that it has no justification, so this makes one a disbeliever, because it is like denial by disbelief. For example, if one says: Allah does not have a hand, not in reality and not in the sense that it is power, he negates it absolutely. We say: Now you have not believed in it in reality, as long as you have not interpreted it with a permissible interpretation, and you have not affirmed it in reality, you are a disbeliever. If one said the meaning of the saying of Allah the Exalted:
Rather, both His hands are extended
بل يداه مبسوطتانNow, if he said the meaning of His hands is power or grace? This does not make one a disbeliever, because it has a justification in the Arabic language. So the hand in the Arabic language is used in the sense of grace, as in the saying of the poet:
"And how many hands of the darkness of the night are with you *** that claim that the Manichaeans lie"
And how many hands of the darkness of night are with you, meaning: how many graces, because the Manichaeans believe that darkness does not create good, but only creates evil.
So denial is divided into two sections: denial by disbelief and denial by figurative interpretation. Denial by disbelief is disbelief, and denial by figurative interpretation is of two types: the first type is what has a justification in the language, and the second type is what has no justification in the language. Yes, and you have known the ruling.
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Yes, because it is denial of its reality, denial of the reality. So it is denial of the hand that Allah Mighty and Majestic intended in His saying:
Rather, both His hands are extended
بل يداه مبسوطتانbut My mercy encompasses all things
ورحمتي وسعت كل شيءThe questioner : What is the meaning of Manichaeans?
The Shaykh : The Manichaeans are a sect of the Zoroastrians who claim that there is no good in darkness, there is only evil in it.
He said: And the saying of Allah the Exalted.
Now, the names, we will complete the names.
The people of language differed from where its derivation is? It was said from *samw* (rising), which is elevation, and it was said from *simah* (mark), which is a sign. So as for the first, its aspect is that the named thing rises with its name and becomes clear and apparent. And as for the second, from the mark and sign, that the name is a sign for its named thing. The reality is that the name is derived from both this and that, from the mark and from the rising.
And what is intended by the names here are the names of Allah Mighty and Majestic. The names of Allah the Exalted have two considerations. The first is by their indication of the Essence, and the second is by their indication of the attribute. So by their indication of the Essence, they are names, and by their indication of the attribute, they are descriptions. *Al-Sami'* (The All-Hearing) by its indication of the Essence of Allah Mighty and Majestic is a name by which Allah is named, and by its indication of the meaning derived from it, which is hearing, it becomes a description. For this reason, it is correct to describe Him with it, so He said: In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Bestower of Mercy. *Al-Rahman* is an attribute of Allah, and *Al-Rahim* is a second attribute. So the names of Allah the Exalted are proper nouns and descriptions. They are proper nouns by their indication of the Essence of Allah Mighty and Majestic, and descriptions by their indication of the attribute that this name contains.
And the indication of the name to the attribute is divided into three sections: indication of correspondence, indication of inclusion, and indication of implication.
An example of that: *Al-Khaliq* (The Creator) indicates the attribute of creation by indication of inclusion, and indicates the Essence of the Creator by indication of inclusion, and indicates the Essence and creation by indication of correspondence, and indicates knowledge and power by indication of implication. So what is the difference between indication of inclusion, correspondence, and implication? Indication of correspondence is what the word indicates while encompassing it, meaning: the indication of the word to the meaning while encompassing it is indication of correspondence, meaning its indication to all of its meaning. And its indication to a part of it is indication of inclusion, and its indication to something external that is necessary for it is indication of implication. This is the difference between the three indications. So *Al-Khaliq*, we said it indicates the Essence of Allah alone and the attribute of creation alone by indication of what?
The student: Inclusion (tadammun).
The Shaykh : Indication of inclusion, and it indicates the Essence of Allah and the attribute of His creation by indication of correspondence, and it indicates knowledge and power by indication of implication.
Then Allah the Exalted said: