Discussion of deviation in the cosmic and legislative signs.
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The Shaykh : We have now understood deviation in the names. The evidence for deviation in the signs is the statement of Allah the Exalted: [Fussilat 41:40] As you can see, this sentence contains a clear threat, because the meaning of "they do not escape from Us" is that We will punish them for this deviation. The sentence here is emphasized by the particle "in." The signs of Allah the Mighty and Majestic are divided into two categories: cosmic signs and legislative signs. The cosmic signs are all created things; all created things are among the cosmic signs of Allah, such as the heavens, the earth, the stars, the mountains, the trees, the animals, and so on. The poet said:
"And in every thing there is a sign *** indicating that He is One
How wondrous, how is the Divine disobeyed? *** Or how does the denier deny Him?
And in every thing there is a sign *** indicating that He is One"
Everything contains a sign from the signs of Allah the Mighty and Majestic. If the cosmic signs are everything Allah created, all of the creations of Allah the Exalted, then each is a cosmic sign of Allah. So what constitutes deviation in them? Deviation in them takes three forms:
Believing that someone has exclusive control over them or some of them, meaning creation without Allah, like the naturalists who say that nature is what forms things. This is deviation in the signs of Allah. This is one category. Believing that someone has exclusive control over them without Allah, or has participated in them or some of them, having exclusive control over them.
Second, believing that Allah the Exalted has a partner in them, meaning even if not a creator, but a partner in dominion over these things. This is deviation in the signs.
The third category, or the third aspect, is believing that Allah has a helper in their creation, not a partner, but a helper. That Allah has a helper in creating these universes. So deviation in the cosmic signs of Allah is from three aspects: believing that someone other than Allah has exclusive control over them or some of them, believing that someone has participated with Allah the Exalted in them. The difference between this and the previous one is clear, because if one believes that someone has exclusive control over them without Allah, it is clear, as if he has made the universe created by other than Allah. But if someone has participated with Allah in them, for example, one created the heavens, Allah created the heavens, and the other created the earth. This is in the sense of exclusivity.
As for the second category, the second aspect, that Allah the Exalted has a partner in them in a shared sense, meaning all of this is between him and Allah, all creation is between Allah and another person. Is the difference between them clear?
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh : Good. The third is to believe that Allah the Exalted has a helper in bringing them into existence, creating them, and managing them. This is among the deviations in the signs. And the statement of Allah the Exalted indicates and points to these aspects:[Saba 34:22] This is the first, exclusivity. [Saba 34:22] This is the second. [Saba 34:22] "Zahir" means a helper, this is the third. So deviation in the cosmic signs of Allah is from how many aspects?
The student: From three aspects.
The Shaykh : From three aspects. Did you understand? Everything that affects the oneness of lordship falls under deviation in the cosmic signs.
Good. The second category of signs is the legislative signs, which are the laws brought by the messengers, or in a broader term, the revelation. What the messengers brought from the revelation are the legislative signs. For example? Like the Qur'an. Allah the Exalted said in the Qur'an:[Al-'Ankabut 29:49] Yes, [Al-'Ankabut 29:49], but the ignorant do not benefit from the Qur'an.
What constitutes deviation in the legislative signs? Deviation in the legislative signs is by denying them, distorting them, and opposing them. How many aspects? Three aspects as well. It is by denying them, distorting them, and what else? And opposing them. Denying them is related to the reports, distorting them, and opposing them is related to the rulings. And distorting them is related to the rulings and the reports. Distortion includes, meaning distortion relates to the reports and the rulings. Did you understand, everyone? So deviation in the legislative signs is from three aspects as well: denying them, opposing them, and distorting them. Denying them, opposing them, and distorting them. Denying them in what relates to
The student: The reports.
The Shaykh : Yes, and opposing them in what relates to the rulings. And the third is distorting them, which includes the reports and the rulings. Is that right? So some people, for example, distort the rulings and make this report, for example, or this verse have a meaning other than what Allah intended. And some people distort in the reports, like the distortion of the people of denial of the divine attributes from the Mu'tazilah, the Jahmiyyah, the Asha'irah, and others. Did you understand? Good. So is deviation in the cosmic and legislative signs forbidden or permissible?
The student: Forbidden.
The Shaykh : Forbidden, and some of it is disbelief. Denying them is undoubtedly disbelief. Denying the legislative signs is disbelief. So whoever denies something while believing that Allah the Exalted and His Messenger informed about it, he is a disbeliever, he is a disbeliever. If he knows that this is from what Allah and His Messenger informed about and then he denies it, it is disbelief. Some of it is a major sin, and some of it is a minor sin. Allah the Exalted said regarding the sanctuary:[Al-Hajj 22:25] So Allah the Exalted called sins and oppression deviation because it is a deviation from what a person must be upon. The person who disobeys Allah has deviated, hasn't he? He has deviated from what he must be upon, because what he must be upon is walking on the path of Allah the Exalted. So if he opposes it, he has deviated. Yes. Good. So, praise be to Allah, the division of deviation in the cosmic and legislative signs is complete.
And the question now that arises is: what is the place where deviation occurs? We say it occurs in the names and in the signs. And deviation in the names is of four types. And deviation in the signs, let us see, we divide it. The signs are either cosmic or legislative. So deviation in the cosmic signs is by believing that someone has exclusive control over them without Allah or some of them, the second is believing that Allah the Exalted has a partner in them, and the third is believing that Allah the Exalted has a helper in them. And what points to these three things is? The statement of Allah the Exalted:[Saba 34:22] Yes, in this verse there is a fourth thing, but it does not relate to our discussion, and that is? [Saba 34:23] By these matters, every means by which the polytheists cling is cut off. As long as their gods have no dominion, no participation, no assistance, and no intercession, then what do they cling to? They have nothing to cling to. Yes. So deviation in the legislative signs, we said, is in three matters, by three matters: denying them, opposing them, and distorting them. Yes.
Indeed, those who inject deviation into Our verses are not concealed from Us
إن الذين يلحدون في آياتنا لا يخفون علينا"And in every thing there is a sign *** indicating that He is One
How wondrous, how is the Divine disobeyed? *** Or how does the denier deny Him?
And in every thing there is a sign *** indicating that He is One"
Everything contains a sign from the signs of Allah the Mighty and Majestic. If the cosmic signs are everything Allah created, all of the creations of Allah the Exalted, then each is a cosmic sign of Allah. So what constitutes deviation in them? Deviation in them takes three forms:
Believing that someone has exclusive control over them or some of them, meaning creation without Allah, like the naturalists who say that nature is what forms things. This is deviation in the signs of Allah. This is one category. Believing that someone has exclusive control over them without Allah, or has participated in them or some of them, having exclusive control over them.
Second, believing that Allah the Exalted has a partner in them, meaning even if not a creator, but a partner in dominion over these things. This is deviation in the signs.
The third category, or the third aspect, is believing that Allah has a helper in their creation, not a partner, but a helper. That Allah has a helper in creating these universes. So deviation in the cosmic signs of Allah is from three aspects: believing that someone other than Allah has exclusive control over them or some of them, believing that someone has participated with Allah the Exalted in them. The difference between this and the previous one is clear, because if one believes that someone has exclusive control over them without Allah, it is clear, as if he has made the universe created by other than Allah. But if someone has participated with Allah in them, for example, one created the heavens, Allah created the heavens, and the other created the earth. This is in the sense of exclusivity.
As for the second category, the second aspect, that Allah the Exalted has a partner in them in a shared sense, meaning all of this is between him and Allah, all creation is between Allah and another person. Is the difference between them clear?
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh : Good. The third is to believe that Allah the Exalted has a helper in bringing them into existence, creating them, and managing them. This is among the deviations in the signs. And the statement of Allah the Exalted indicates and points to these aspects:
Say, [O Muhammad], "Invoke those you claim [as deities] besides Allah." They do not possess an atom's weight [of ability] in the heavens or on the earth
قل ادعوا الذين زعمتم من دون الله لا يملكون مثقال ذرة في السماوات ولا في الأرضand they do not have therein any partnership
وما لهم فيهما من شركnor is there for Him from among them any assistant.
وما له منهم من ظهيرThe student: From three aspects.
The Shaykh : From three aspects. Did you understand? Everything that affects the oneness of lordship falls under deviation in the cosmic signs.
Good. The second category of signs is the legislative signs, which are the laws brought by the messengers, or in a broader term, the revelation. What the messengers brought from the revelation are the legislative signs. For example? Like the Qur'an. Allah the Exalted said in the Qur'an:
Rather, the Qur'an is distinct verses [preserved] within the breasts of those who have been given knowledge
بل هو آيات بينات في صدور الذين أوتوا العلمRather, the Qur'an is distinct verses [preserved] within the breasts of those who have been given knowledge
بل هو آيات بينات في صدور الذين أوتوا العلمWhat constitutes deviation in the legislative signs? Deviation in the legislative signs is by denying them, distorting them, and opposing them. How many aspects? Three aspects as well. It is by denying them, distorting them, and what else? And opposing them. Denying them is related to the reports, distorting them, and opposing them is related to the rulings. And distorting them is related to the rulings and the reports. Distortion includes, meaning distortion relates to the reports and the rulings. Did you understand, everyone? So deviation in the legislative signs is from three aspects as well: denying them, opposing them, and distorting them. Denying them, opposing them, and distorting them. Denying them in what relates to
The student: The reports.
The Shaykh : Yes, and opposing them in what relates to the rulings. And the third is distorting them, which includes the reports and the rulings. Is that right? So some people, for example, distort the rulings and make this report, for example, or this verse have a meaning other than what Allah intended. And some people distort in the reports, like the distortion of the people of denial of the divine attributes from the Mu'tazilah, the Jahmiyyah, the Asha'irah, and others. Did you understand? Good. So is deviation in the cosmic and legislative signs forbidden or permissible?
The student: Forbidden.
The Shaykh : Forbidden, and some of it is disbelief. Denying them is undoubtedly disbelief. Denying the legislative signs is disbelief. So whoever denies something while believing that Allah the Exalted and His Messenger informed about it, he is a disbeliever, he is a disbeliever. If he knows that this is from what Allah and His Messenger informed about and then he denies it, it is disbelief. Some of it is a major sin, and some of it is a minor sin. Allah the Exalted said regarding the sanctuary:
and [also] whoever intends [a deed] therein of deviation [in religion] or wrongdoing - We will make him taste of a painful punishment.
ومن يرد فيه بإلحاد بظلم نذقه من عذاب أليمAnd the question now that arises is: what is the place where deviation occurs? We say it occurs in the names and in the signs. And deviation in the names is of four types. And deviation in the signs, let us see, we divide it. The signs are either cosmic or legislative. So deviation in the cosmic signs is by believing that someone has exclusive control over them without Allah or some of them, the second is believing that Allah the Exalted has a partner in them, and the third is believing that Allah the Exalted has a helper in them. And what points to these three things is? The statement of Allah the Exalted: