Explanation of the author's statement: "And this was a bad assumption because it is an assumption that does not befit Him, Glorified and Exalted, nor what befits His wisdom, His praise, and His true promise."
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The Shaykh : He said: And when "this was a bad assumption because it is an assumption that does not befit Him, Glorified and Exalted, and does not befit His wisdom, His praise, and His true promise", and what is His true promise? That Allah will support His Messenger and make him prevail over all religion [At-Tawbah 9:33]. So if you assume that the matter of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) will perish and that he will be abandoned until the Day of Resurrection, this is an assumption that does not befit Allah, Glorified and Exalted. He said, may Allah have mercy on him: "So whoever assumes that falsehood will be given a stable victory over the truth, such that the truth perishes with it, or denies that what has occurred is by His decree and divine decree, or denies that He decreed it for a profound wisdom for which He deserves praise, but rather claimed", and so on. These are issues... may Allah have mercy on him, all of them. "Whoever assumes that falsehood will be given a stable victory over the truth, such that the truth perishes with it". This is the assumption of whom? The assumption of those who said that Allah will not support His Messenger. [Al-Fath 48:12] So those who assumed that Allah will not support His Messenger and that his matter will perish are those who... in this.
"Or denies that what has occurred is by His decree and divine decree", yes, and this is a bad assumption about Him. The reason is that he assumed that there is in His dominion something He does not will. Whoever assumes that there is in the dominion of Allah something He does not will has assumed a bad assumption about Allah, because everything that occurs in His dominion is by His will. "Or denies that He decreed it for a profound wisdom for which He deserves praise". Correct. So if he denies that what Allah, Mighty and Majestic, decreed is either something for which He is praised, whether it is something a person dislikes or loves, or if he denies that it is for a profound wisdom, he has assumed a bad assumption about Allah. Because we know with certainty that Allah does not decree anything and does not legislate anything except for a wisdom. But is this wisdom known to us? No, it may be known or it may not be known, because our minds are limited in comprehending the wisdom of Allah, Mighty and Majestic. How many are the wisdoms in the legislated matters that we miss? For this reason, people differ greatly in the operative causes of the rulings of the Shari'ah according to their knowledge of the wisdom of Allah, Glorified and Exalted. He said: "But... but they claimed that it is for a mere will". And this is the view of whom?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Yes, from the sects of the Mu'tazilah or the Jahmiyyah, or from whom?
The student: The Jahmiyyah
The Shaykh : The Jahmiyyah, yes, the Jahmiyyah and the Jabriyyah say that Allah, Mighty and Majestic, decrees things for no wisdom, but for a mere will. The opposite of the Mu'tazilah, who say that He does not decree anything except for a wisdom, and they impose upon Allah, the Exalted, what they will. The author of "Mukhtasar al-Tahrir", al-Fatuh, may Allah have mercy on him, mentioned that there are two opinions in the school regarding this issue. He said: "His action and His will are not for a will, but for a wisdom." Meaning, He does the thing and wills it for no wisdom, but for a mere will, like the one who assumes about Allah, Mighty and Majestic, that He does not decree things for a wisdom, but decrees them for a mere will. He willed, so He did. It was asked: Why? He said: This is the will of Allah, because Allah. So He, Glorified and Exalted, decrees things and legislates things not for a profound wisdom. And there is no doubt that this is considered one of the greatest accusations against Allah. For the human being, the created creature, if he acts without a wisdom, what is he called?
The student: A madman.
The Shaykh : A fool is called a fool and has no soundness. So if that is the case, what do you say about the Great Creator, Exalted and Majestic, who does not decree anything except for a wisdom, but we may not comprehend this wisdom? Yes, he said: "That is the assumption of those who disbelieved, so woe to those who disbelieved from the Fire". Yes, as He, the Exalted, said[Sad 38:27]. And what does it refer to? It means the claim that they were created in vain, not for a great profound wisdom. That is the assumption of those who disbelieved. And He, the Exalted, said in another verse [Ad-Dukhan 44:38-39], which is the opposite of falsehood. And these people say that Allah, Mighty and Majestic, created these heavens and the earth in vain, for no wisdom. Allah, Mighty and Majestic, said [Sad 38:27]. They are those who assume that Allah created the heavens and the earth in vain, in futility, in play, and in amusement, and the like of that. Then He said [Sad 38:27]. What is the grammatical parsing of "Wail"? O Mashrif?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Yes, what is its grammatical parsing? Ah?
The student: The subject.
The Shaykh : It is a subject (mubtada'). Its parsing is that it is a subject, and it is permissible to begin with it while it is an indefinite noun, yes?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Because it is for magnification.
The student: ...
The Shaykh : No...
The student: Peace upon...
The Shaykh : Yes, from this to that, there is consideration in it. The important thing is that this is a report from Allah that... "Wail" for one who wants to do evil. But if it is from Allah, it is a report. How does He call? Allah calls whom?[Sad 38:27] Where is the predicate of the subject?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : No, the preposition and the genitive "for those who disbelieved" is the predicate. And "from the Fire" is an explanation of "Wail," meaning wail for them from the Fire. And in this is proof that "Wail" is a word of warning and is not, as was said, a valley in Hellfire. Rather, it is a word intended to mean warning. You say "Wail to you from the Fire," "Wail to you from so-and-so," "Wail to you from the cold," "Wail to you from hunger," and the like of that. So it is a word of warning. For this reason, a person who is in pain says: "Oh my woe, oh my woe, woe to me, oh my woe, woe to me." Is he warning himself with the Fire?
The student: No.
The Shaykh : No, so the important thing is that this word is not a valley in Hellfire as was said, even though there may be a valley in Hellfire named "Wail." But in such a verse as[Sad 38:27], it is a word of warning...
That we assume about Allah what does not befit Him. Why did Allah describe that as the assumption of ignorance or the assumption of ignorance?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : And most people, Haidar?
The student: Their assumption is considered a denial of the Qur'an.
The Shaykh : A denial.
The student: The Qur'an.
The Shaykh : A denial of the Qur'an.
The student: ... Is it considered a denial of the Qur'an that Allah does not support the Messenger?
The Shaykh : Except, except how? He said: "And most people assume a bad assumption about Allah regarding what concerns them and what He does to others". His saying "most people" does not mean most people from the believers. Most people from the children of Adam, because most people from the believers do not assume this assumption. But most people from the children of Adam assume a bad assumption about Allah, meaning an assumption of defect, regarding what concerns them and what He does to others. Regarding what concerns them, for example, if Allah, Mighty and Majestic, tests them with something, they assume a bad assumption about Allah. If they worship Allah, Mighty and Majestic, according to His Shari'ah, they assume that Allah does not accept from them, and this is a bad assumption. If they call upon Allah, Mighty and Majestic, with supplication in the prescribed manner, they assume that Allah does not answer their supplication, and this is a bad assumption. Likewise, regarding what He does to others, such as if they see someone tested by Allah, Mighty and Majestic, with some physical illness or loss of wealth or loss of family, they assume about Allah, they assume a bad assumption about Allah regarding what He did to this man. Or, for example, if they see that the disbelievers have prevailed over the Muslims in one of the battles, they assume that Allah will always give these disbelievers victory over the Muslims, and this is a bad assumption. For this reason, it is obligatory for a person to always assume the truth about Allah, Mighty and Majestic, yes, and to have a good assumption about Allah along with the presence of the causes that necessitate having a good assumption about Allah. Yes, O...?
The questioner : ... and the people, meaning... poor, he does not deserve...
The Shaykh : This is an objection to the divine decree. This is an objection to the decree of Allah.
The questioner : Enabling the people that they kill some of the messengers. How, meaning, how do they kill some of the messengers?
The Shaykh : Yes, this is for a wisdom. For a wisdom that they kill some of the prophets.
The questioner : What is the operative cause?
The Shaykh : The wisdom of that is for the sake of the persistence of these people in their tyranny, and for the sake of those who were killed attaining the rank of martyrs and the patient in affliction.
The questioner : Oh Shaykh
The Shaykh : Yes
The questioner : Many of...
The Shaykh : I see that we should prevent questions. In the case of explanation, we prevent questions. First... we are recording now, and the fact that the recording cuts out is not correct.
Second, a person organizes his thoughts when he is explaining. If a question like this or that comes up, the mind gets scattered. This applies to the presenter and to the audience as well; their minds get scattered. That is why you find that when a questioner asks a question, they turn to look at him. For this reason, I think that questions should be prohibited until the explanation is finished, and whoever has a question should keep it to himself. Yes.
Now, the author says: "Most people assume the worst regarding what concerns them and what they do to others, and none are safe from this—meaning from assuming the worst—except those who know Allah, His names and attributes, and the implications of His wisdom and decrees." May Allah have mercy on him. None are safe from assuming the worst except those who know Allah the Exalted and the wisdom and secrets He has in what He decrees and what He legislates, Blessed and Exalted is He. So, if a person knows his Lord and knows His names and attributes with true knowledge—not knowledge of distortion and figurative interpretation—those who distort and interpret figuratively have, by Allah, veiled [people] from knowing the names and attributes of Allah. You will find that most of the time their hearts are dark. You will find that most of the time their hearts are dark, always trying to raise objections, doubts, and arguments. But as for the one who keeps the names and attributes of Allah as they indicate and follows the methodology of the Salaf in this, you will find that his heart does not entertain these objections that are raised against those who distort. This is because the distorters came from the direction of assuming the worst about Allah, where they assumed that the apparent meaning of the Book and the Sunnah indicates likening Allah to creation and comparing Him to creation. So they took to distorting the words from their places and denying what Allah has affirmed for Himself. For this reason, Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "Indeed, every one who denies the divine attributes is one who likens Allah to creation, and every one who likens Allah to creation is one who denies the divine attributes." As for the fact that every one who denies the divine attributes is one who likens Allah to creation, the point is that the one who denies them did so because he assumed that the indication of the Book and the Sunnah necessitates likening Allah to creation. So when he had this bad assumption about the texts of the Book and the Sunnah, he took to distorting them and diverting them from their apparent meaning. So first he likened Allah to creation, yes, and secondly he denied the attributes. And so, the one who knows the names and attributes of Allah with knowledge in accordance with what the Salaf of this Ummah and its imams followed.
It is He who has sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth to manifest it over all religion
هو الذي أرسل رسوله بالهدى ودين الحق ليظهره على الدين كلهBut you thought that the Messenger and the believers would never return to their families, ever
بل ظننتم أن لن ينقلب الرسول والمؤمنون إلى أهليهم أبدا"Or denies that what has occurred is by His decree and divine decree", yes, and this is a bad assumption about Him. The reason is that he assumed that there is in His dominion something He does not will. Whoever assumes that there is in the dominion of Allah something He does not will has assumed a bad assumption about Allah, because everything that occurs in His dominion is by His will. "Or denies that He decreed it for a profound wisdom for which He deserves praise". Correct. So if he denies that what Allah, Mighty and Majestic, decreed is either something for which He is praised, whether it is something a person dislikes or loves, or if he denies that it is for a profound wisdom, he has assumed a bad assumption about Allah. Because we know with certainty that Allah does not decree anything and does not legislate anything except for a wisdom. But is this wisdom known to us? No, it may be known or it may not be known, because our minds are limited in comprehending the wisdom of Allah, Mighty and Majestic. How many are the wisdoms in the legislated matters that we miss? For this reason, people differ greatly in the operative causes of the rulings of the Shari'ah according to their knowledge of the wisdom of Allah, Glorified and Exalted. He said: "But... but they claimed that it is for a mere will". And this is the view of whom?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Yes, from the sects of the Mu'tazilah or the Jahmiyyah, or from whom?
The student: The Jahmiyyah
The Shaykh : The Jahmiyyah, yes, the Jahmiyyah and the Jabriyyah say that Allah, Mighty and Majestic, decrees things for no wisdom, but for a mere will. The opposite of the Mu'tazilah, who say that He does not decree anything except for a wisdom, and they impose upon Allah, the Exalted, what they will. The author of "Mukhtasar al-Tahrir", al-Fatuh, may Allah have mercy on him, mentioned that there are two opinions in the school regarding this issue. He said: "His action and His will are not for a will, but for a wisdom." Meaning, He does the thing and wills it for no wisdom, but for a mere will, like the one who assumes about Allah, Mighty and Majestic, that He does not decree things for a wisdom, but decrees them for a mere will. He willed, so He did. It was asked: Why? He said: This is the will of Allah, because Allah
He is not questioned about what He does, while they are questioned.
لا يسأل عما يفعل وهم يسألونThe student: A madman.
The Shaykh : A fool is called a fool and has no soundness. So if that is the case, what do you say about the Great Creator, Exalted and Majestic, who does not decree anything except for a wisdom, but we may not comprehend this wisdom? Yes, he said: "That is the assumption of those who disbelieved, so woe to those who disbelieved from the Fire". Yes, as He, the Exalted, said
And We did not create the heaven and the earth and that between them aimlessly. That is the assumption of those who disbelieve
وما خلقنا السماء والأرض وما بينهما باطلا ذلك ظن الذين كفروا(38) And We did not create the heavens and earth and that between them in play. (39) We did not create them except in truth, but most of them do not know.
وما خلقنا السماوات والأرض وما بينهما لاعبين ما خلقناهما إلا بالحقThat is the assumption of those who disbelieve
ذلك ظن الذين كفرواso woe to those who disbelieve from the Fire.
فويل للذين كفروا من النارThe student: ...
The Shaykh : Yes, what is its grammatical parsing? Ah?
The student: The subject.
The Shaykh : It is a subject (mubtada'). Its parsing is that it is a subject, and it is permissible to begin with it while it is an indefinite noun, yes?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Because it is for magnification.
The student: ...
The Shaykh : No...
The student: Peace upon...
The Shaykh : Yes, from this to that, there is consideration in it. The important thing is that this is a report from Allah that... "Wail" for one who wants to do evil. But if it is from Allah, it is a report. How does He call? Allah calls whom?
so woe to those who disbelieve from the Fire.
فويل للذين كفروا من النارThe student: ...
The Shaykh : No, the preposition and the genitive "for those who disbelieved" is the predicate. And "from the Fire" is an explanation of "Wail," meaning wail for them from the Fire. And in this is proof that "Wail" is a word of warning and is not, as was said, a valley in Hellfire. Rather, it is a word intended to mean warning. You say "Wail to you from the Fire," "Wail to you from so-and-so," "Wail to you from the cold," "Wail to you from hunger," and the like of that. So it is a word of warning. For this reason, a person who is in pain says: "Oh my woe, oh my woe, woe to me, oh my woe, woe to me." Is he warning himself with the Fire?
The student: No.
The Shaykh : No, so the important thing is that this word is not a valley in Hellfire as was said, even though there may be a valley in Hellfire named "Wail." But in such a verse as
so woe to those who disbelieve from the Fire.
فويل للذين كفروا من النارThat we assume about Allah what does not befit Him. Why did Allah describe that as the assumption of ignorance or the assumption of ignorance?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : And most people, Haidar?
The student: Their assumption is considered a denial of the Qur'an.
The Shaykh : A denial.
The student: The Qur'an.
The Shaykh : A denial of the Qur'an.
The student: ... Is it considered a denial of the Qur'an that Allah does not support the Messenger?
The Shaykh : Except, except how? He said: "And most people assume a bad assumption about Allah regarding what concerns them and what He does to others". His saying "most people" does not mean most people from the believers. Most people from the children of Adam, because most people from the believers do not assume this assumption. But most people from the children of Adam assume a bad assumption about Allah, meaning an assumption of defect, regarding what concerns them and what He does to others. Regarding what concerns them, for example, if Allah, Mighty and Majestic, tests them with something, they assume a bad assumption about Allah. If they worship Allah, Mighty and Majestic, according to His Shari'ah, they assume that Allah does not accept from them, and this is a bad assumption. If they call upon Allah, Mighty and Majestic, with supplication in the prescribed manner, they assume that Allah does not answer their supplication, and this is a bad assumption. Likewise, regarding what He does to others, such as if they see someone tested by Allah, Mighty and Majestic, with some physical illness or loss of wealth or loss of family, they assume about Allah, they assume a bad assumption about Allah regarding what He did to this man. Or, for example, if they see that the disbelievers have prevailed over the Muslims in one of the battles, they assume that Allah will always give these disbelievers victory over the Muslims, and this is a bad assumption. For this reason, it is obligatory for a person to always assume the truth about Allah, Mighty and Majestic, yes, and to have a good assumption about Allah along with the presence of the causes that necessitate having a good assumption about Allah. Yes, O...?
The questioner : ... and the people, meaning... poor, he does not deserve...
The Shaykh : This is an objection to the divine decree. This is an objection to the decree of Allah.
The questioner : Enabling the people that they kill some of the messengers. How, meaning, how do they kill some of the messengers?
The Shaykh : Yes, this is for a wisdom. For a wisdom that they kill some of the prophets.
The questioner : What is the operative cause?
The Shaykh : The wisdom of that is for the sake of the persistence of these people in their tyranny, and for the sake of those who were killed attaining the rank of martyrs and the patient in affliction.
The questioner : Oh Shaykh
The Shaykh : Yes
The questioner : Many of...
The Shaykh : I see that we should prevent questions. In the case of explanation, we prevent questions. First... we are recording now, and the fact that the recording cuts out is not correct.
Second, a person organizes his thoughts when he is explaining. If a question like this or that comes up, the mind gets scattered. This applies to the presenter and to the audience as well; their minds get scattered. That is why you find that when a questioner asks a question, they turn to look at him. For this reason, I think that questions should be prohibited until the explanation is finished, and whoever has a question should keep it to himself. Yes.
Now, the author says: "Most people assume the worst regarding what concerns them and what they do to others, and none are safe from this—meaning from assuming the worst—except those who know Allah, His names and attributes, and the implications of His wisdom and decrees." May Allah have mercy on him. None are safe from assuming the worst except those who know Allah the Exalted and the wisdom and secrets He has in what He decrees and what He legislates, Blessed and Exalted is He. So, if a person knows his Lord and knows His names and attributes with true knowledge—not knowledge of distortion and figurative interpretation—those who distort and interpret figuratively have, by Allah, veiled [people] from knowing the names and attributes of Allah. You will find that most of the time their hearts are dark. You will find that most of the time their hearts are dark, always trying to raise objections, doubts, and arguments. But as for the one who keeps the names and attributes of Allah as they indicate and follows the methodology of the Salaf in this, you will find that his heart does not entertain these objections that are raised against those who distort. This is because the distorters came from the direction of assuming the worst about Allah, where they assumed that the apparent meaning of the Book and the Sunnah indicates likening Allah to creation and comparing Him to creation. So they took to distorting the words from their places and denying what Allah has affirmed for Himself. For this reason, Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "Indeed, every one who denies the divine attributes is one who likens Allah to creation, and every one who likens Allah to creation is one who denies the divine attributes." As for the fact that every one who denies the divine attributes is one who likens Allah to creation, the point is that the one who denies them did so because he assumed that the indication of the Book and the Sunnah necessitates likening Allah to creation. So when he had this bad assumption about the texts of the Book and the Sunnah, he took to distorting them and diverting them from their apparent meaning. So first he likened Allah to creation, yes, and secondly he denied the attributes. And so, the one who knows the names and attributes of Allah with knowledge in accordance with what the Salaf of this Ummah and its imams followed.