He did not beget, nor was He begotten, and there is none comparable to Him
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The Shaykh : Then he said: [Al-Ikhlas 112:3-4] This is an affirmation of His self-sufficiency and oneness. Why did I say it is an affirmation? Because we understand this from what came before, so its mention serves as an affirmation of what? Of the meaning of what came before and a confirmation of it. So, because of His oneness and self-sufficiency, He did not beget, for a child is like the father, yes, in creation and in attribute.
"By his father, 'Adi followed in generosity, *** And whoever resembles his father has not wronged"
And even regarding resemblance, when Mujazziz al-Madlaji came to Zayd ibn Harithah and his son Usamah, and they were wrapped in a cloak with their feet showing, he looked at the feet and said: "Indeed, these feet are some of each other", and he did not know what was under the cloak? By what? By resemblance. So, because of the perfection of His oneness and the perfection of His self-sufficiency, and the father needs the child, or not? Why? To serve him, spend on him, assist him in weakness, and preserve him. And from the common proverbs: "He who inherits from the dead" or "He who begets for the dead". I remember it as "he who begets." In any case, the meaning is that whoever has children, he does not inherit from them, [Maryam 19:5-6] does he inherit from them in wealth, or not? In knowledge, and also in permanence. A man, if he dies and has no children, is forgotten, but if he has children, they preserve his mention. The Lord, Mighty and Majestic, does not need begetting, and it is far from Him that He should. For this reason, Allah, Mighty and Majestic, argued against its possibility by matters, saying: And what comes after that? [Al-An'am 6:101] Where does the child come from?
Second, how can He have a child when He created everything, and the child of the Creator is like Him, and everything other than Allah is created? How can He have a child?[Al-An'am 6:101] And by His knowledge, He informed you that He did not beget and was not begotten. Good.
It is known that if He had been begotten, He would have been preceded by a father, while He, (Exalted and Majestic is He), is the First, before whom is nothing, and He is the Creator, and everything other than Him is created. How can He be begotten?
And denying that He has a child is stronger in the minds than denying that He begets. And Allah, Mighty and Majestic, says:[Al-Mu'minun 23:91] Even if by naming, He did not beget and did not take a child, nor by naming. The sons of Adam, a person may take a child from them whom he did not beget, or not? It is possible by adoption, or by guardianship, or otherwise, even though adoption is not prescribed. But as for Allah, Mighty and Majestic, He did not take a child, and He did not beget, and He was not begotten. Good.
When it comes to the mind, it is assumed that a thing is neither a father nor a begotten one, but it is a generated thing. He is neither a father nor a begotten one, but there are things that are not fathers nor begotten, yet they are generated. He negated this illusion that might occur, saying:[Al-Ikhlas 112:4] And if it is negated that He has a comparable one, it means He has no generated one, (Glorified and Exalted is He). Good. [Al-Ikhlas 112:4] In His existence, or in all His attributes? In all His attributes.
This surah, as we read it, contains affirmative attributes and negative attributes. The affirmative attributes: which include divinity. What do they include? Oneness. They include self-sufficiency.
The negation:[Al-Ikhlas 112:3-4] Three by three, three affirmations and three negations. What does this negation include of affirmation? The perfection of oneness, and what next? And self-sufficiency, and that because of the perfection of His oneness and self-sufficiency, He did not beget, was not begotten, and there is none comparable to Him, (Glorified and Exalted is He).
The time has come, O Khalid. In this surah, Allah combined for Himself negation and affirmation. Affirmation, O Adam, if there is no negation, and we say that Allah combined in it negation and affirmation. Good. I said now, "Al-Bukhari is present." Is this an affirmation of presence or a negation? A negation.
The student: A negation.
The Shaykh : "He did not beget" is a negation? "He was not begotten," "There is none comparable to Him."
The student: A negation.
The Shaykh : A negation. Good. We said, "Al-Bukhari is present." "Allah is One" is an affirmation. Good. "Allah is the Self-Sufficient."
The student: An affirmation.
The Shaykh : An affirmation. So, "Allah is One" is an affirmation, "Allah is the Self-Sufficient" is an affirmation, "He did not beget, was not begotten, and there is none comparable to Him" is a negation. Like that.
(3) He neither begets nor is born, (4) Nor is there to Him any equivalent."
لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ كُفُواً أَحَدٌ"By his father, 'Adi followed in generosity, *** And whoever resembles his father has not wronged"
And even regarding resemblance, when Mujazziz al-Madlaji came to Zayd ibn Harithah and his son Usamah, and they were wrapped in a cloak with their feet showing, he looked at the feet and said: "Indeed, these feet are some of each other", and he did not know what was under the cloak? By what? By resemblance. So, because of the perfection of His oneness and the perfection of His self-sufficiency,
He did not beget
لَمْ يَلِدْ(5) And indeed, I fear the successors after me, and my wife has been barren, so give me from Yourself an heir (6) Who will inherit me and inherit from the family of Jacob. And make him, my Lord, pleasing [to You]."
فَهَبْ لِي مِنْ لَدُنْكَ وَلِيًّا يَرِثُنِيHow can He have a child
أَنَّى يَكُونُ لَهُ وَلَدٌwhen He does not have a companion
وَلَمْ تَكُنْ لَهُ صَاحِبَةٌSecond, how can He have a child when He created everything, and the child of the Creator is like Him, and everything other than Allah is created? How can He have a child?
and He created all things? And He is, of all things, Knowing.
وَخَلَقَ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ وَهُوَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌNor was He begotten
وَلَمْ يُولَدْAnd denying that He has a child is stronger in the minds than denying that He begets. And Allah, Mighty and Majestic, says:
Allah has not taken any son
مَا اتَّخَذَ اللَّهُ مِنْ وَلَدٍWhen it comes to the mind, it is assumed that a thing is neither a father nor a begotten one, but it is a generated thing. He is neither a father nor a begotten one, but there are things that are not fathers nor begotten, yet they are generated. He negated this illusion that might occur, saying:
Nor is there to Him any equivalent."
وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ كُفُواً أَحَدٌNor is there to Him any equivalent."
وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ كُفُواً أَحَدٌThis surah, as we read it, contains affirmative attributes and negative attributes. The affirmative attributes:
Allah
اللَّهُOne
أَحَدٌThe Self-Sufficient One
الصَّمَدُThe negation:
(3) He neither begets nor is born, (4) Nor is there to Him any equivalent."
لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ كُفُواً أَحَدٌThe time has come, O Khalid. In this surah, Allah combined for Himself negation and affirmation. Affirmation, O Adam, if there is no negation, and we say that Allah combined in it negation and affirmation. Good. I said now, "Al-Bukhari is present." Is this an affirmation of presence or a negation? A negation.
The student: A negation.
The Shaykh : "He did not beget" is a negation? "He was not begotten," "There is none comparable to Him."
The student: A negation.
The Shaykh : A negation. Good. We said, "Al-Bukhari is present." "Allah is One" is an affirmation. Good. "Allah is the Self-Sufficient."
The student: An affirmation.
The Shaykh : An affirmation. So, "Allah is One" is an affirmation, "Allah is the Self-Sufficient" is an affirmation, "He did not beget, was not begotten, and there is none comparable to Him" is a negation. Like that.