Explanation of the author's statement: where he says: (Allah, there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Self-Sustaining)
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The Shaykh : All right, he says: "where he says: [Al-Baqarah 2:255]" "Allah" is the subject, and the phrase "there is no deity except Him" is the predicate of the subject. In this verse, Allah informs that He is unique in divinity. We derive this uniqueness from His saying: because this phrase implies restriction through the method of negation and affirmation, and this is one of the strongest forms of restriction. All right.
And His saying: "the Ever-Living" means the Possessor of life. Is it from the names or from the attributes? It is from the names, but every name includes an attribute.
And His saying: "the Ever-Living"—the "al" here indicates totality, meaning that He is the Possessor of complete life, encompassing all attributes of perfection, not preceded by non-existence and not followed by cessation. Yes.
"The Ever-Living" is among the names of Allah, and it may be applied to other than Allah. Allah the Exalted said:[Al-An'am 6:95] But the Ever-Living is not like the Ever-Living. We have already passed the rule in this matter, which is that "sharing a name does not necessitate similarity in the named thing". So we say of His life: it is a complete life, encompassing all attributes of perfection, a complete life not preceded by non-existence and not followed by cessation, unlike the life of others.
"The Self-Sustaining" is in the form of "fi'ul," which is a form of exaggeration, and it is derived from "qiyam" (standing). So what is the meaning of "the Self-Sustaining"? We say its meaning is the One who stands by Himself. His standing by Himself necessitates His self-sufficiency from everything; He does not need to eat or drink or anything else. He stands by Himself, (Glorified and Exalted is He), and does not need anything other than Himself. Other than Allah, one stands by other than himself and needs Allah (Mighty and Majestic) in his creation, preparation, and provision. As for Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He), He stands by Himself. Also, among the meanings of "the Self-Sustaining" is that He is the One who sustains other than Himself, as He said:[Ar-Ra'd 13:33] It is Allah (Mighty and Majestic). For this reason, the scholars say: "The Self-Sustaining is the One who stands by Himself and the One who sustains other than Himself". And if He is the One who sustains other than Himself, it necessitates that other than Him stands by Him. Allah the Exalted said: [Ar-Rum 30:25] This is the meaning of "the Self-Sustaining." So He is perfect in attributes, perfect in dominion, and perfect in actions. Perfect in attributes from His saying: "the Ever-Living," and perfect in dominion from His saying: "the Self-Sustaining," because He sustains other than Himself and other than Him stands by Him.
These two names are the Greatest Name, by which, if Allah is called, He responds. Therefore, it is recommended for a person in his supplication to seek nearness to Allah through them, saying: "O Ever-Living, O Self-Sustaining." And they have been mentioned in the Noble Book in three places: this is one of them.
The second is in Surat Ali 'Imran:[Al-Baqarah 2:255].
The third is in Surat Ta-Ha:[Taha 20:111].
These two names contain perfection: intrinsic perfection and sovereign perfection. The intrinsic is in His saying: and the sovereign is in His saying: because He sustains everything and everything stands by Him.
Allah - there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of [all] existence
اللَّهُ لا إِلَهَ إِلاّ هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُThere is no deity except Him
لا إِلَهَ إِلاّ هُوَAnd His saying:
The Ever-Living, the Self-Sustaining
الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُAnd His saying: "the Ever-Living"—the "al" here indicates totality, meaning that He is the Possessor of complete life, encompassing all attributes of perfection, not preceded by non-existence and not followed by cessation. Yes.
"The Ever-Living" is among the names of Allah, and it may be applied to other than Allah. Allah the Exalted said:
He brings the living out of the dead
يُخْرِجُ الْحَيَّ مِنَ الْمَيِّتِ"The Self-Sustaining" is in the form of "fi'ul," which is a form of exaggeration, and it is derived from "qiyam" (standing). So what is the meaning of "the Self-Sustaining"? We say its meaning is the One who stands by Himself. His standing by Himself necessitates His self-sufficiency from everything; He does not need to eat or drink or anything else. He stands by Himself, (Glorified and Exalted is He), and does not need anything other than Himself. Other than Allah, one stands by other than himself and needs Allah (Mighty and Majestic) in his creation, preparation, and provision. As for Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He), He stands by Himself. Also, among the meanings of "the Self-Sustaining" is that He is the One who sustains other than Himself, as He said:
Then is He who is a maintainer of every soul, [knowing] what it has earned
أَفَمَنْ هُوَ قَائِمٌ عَلَى كُلِّ نَفْسٍ بِمَا كَسَبَتْAnd of His signs is that the heaven and earth remain by His command. Then when He calls you with a [single] call from the earth, immediately you will come forth.
وَمِنْ آيَاتِهِ أَنْ تَقُومَ السَّمَاءُ وَالْأَرْضُ بِأَمْرِهِ ثُمَّ إِذَا دَعَاكُمْ دَعْوَةً مِنَ الْأَرْضِ إِذَا أَنْتُمْ تَخْرُجُونَThese two names are the Greatest Name, by which, if Allah is called, He responds. Therefore, it is recommended for a person in his supplication to seek nearness to Allah through them, saying: "O Ever-Living, O Self-Sustaining." And they have been mentioned in the Noble Book in three places: this is one of them.
The second is in Surat Ali 'Imran:
Allah - there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of [all] existence
اللَّهُ لا إِلَهَ إِلاّ هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُThe third is in Surat Ta-Ha:
And [all] faces will be humbled before the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of existence. And he will have failed who carries injustice.
وَعَنَتِ الْوُجُوهُ لِلْحَيِّ الْقَيُّومِ وَقَدْ خَابَ مَنْ حَمَلَ ظُلْماًThese two names contain perfection: intrinsic perfection and sovereign perfection. The intrinsic is in His saying: