Explanation of the author's statement: "And the meaning of His saying, 'He is with you,' is not that He is mixed with creation, for this is not what the language requires."
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The Shaykh : He said: "And the meaning of His saying: is not that He is mixed with creation"
It is known that this cannot be the meaning, because this meaning is a deficiency, not a perfection?
The student: It is an imperfection.
The Shaykh : It is the ultimate deficiency. And we have mentioned that if this were the meaning, one of two things would necessarily follow: either the multiplicity of the Creator or His division, along with the fact that things would encompass Him, while He (Glorified and Exalted is He) encompasses things, and they do not encompass Him. All right.
The author said: "For this is not what the language requires"
He did not say "it is not what the language necessitates." Is there a difference between the two expressions?
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes, because if we say "it is not what the language requires," it means that the language allows the meaning of "withness" to be something else. If we say "it is what the language requires," it means that the language necessitates that the meaning of "withness" is mixing. The language does not necessitate that. But if we say "it is not what the language necessitates," it is as if the language cannot necessitate that "withness" is mixing, even though it may necessitate it. So there is a difference between the language necessitating it and the language requiring it.
The student: In my copy, it says "requires," O Shaykh...
The Shaykh : Yes.
The student: Another word, perhaps it is...
The Shaykh : Requires, requires.
The student: Requires.
The Shaykh : Requires, requires. All right, do you now know the difference, everyone? If we say "it requires," it means it is necessary that this be the meaning of "withness." If we say that the language requires that the meaning of "withness" is mixing, then the meaning of "withness" must be mixing. And if we say that the language necessitates it, it may necessitate it and other things, meaning it necessitates this and permits it, meaning it necessitates it in the sense of permitting it, and it permits other things. So what is correct? To say "it is not what the language requires" or to say "it is not what the language necessitates"?
The student: It is not what the language requires.
The Shaykh : Yes, it is not what the language requires. Because if we said "it is not what the language necessitates," that would be contrary to reality, for the language may necessitate that the meaning of "withness" is mixing, like water and milk. You say "water with milk, mixed," right or not?
The student: Correct
The Shaykh : All right, so this is mixing, and it is valid in the Arabic language. But here, regarding the "withness" of Allah specifically, the author is speaking about "withness" in general. As for the "withness" of Allah specifically, reason does not necessitate it. Reason does not necessitate that Allah is mixed with creation. Do you understand? So here, the author is speaking about the meaning of "withness" in itself: does "withness" in the Arabic language require mixing?
And He is with you
وهو معكمIt is known that this cannot be the meaning, because this meaning is a deficiency, not a perfection?
The student: It is an imperfection.
The Shaykh : It is the ultimate deficiency. And we have mentioned that if this were the meaning, one of two things would necessarily follow: either the multiplicity of the Creator or His division, along with the fact that things would encompass Him, while He (Glorified and Exalted is He) encompasses things, and they do not encompass Him. All right.
The author said: "For this is not what the language requires"
He did not say "it is not what the language necessitates." Is there a difference between the two expressions?
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes, because if we say "it is not what the language requires," it means that the language allows the meaning of "withness" to be something else. If we say "it is what the language requires," it means that the language necessitates that the meaning of "withness" is mixing. The language does not necessitate that. But if we say "it is not what the language necessitates," it is as if the language cannot necessitate that "withness" is mixing, even though it may necessitate it. So there is a difference between the language necessitating it and the language requiring it.
The student: In my copy, it says "requires," O Shaykh...
The Shaykh : Yes.
The student: Another word, perhaps it is...
The Shaykh : Requires, requires.
The student: Requires.
The Shaykh : Requires, requires. All right, do you now know the difference, everyone? If we say "it requires," it means it is necessary that this be the meaning of "withness." If we say that the language requires that the meaning of "withness" is mixing, then the meaning of "withness" must be mixing. And if we say that the language necessitates it, it may necessitate it and other things, meaning it necessitates this and permits it, meaning it necessitates it in the sense of permitting it, and it permits other things. So what is correct? To say "it is not what the language requires" or to say "it is not what the language necessitates"?
The student: It is not what the language requires.
The Shaykh : Yes, it is not what the language requires. Because if we said "it is not what the language necessitates," that would be contrary to reality, for the language may necessitate that the meaning of "withness" is mixing, like water and milk. You say "water with milk, mixed," right or not?
The student: Correct
The Shaykh : All right, so this is mixing, and it is valid in the Arabic language. But here, regarding the "withness" of Allah specifically, the author is speaking about "withness" in general. As for the "withness" of Allah specifically, reason does not necessitate it. Reason does not necessitate that Allah is mixed with creation. Do you understand? So here, the author is speaking about the meaning of "withness" in itself: does "withness" in the Arabic language require mixing?