Explanation of the saying of Ibn Malik (may Allah have mercy on him): "And the state may come with multiplicity *** for a singular, know this, and for a non-singular."
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The Shaykh : He said:
"And the state may come with multiplicity *** for a singular, know this, and for a non-singular"
"The state may come with multiplicity" means: it is multiple for a singular and for a non-singular. For this reason, he said: "for a singular, know this". And his saying: "know this" means: do not find it strange that the possessor of the state is singular while its states are multiple. As for "and for a non-singular," there is no strangeness in it, which is why he did not say "know this." The meaning of that is that the state may come as multiple, it may be for a singular, it may be for a group, and it may come as singular for a group. So the categories now are three: the state may be multiple for one, the state may be multiple for two or a group, and the state may be singular while its possessor is multiple. Yes, Allah the Exalted said:[Ibrahim 14:33] Here the state is singular and its possessor is multiple: the sun and the moon. And He said the Exalted: [An-Nahl 16:12] The state is singular, and it is: the night and the day, the sun and the moon, and the stars—five possessors. Yes, good.
The student: Shaykh, does the meaning imply that every unit has a state?
The Shaykh : No, no. "Subjugated" is a state from what came before.
The student: If the state means singular.
The Shaykh : The state is singular; it did not become multiple.
The student: Yes, singular.
The Shaykh : Instead of saying "He subjugated the night for you as a subjugated thing, and the day as a subjugated thing, and the sun as a subjugated thing, and the stars as a subjugated thing," this is for all of them. So here, the state may come with multiplicity for a singular. Multiplicity for a singular: The man came riding and victorious. And where is the possessor of the state?
The student: Multiple.
The Shaykh : Where is the possessor of the state? Where is it?
The student: The man.
The Shaykh : The man is one, and the state is multiple: riding and victorious. Is it permissible to add more?
The student: It is permissible.
The Shaykh : It is permissible, yes, even up to the last... It is permissible for the state to be multiple while its possessor is one. And his saying: "and for a non-singular", "non-singular" means: the state is multiple for a group, where each one of the group has a state. For example, you say: "He struck the man standing and his camel kneeling." The state is multiple, and it is: standing and kneeling. And the possessor of the state is also multiple, and it is: the man and the camel. And Allah knows best.
"And the state may come with multiplicity *** for a singular, know this, and for a non-singular"
"The state may come with multiplicity" means: it is multiple for a singular and for a non-singular. For this reason, he said: "for a singular, know this". And his saying: "know this" means: do not find it strange that the possessor of the state is singular while its states are multiple. As for "and for a non-singular," there is no strangeness in it, which is why he did not say "know this." The meaning of that is that the state may come as multiple, it may be for a singular, it may be for a group, and it may come as singular for a group. So the categories now are three: the state may be multiple for one, the state may be multiple for two or a group, and the state may be singular while its possessor is multiple. Yes, Allah the Exalted said:
And He subjected for you the sun and the moon, continuous [in orbit],
وسخر لكم الشمس والقمر دائِبينAnd He has subjected for you the night and day and the sun and moon, and the stars are subjected by His command
وسخر لكم الليل والنهار والشمس والقمر والنجوم مسخرات بأمرهThe student: Shaykh, does the meaning imply that every unit has a state?
The Shaykh : No, no. "Subjugated" is a state from what came before.
The student: If the state means singular.
The Shaykh : The state is singular; it did not become multiple.
The student: Yes, singular.
The Shaykh : Instead of saying "He subjugated the night for you as a subjugated thing, and the day as a subjugated thing, and the sun as a subjugated thing, and the stars as a subjugated thing," this is for all of them. So here, the state may come with multiplicity for a singular. Multiplicity for a singular: The man came riding and victorious. And where is the possessor of the state?
The student: Multiple.
The Shaykh : Where is the possessor of the state? Where is it?
The student: The man.
The Shaykh : The man is one, and the state is multiple: riding and victorious. Is it permissible to add more?
The student: It is permissible.
The Shaykh : It is permissible, yes, even up to the last... It is permissible for the state to be multiple while its possessor is one. And his saying: "and for a non-singular", "non-singular" means: the state is multiple for a group, where each one of the group has a state. For example, you say: "He struck the man standing and his camel kneeling." The state is multiple, and it is: standing and kneeling. And the possessor of the state is also multiple, and it is: the man and the camel. And Allah knows best.