➡️ CLASS: 9 ⬅️

EXPLANATION OF THE LĀMIYYAH OF IBN TAYMIYYAH: (https://t.me/madrasatuna) 1. In our last class, we discussed the 'Aqīdah of Ahlus Sunnah wal Jamā'ah in relation to the Qur'ān. In short, we said that the Qur’ān is the speech of Allāh ﷻ; revealed and not created, it originated from Him and will return to Him. NOTE: The other revealed books and scriptures are also the Words of Allāh. However, the Qur'ān is the only revelation that is preserved; see [Sūrat Al-Ḥijr 9]. 2. In today's class, we are going to clarify the 'Aqīdah of Ahlus sunnah wal Jamā'ah with regards to the divine attribute of speech in general. BELIEF 6: ᴀʟʟᴀ̄ʜ ﷻ sᴘᴇᴀᴋs ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀ ʟɪᴛᴇʀᴀʟ sᴘᴇᴇᴄʜ ᴜsɪɴɢ ʟᴇᴛᴛᴇʀs ᴀɴᴅ ᴀ ᴠᴏɪᴄᴇ. ʜᴇ sᴘᴇᴀᴋs ᴡʜᴇɴᴇᴠᴇʀ, ʜᴏᴡᴇᴠᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴡʜᴏᴇᴠᴇʀ ʜᴇ ᴡɪʟʟs. And this attribute of speech, like all attributes of Allāh, is eternal and infinite (i.e. it has no beginning and no end). 3. Here are some of the evidences substantiating this belief: (a) Allāh spoke to the pen prior to the creation of the heavens and the earth: 'Ubādah Ibn Aṣ-Ṣāmit, may Allāh be pleased with him, said: I heard the Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ) saying: ((إِنَّ أَوَّلَ مَا خَلَقَ اللهُ الْقَلَمَ، فَقَالَ لَهُ: اكْتُبْ.‏ قَالَ: رَبِّ وَمَاذَا أَكْتُبُ؟ قَالَ: اكْتُبْ مَقَادِيرَ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ حَتَّى تَقُومَ السَّاعَةُ)) "The first thing Allāh created was the pen. He said to it: Write. It asked: What should I write, my Lord? He said: Write what is decreed about everything till the Last Hour comes." [Abū Dāwūd & Tirmithi; graded Ṣaḥiḥ by Sheikh Albāni] (b) Allāh spoke to the heaven and the earth; see [Sūrat Fuṣṣilat 11] (c) Allāh spoke to the angels before creating Ādam; see [Sūrat Al-Baqarah 30], and He spoke to them after creating him; see [Sūrat Al-Baqarah 30]. (d) Allāh spoke directly to some of the Prophets: {تِلْكَ الرُّسُلُ فَضَّلْنَا بَعْضَهُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ مِنْهُمْ مَنْ كَلَّمَ اللهُ وَرَفَعَ بَعْضَهُمْ دَرَجَاتٍ} "We have chosen some of those messengers above others. Allāh spoke directly to some, and raised some high in rank." [Sūrat Al-Baqarah 253] BENEFIT: Ibn Kathīr commented on this Āyah in his tafsīr, saying: "'Allāh spoke directly to some', namely, Mūsā, Muḥammad ﷺ and Ādam." (e) Allāh will speak to us all on the Day of Resurrection: 'Adī ibn Ḥātim reported that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: ((مَا مِنْكُمْ مِنْ أَحَدٍ إِلاَّ وَسَيُكَلِّمُهُ اللهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ، لَيْسَ بَيْنَ اللهِ وَبَيْنَهُ تُرْجُمَانٌ)) "There is no one among you but Allāh will speak to him on the Day of Resurrection, without there being an interpreter between him and Allāh." [Bukhāri & Muslim] All of these evidences affirm the attribute of speech for Allāh ﷻ and they also prove that Allāh's speech follows on from His wills. 4. Likewise, from the belief of Ahlus Sunnah wal Jamā'ah is that Allāh speaks in a literal manner using letters and a voice; as: (a) this is the origin of speech. (b) there are several Āyāt in the Qur'ān wherein Allāh 'calls out'; see [Sūrat Al-A'rāf 22], [Sūrat Maryam 52]... And calling out is not possible without a voice. In fact, in the ḥadīth of Abū Sa'īd, the Prophet ﷺ said: يقول الله تعالى: يا آدم! فيقول (آدم) لبيك وسعديك! قال: فينادي بصوت: 'إن الله يأمرك أن تخرج من ذريتك بعثا إلى النار' "Allāh will say, 'O Ādam!' Ādam will say, 'I respond to Your Call and I am obedient to Your orders!' Then Allāh will call out with a voice, 'Bring out the people of the Fire'." [Bukhāri & Muslim] 5. However, we must know that Allāh's speech is unique and unparalleled, as Allāh said: {لَیۡسَ كَمِثۡلِهِۦ شَيْءࣱۖ وَهُوَ ٱلسَّمِیعُ ٱلۡبَصِیرُ} "There is nothing like Him, and He is the All-Hearing, All-Seeing." [Sūrat Ash-Shūrā 11] 6. Moreover, speech is an attribute of the speaker; and a person's attributes are a part of them. In other words, the attribute of speech, in the case of Allāh, is eternal, because He Himself is eternal. Whereas the attribute of speech, in our case, is created, because we are created. So the attribute of speech is not something that is distinct from Him; rather it exists with Him in His essence.