Ta’luq of Kalam; Conclusions (RT 4/1/09)

Risalah Tauhid 4th January 2009

God's Kalam (speech) has ta'luq over all must, impossible, and possible subjects.
Considering the words of God are eternal and everlasting, we apply the 3 subjects as follows:

God's speech that of "must" (wajib) nature:

أَنَا اللهُ لاَ إِلٰهَ إِلاَّ أَنَا

God's speech that of "impossible" (mustahil) nature, reiterating what the Christians falsely claim:

إِنَّ اللهَ ثَالِثُ ثَلاَثَةُ

God's speech that of "possible" (jaiz) nature:

وَاللهُ خَلَقَكُم وَمَا تَعمَلُونَ

Conclusion on Sifats and Their Ta'luq

Ta'luq is pertinence in regard of entity. If we place God as an entity, and every creation as another entity then we can classify ta'luq into 2:

1. Sifats that have ta'luq on both God and creations: Knowledge ('ilm) and Speech (kalam).
2. Sifats that have ta'luq on creations only: Power (qudrah) and Will (iradah).

From another angle we classify ta'luq of all the 20 sifats into 4:

1. Sifats that never has ta'luq whatsoever: all sifats nafsiyyah, salbiyyah, ma'nawiyyah, and sifat Hayah. These sifats are sufficient within themselves.
2. Sifats that has ta'luq on the possible: Power (qudrah) and Will (iradah).
3. Sifats having ta'luq over everything that ever exists: Hearing (sama') and Vision (basor).
4. Sifats having ta'luq over the wajib, mustahil and ja'iz subjects: Knowledge ('ilm) and Speech (kalam).

Said Ustaz Zakaria:

• I've personally heard a so-called "modern ustaz" saying this: "God has the will and power to create a second god". This is absurd and outside of our aqidah. Will and Power do not have pertinence over God's own self.
• The most important function of your intelligence ('aql) is to ponder the sifats of God.

Wallahu a'lam

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Pop Quiz! Anybody sleeping?

I know lessons are boring. Just to see if anybody is awake, here is a pop quiz:

3 brothers performing solah in jama'ah. Being recent reverts to Islam, they know only basic rules of solah. In the middle of solah a mouse ran by in front of the imam.

Imam: That was one big mouse!
Ma'mum #1 : Hey no talking in solah!
Ma'mum #2 : Good thing I didn't talk!

Note: Ma'mum #1 is correct in that talking disallowed during solah, but there are concessions...

Question: Whose solah just became invalid (batal)? Explain.
Be a sport will you? Voice out what you know by leaving comments below. And state your mazhab please.

I will provide answer according to Shafi'i fiqh next week insha Allah.

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Ta’luq of Sama’ and Basor (RT 30/11/08)

Risalah Tauhid 30th Nov 2008

Both Sama’ (Hearing) and Basor (Vision) are applicable only to existent subjects. Those that could exist/ take place but never did, would not be within ta’luq of Sama’ nor Basor since ta’luq of ‘ilm (knowledge) had already precluded them.

Example: God’s Sama’ and Basor never applies to supposition of Abu Lahab becoming a person of faith (mu’min). God indeed could have turned Abu Lahab’s heart to Islam, but His ‘ilm already precluded this possibility.

The two sifats has no ta’luq over ‘impossible’ subjects either because the impossible are not real. Ta’luq for Sama’ and Basor is defined in three phases:

• God hears and sees in eternity on any possible subject even before it is created.
• God hears and sees in eternity of Himself and his own sifats.
• God hears and sees possible subject after it came into existence.

Said Ustaz Zakaria:

• God’s being in itself is a ‘must’. Its existence is undeniable.
• God already hears an infant crying before it is even born.
• Tanjizi Qadim – phase of ta’luq applicable to the ‘must’.
• If you learn tasawwuf, have sincere intention that you doing it to cleanse your heart or to correct your faith. NEVER learn tasawwuf as means to ‘telescope’ wrongdoings of those around you.
• The correct aim in life is to be faithful to Allah and to ponder about Him. Nowadays we live to feed our stomach and to get rich. That is why life has become difficult.
• Modern education (even in higher Islamic institutions) do not teach us about God and how to know Him. This kind of education gives no benefit.
• At home, take a second look at things in the kitab you just learned. Sometimes God does not dispense immediate guidance (hidayah) while sitting in front of your shaykh.
• The mu’tazilah – by definition – are those who break away from teaching halaqahs. They formulate own opinion, they do not follow established position of ulama.

Wallahu a'lam

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Ta’luq of ‘Ilm (RT 23/11/08)

Risalah Tauhid 23rd Nov 2008

As opposed to qudrah and iradah - that has ta’luq on possible subjects only - God’s knowledge (‘ilm) transcends all must, possible, and impossible subjects. God’s ‘ilm should not be described in 3 phases like we did with ta’luq of iradah, because His knowledge comes in full.

God is aware of every particular subject such as its looks and its characteristics. God already knows how a subject will take shape – even before that subject is even created.

• God is aware of the ‘must be’. He knows His own self and sifats.
• God is aware of the ‘impossible’. He knows about something that He would never put into existence.
• God is aware of the ‘possible’ even if a subject is yet to be created. He is aware of every single thing in existence, and He is aware of the subjects that have ceased to exist.

Know that ta’luq of qudrah follows ta’luq of iradah, which in turn follows ta’luq of ‘ilm.

Said Ustaz Zakaria:
How do we apply the sequence of ta’luq (ta’luq of qudrah comes after that of iradah, after that of ‘ilm)?

Answer: God empowers Himself to create a subject after He wills it. This will comes after He has knowledge about that subject.

Wallahu a'lam

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