1 00:00:00,180 --> 00:00:09,089 A summary of the concepts held by the Ahl al-Sunnah. 2 00:00:09,089 --> 00:00:14,089 The importance of knowledge regarding the beautiful names and sublime attributes of Allah. 3 00:00:14,089 --> 00:00:19,370 There is no doubt that the nobility of a branch of knowledge is derived from the nobility of its subject matter. 4 00:00:19,370 --> 00:00:25,370 Since the subject matter studied in the names and attributes is Allah, the Almighty and Majestic, 5 00:00:25,370 --> 00:00:28,370 this knowledge is the most noble of all sciences. 6 00:00:28,370 --> 00:00:34,399 And if the preceding concepts have clarified the foundations of the oneness of the names and attributes, 7 00:00:34,399 --> 00:00:41,399 as well as those who oppose these foundations, their schools of thought, their misconceptions, and the refutations against them, 8 00:00:41,399 --> 00:00:47,399 then all of this serves as necessary introductions to understanding this noble science. 9 00:00:47,399 --> 00:00:53,399 It clears the rust and the dust of the skeptics' misconceptions from the heart of the believing servant, 10 00:00:53,399 --> 00:00:57,399 thereby preparing him to believe in these sublime attributes, 11 00:00:57,399 --> 00:01:00,399 with a sound and complete faith, 12 00:01:00,399 --> 00:01:03,399 and to realize the effects of that faith. 13 00:01:03,399 --> 00:01:09,400 This is the primary and fundamental purpose of knowing the names and attributes: 14 00:01:09,400 --> 00:01:12,400 to worship Allah, the Glorified and Exalted, through them, 15 00:01:12,400 --> 00:01:14,400 and to act in accordance with their implications. 16 00:01:14,400 --> 00:01:16,400 As the Almighty said: 17 00:01:16,400 --> 00:01:21,400 “Allah's are the fairest names. Invoke Him by them. And leave the company of those who blaspheme His names. They will be requited what they do.” (7:180) 18 00:01:21,400 --> 00:01:24,400 "And leave those who deviate concerning His names." 19 00:01:24,400 --> 00:01:27,400 “Allah's are the fairest names. Invoke Him by them. And leave the company of those who blaspheme His names. They will be requited what they do.” (7:180) 20 00:01:27,400 --> 00:01:33,500 Reflect on how the verse explicitly commands calling upon Allah by His beautiful names, 21 00:01:33,500 --> 00:01:35,500 for that is the essence of worship. 22 00:01:35,500 --> 00:01:40,500 And note how it commands, at its end, to abandon those who deviate in this matter, 23 00:01:40,500 --> 00:01:46,500 and to distance oneself from their misguided methodologies for which they will be held accountable on the Day of Resurrection. 24 00:01:46,500 --> 00:01:50,750 In what follows are matters, in addition to what has preceded, 25 00:01:50,750 --> 00:01:54,750 that clarify the importance and nobility of this science. 26 00:01:54,750 --> 00:02:00,040 First: Knowledge of the names and attributes of Allah is the foundation of all knowledge, 27 00:02:00,040 --> 00:02:04,040 the basis of faith, and the first of all obligations. 28 00:02:04,040 --> 00:02:06,040 As the Almighty said: 29 00:02:06,040 --> 00:02:10,039 "So know that there is no god but Allah." 30 00:02:10,039 --> 00:02:12,199 When people truly know their Lord, 31 00:02:12,199 --> 00:02:16,199 they fulfill His worship in the correct manner, 32 00:02:16,199 --> 00:02:20,199 and they realize the reality of this world and what is required of them within it. 33 00:02:20,199 --> 00:02:23,199 Allah, the Glorified, has described Himself 34 00:02:23,199 --> 00:02:26,199 as possessing both creation and command. 35 00:02:26,199 --> 00:02:28,199 Every known thing other than Allah 36 00:02:28,199 --> 00:02:32,199 is either a creation or a command. 37 00:02:32,199 --> 00:02:36,199 The verse clarifies that the source of creation and command 38 00:02:36,199 --> 00:02:40,199 is Allah, the possessor of the beautiful names and sublime attributes. 39 00:02:40,199 --> 00:02:43,199 Therefore, enumerating the attributes 40 00:02:43,199 --> 00:02:46,199 is the foundation for enumerating all known things, 41 00:02:46,199 --> 00:02:51,199 because all information is linked to the attributes and follows from them. 42 00:02:51,199 --> 00:02:53,580 Second: 43 00:02:53,580 --> 00:02:56,580 One infers from what is known of the attributes of Allah, the Almighty, 44 00:02:56,580 --> 00:03:01,580 the nature of what He decrees and the laws He legislates. 45 00:03:01,580 --> 00:03:06,580 For the decrees and laws of Allah revolve between justice and grace, 46 00:03:06,580 --> 00:03:08,580 wisdom and mercy. 47 00:03:08,580 --> 00:03:11,580 Whoever knows this about his Lord 48 00:03:11,580 --> 00:03:13,580 will not harbor evil thoughts about Him, the Glorified, 49 00:03:13,580 --> 00:03:17,580 nor will he object to His decrees or His laws. 50 00:03:17,580 --> 00:03:19,900 Third: 51 00:03:19,900 --> 00:03:22,900 The close connection between the attributes of Allah, the Almighty, 52 00:03:22,900 --> 00:03:27,900 and the outward and inward acts of worship they necessitate. 53 00:03:27,900 --> 00:03:30,900 For every attribute, there is a specific form of servitude 54 00:03:30,900 --> 00:03:34,900 that is among the requirements of knowing it and realizing that knowledge. 55 00:03:34,900 --> 00:03:39,900 As will become clear in the fruits of knowing the names and attributes. 56 00:03:39,900 --> 00:03:42,099 Fourth: 57 00:03:42,099 --> 00:03:47,099 Contemplating the meanings of the names of Allah and realizing His attributes, the Almighty and Majestic, 58 00:03:47,099 --> 00:03:50,099 assists in contemplating the Book of Allah, the Almighty, 59 00:03:50,099 --> 00:03:55,099 which we are commanded to do in more than one of His verses. 60 00:03:55,099 --> 00:03:57,099 As the Almighty said: 61 00:03:57,099 --> 00:04:03,099 "A blessed Book which We have revealed to you, that they might reflect upon its verses," 62 00:04:03,099 --> 00:04:06,099 "and that those of understanding would be reminded." 63 00:04:06,099 --> 00:04:08,379 Fifth: 64 00:04:08,379 --> 00:04:12,379 A servant's lack of knowledge regarding the names and attributes of Allah 65 00:04:12,379 --> 00:04:17,379 results in evil effects and dire consequences in his life. 66 00:04:17,379 --> 00:04:19,639 Sixth: 67 00:04:19,639 --> 00:04:23,639 True knowledge of the names and attributes of Allah 68 00:04:23,639 --> 00:04:27,639 is the fundamental building block of Islamic upbringing, 69 00:04:27,639 --> 00:04:32,639 as the young Muslim is raised upon the belief that Allah is the Creator, the Originator, 70 00:04:32,639 --> 00:04:35,639 the Provider, the Giver of benefit, the Bringer of harm, 71 00:04:35,639 --> 00:04:41,639 the Giver of life, the Bringer of death, the Master of the Day of Judgment and Recompense, and so on. 72 00:04:41,639 --> 00:04:48,639 This has immense fruits in the heart of the believer, his worship, his conduct, and his character.