The existence of creatures compared to the Divine existence is null

 

His Eminence, Prof. Ahmad Al-Tayyeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, said that Al-Haqq (the Truth) is mentioned frequently in the Quran, as in the verses that read, “That is because Allah is the Truth and what they invoke besides Him is falsehood,” and “That is because Allah is the Truth, He gives life to the dead, and He is Most Capable of everything.” It is also mentioned in numerous hadiths, including the Prophet’s supplication, “You are Al-Haqq, Your Words are Al-Haqq, and Your Promise is Al-Haqq.” Here, Al-Haqq means that Allah alone is the Truth. This is unanimously acknowledged by the Muslim Ummah.

 

During the twenty sixth episode of the Ramadan program, Imam Al-Tayyeb Talk, the Grand Imam explained that Al-Haqq has different meanings based on its referents. If it is meant as an attribute of Almighty Allah, then it means that He is Eternal, without beginning or end. We already noted that there is parity between Al-Haqq (Truth) and Wujud (existence). Allah is the Absolute Truth. So, when He is described as the Truth, it means that He is Eternal, without beginning or end, and He is neither preceded nor followed by nonexistence. However, it can apply to the Divine Self, as in the verse, “Had the Truth followed their desires”. It means “had the Almighty followed their desires.” So when used as a divine attribute, it refers to Allah’s eternal existence, but when used as a name, it refers to the Divine Self, that Allah is the Truth.

 

His Eminence pointed out that there is a close connection, almost parity, between Al-Haqq (Truth) and Al-Haqiqah (Reality) on the one hand and Existence on the other, adding that existence is an intricate concept even in modern philosophies. He added that existence degrees differ, and so do beings. Such degrees are in a descending gradation. So, there is the Divine Being, then the angelic being, then the spiritual beings, down to the physical beings where existence is coupled with non-existence. 

He pointed out that our being compared to the Divine Being, is null, because although we exist, our existence is not intrinsic; that means we are brought to existence and that when existence is taken away from us, we become null. 

 

His Eminence discussed another controversy about our bodies. After disintegration and decomposition with death, will the existing human body particles be recollected? Or would the bodies be brought from the state of non-existence into existence through recreation by Allah? Therefore, philosophers ruled out the possibility of restoring these nonexistent bodies. They say that what is non-existent cannot be restored; rather, the existing, which is atoms and particles, is resurrected. They argue that the process of resurrection is the reassembly of this body, whose atoms already exist.

 

Regarding miracles of creation being impossible, the Grand Imam said that there is a normal impossibility and an illogical impossibility. The latter is impossible to conceive of, and the Divine power does not apply to it, but it applies to the possible. The illogical impossibility is that thing that the mind conceives of as impossible, while the normal impossibility is that which goes against normal enactments.  So, miracles are normal impossibilities, not illogical ones. They do not violate rationality or logic, unlike the normal impossibility, which can be conceived of as possible.