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Inanimate Objects have Feelings
Translated
By
Abbas Abu Yahya
Shaykh Muhammad bin Salih al-Uthaymeen (d.1421 A.H.) said:
‘How can Allaah Ta’ala offer a trust to the Heavens, the earth and the mountains when they are inanimate objects?
Allaah said:
إِنَّا عَرَضْنَا الْأَمَانَةَ عَلَى السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَالْجِبَالِ فَأَبَيْنَ أَنْ يَحْمِلْنَهَا وَأَشْفَقْنَ مِنْهَا وَحَمَلَهَا الْإِنْسَانُ إِنَّهُ كَانَ ظَلُوماً جَهُول
الأحزاب:72
<< Truly, We did offer Al-Amanah (the trust or moral responsibility or honesty and all the duties which Allaah has ordained) to the heavens and the earth, and the mountains, but they declined to bear it and were afraid of it (i.e. afraid of Allaah’s Torment). But man bore it. Verily, he was unjust (to himself) and ignorant (of its results).>> [Ahzab: 72]
Shaykh al-Uthaymeen said in his explanation of this Ayaah:
‘If a person says, how can Allaah Ta’ala offer a trust to the Heavens, the earth and the mountains when they are inanimate, they do not have intellect or feelings?
The Answer: That according to Allaah –Azza wa Jal- every inanimate object has an intellect which it understands and follows a command.
Do you not see the statement of Allaah Ta’ala which the Prophet -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam- informed about: ‘Indeed when Allaah Ta’ala created the Pen He said to it write.’
So Allaah addressed the Pen and it is an inanimate object. The pen asked: ‘What shall I write?’ Because the matter was general and unclear, and it is not possible to follow a general, unclear command except with a clarification.
Allaah said: ‘Write what will exist till the Day of Judgement.’
[Silsilah: 133 similar wording]
[From ‘Fawaid ala Riyadh as-Saliheen’ p.92]