He is the beloved. For this reason, every master is a shaykh, but the reverse is not necessarily true. Likewise, every murīd (aspirant, disciple) is, without any doubt, a tilmīdh (student). (Kavânin, 99)
Wājib-mumkin-muḥāl (necessary-possible-impossible, see muḥāl 1149 wājib-mumkin-muḥāl 5) (wājib al-wujūd). According to the Sufis, muḥāl (the impossible) is a meaning that comes to the qalb (the heart) of the Sufis without being tied to any specific intention, joy, sorrow, contraction (qabḍ), expansion (basṭ), longing (shawq), lack of longing, hayba (awe), or without feeling need or showing ghayra (zeal). Ḥāl (spiritual states) are mawahib (bestowed meanings); maqām (spiritual stations) are makāsib (acquired meanings). Ḥāl comes by itself. Maqām is attained through effort. The possessor of a maqām remains constant in his maqām. The possessor of a ḥāl, however, experiences change in his state. (Qushayrī, 36)
An attribute (ṣifa) is something that requires a locus but is not necessary in itself. The wājib al-wujūd (the Necessary Existent) is not the locus of attributes. It is not permissible for His Essence to possess attributes in itself. For a thing is not subject to the influence of its own essence. (Hayākil, 59)
When the mumkin (possible being) exists, there must also be a protector to sustain its existence. Its existence continues only with the help of this protector. This protector is not among created beings. Protection is the creation of Allah; for this reason, it is ascribed to Him (nisba). For, unlike possible beings that cannot exist on their own, the ʿayn (essence) that exists by its own essence accepts the quality of protection. For the possible being does not accept the quality of protection (ensuring the persistence of the possible is not the work of another possible being, but only of the Necessary).
The possible being does not exist outside the time in which it exists (its before and after are defined; it exists before, then ceases to exist). That which is related to protection is the second time that follows the time of its existence (the time of the possible's creation). This time does not increase. Allah is the Ḥafīẓ (the Preserver), the Raqīb (the Watchful). The ʿayn that exists by its own essence is protected by virtue of murāqaba (spiritual watchfulness), and it protects the created by preserving the time of its existence. The Ḥaqq (the Real) is a being that is watched over for the servant, but cannot be protected by the servant. For He (the Ḥaqq) does not accept protection. He is the Ṣamad (the Eternal Refuge), unlike any other. (Futūḥāt, II, 216-217)
It is not correct to equate the wājib (the Necessary), the mumkin (the possible, whose existence is not necessary), and the muḥāl (the impossible, whose existence is impossible). Likewise, it is not correct to equate the muḥāl with the mumkin being. Anyone who does so has but a slight share in the scent of knowledge. 1150 wājib-mumkin-muḥāl