المعنى الاصطلاحي

A universal matter that is commonly shared by individuals and is subject to variation and division in such a way that if it is found in reality, then it becomes specific to that individual.

الشرح المختصر

"Al-waahid bin-naw`" (the one in kind): a universal intellectual matter that is shared by individuals and is open to diversity. If it exists in the real world (gets out of the circle of intellect), it becomes specific to that entity. The word "naw`" means species or type that shares the same qualities, like humans, animals, and other existing entities. The existing entities share the description of existence, just as humans share the description of humanity, and animals share the description of animality. However, this universal "sharing" is only in the intellect and not an actual one. Otherwise, the animality that exists in man is not the same as that animality that exists in individual souls. The existence of the sky is not the same as the existence of man. Thus, the existence of the Creator, Exalted be He, is different from and independent of the existence if His creation. This is because the species and the individuals have different natures. The nature of the species is universal and general while the nature of the individual is specific to that individual. It is quite known that the reality of man in general is different from the reality of certain individuals like Zayd, `Amr, Bakr, etc. This term, "al-waahid bin-naw`", was not mentioned in the Quran or the Sunnah. The philosophers were the first to use it when they explained the meaning of "oneness" and "multiplicity". Scholastic theologians then used this term after them, then it was used by Ahl-us-Sunnah in order to refute the doubts which the former fell into. The concept of "the one in kind" and "one in number" was not properly understood by some sects, the thing that resulted in them adopting invalid opinions related to "Tawheed ar-Ruboobiyyah" (Oneness of Lordship). Ahl-us-Sunnah refuted these claims by differentiating between "al-aaahid bin-naw`" (the one in kind) and "al-waahid bil `ayn" (the one in essence). Some of the sects that deviated in this concept are: 1. Those who believe in the unity of existence: They believe that since both Allah and the creation 'exist', then His existence and their existence are the same. This is because they failed to differentiate between what is one in essence and what is one in kind. 2. The Ash`arites and the Kullaabiyyah and those who agree with them: They claimed that Allah’s commands are the same as other parts of His speech, such as His prohibitions and information. This is because they were confused when it came to the reality of Allah’s speech, and believed it all to be of the same nature because it is all "speech". They believed that speech is one in essence, not one in kind, and this led them to reach that invalid conclusion.