What is meant by "presence" in the saying of Allah the Exalted: "And He is with you wherever you are"? Is the intended meaning the true presence?
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The questioner : The Noble Shaykh (may Allah preserve him) says:The questioner : What is the meaning of the saying of Allah the Exalted: [Al-Hadid 57:4] What is meant by "presence" here? Is it a true presence? We ask for clarification, and may Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : This is a presence of knowledge, as indicated by the context of the noble verse. Perhaps my old mind does not help me to recall the verse in its entirety. Allah (Mighty and Majestic) says:[Al-Mujadila 58:7] And then?
The questioner : The second verse.
The Shaykh : Okay, recite the verse.
The questioner :[Al-Hadid 57:4] .
The Shaykh : Listen to me in it, listen.
The questioner : This is the Qur'an, what is it!
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner :[Al-Hadid 57:4] .
The Shaykh : This is it. The context of the verse indicates that Allah is with them by His knowledge and is Seeing of their deeds. So the presence here is a presence of knowledge, not a presence of essence. Al-Hafiz Ibn Kathir and others interpreted this noble verse in this way.
and He is with you wherever you are
وهو معكم أين ما كنتمThe Shaykh : This is a presence of knowledge, as indicated by the context of the noble verse. Perhaps my old mind does not help me to recall the verse in its entirety. Allah (Mighty and Majestic) says:
There is in no private conversation three but that He is the fourth of them
ما من نجوى ثلاثة إلا هو رابعهمThe questioner : The second verse.
The Shaykh : Okay, recite the verse.
The questioner :
It is He who created the heavens and earth in six days and then established Himself above the Throne. He knows what penetrates into the earth and what emerges from it and what descends from the heaven
هو الذي خلق السماوات والأرض في ستة أيام ثم استوى على العرش يعلم ما يلج في الأرض وما يخرج منها وما ينزل من السماءThe Shaykh : Listen to me in it, listen.
The questioner : This is the Qur'an, what is it!
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner :
He knows what penetrates into the earth and what emerges from it and what descends from the heaven and what ascends therein; and He is with you wherever you are. And Allah, of what you do, is Seeing.
يعلم ما يلج في الأرض وما يخرج منها وما ينزل من السماء وما يعرج فيها وهو معكم أين ما كنتم والله بما تعملون بصيرThe Shaykh : This is it. The context of the verse indicates that Allah is with them by His knowledge and is Seeing of their deeds. So the presence here is a presence of knowledge, not a presence of essence. Al-Hafiz Ibn Kathir and others interpreted this noble verse in this way.