Reconciling the statement of the Salaf regarding al-Mu'ayyah (companionship) with the statement of Ibn Taymiyyah
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Your Eminence! It is well known that the Salaf interpreted al-Mu'ayyah (companionship) as knowledge,They say in such a statement of Allah the Exalted: [Al-Hadid: 4] They said: "That is, by His knowledge." Their interpretation of al-Mu'ayyah (companionship) as knowledge was due to the context and the preceding text,As Ali ibn al-Madini was asked about his statement: [Al-Mujadilah: 7] So he said: "Read what comes before it: [Al-Mujadilah: 7] Question: How do we reconcile what the Salaf said with what the Shaykh al-Islam said, namely that al-Mu'ayyah (companionship) is real?
In reality, there is no contradiction between the two statements; because the Salaf interpreted it by its necessary implication. Indeed, a necessary implication of al-Mu'ayyah (companionship) is that He is All-Knowledgeable of the creation, Hearing them, Seeing them, and having authority over them,Everything that is included in Lordship (Rububiyyah) is included in his statement: [Al-Hadid: 4] And interpreting the attribute by its necessary implication is permissible, especially since the doctrine of the Jahmiyyah, who held to the belief of indwelling (Hulul), had become widespread previously,Those who say: that Allah is with us by His Essence in what was on the earth,For this reason, Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak said: (and we do not say: He is here on the earth).
Meaning: As the Jahmiyyah say. And it is well known that most people do not conceptualize the meaning of al-Mu'ayyah (companionship) as real alongside the Exaltation of Allah (Mighty and Majestic). So the closest thing to their understanding was to say that it is knowledge, and likewise hearing and seeing and the like. And interpretation by the necessary implication is permissible.
So the common people do not know, and as I told you, the doctrine of the Jahmiyyah had become widespread there. If I were to say, for example,To the common people among whom the doctrine of the Jahmiyyah had become widespread: that Allah is on the earth by His Essence,And you said: with us truly, what would they understand? They would understand that He is on the earth,But if I say "with us," meaning: He knows us; and the one who knows you is as if He is with you. He hears us; and the one who hears you is as if He is with you. He sees us; and the one who sees you is as if He is with you. Therefore, they interpreted it by the necessary implication. Otherwise, the Asha'irah and others from the Mu'attilah (those who deny the divine attributes) argued against the people of the Sunnah, saying: How can you say He is with you and say He knows you? Rather, He is with us and He is in the sky, and there is no impediment; because Allah the Exalted encompasses everything, the seven heavens and the seven earths. They are all in the Hand of the Most Merciful, like a mustard seed in one of our hands. And there is no impediment to something being with you while it is in the sky. And the Shaykh al-Islam (may Allah have mercy on him) gave an example of this in *Al-'Aqidah al-Wasitiyyah*,And in *Al-Fatawa al-Hamawiyyah*, that the Arabs say: "We continue to travel and the moon is with us," or "We continue to travel and such-and-such a star is with us." And it is well known that the moon is in the sky, as is the star. This is a known Arabic expression.
And He is with you
وَهُوَ مَعَكُمْThere is in no private conversation three
مَا يَكُونُ مِنْ نَجْوَى ثَلاثَةٍHave you not considered that Allah knows
أَلَمْ تَرَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَعْلَمُIn reality, there is no contradiction between the two statements; because the Salaf interpreted it by its necessary implication. Indeed, a necessary implication of al-Mu'ayyah (companionship) is that He is All-Knowledgeable of the creation, Hearing them, Seeing them, and having authority over them,Everything that is included in Lordship (Rububiyyah) is included in his statement:
and He is with you wherever you are
وَهُوَ مَعَكُمْ أَيْنَ مَا كُنْتُمْMeaning: As the Jahmiyyah say. And it is well known that most people do not conceptualize the meaning of al-Mu'ayyah (companionship) as real alongside the Exaltation of Allah (Mighty and Majestic). So the closest thing to their understanding was to say that it is knowledge, and likewise hearing and seeing and the like. And interpretation by the necessary implication is permissible.
So the common people do not know, and as I told you, the doctrine of the Jahmiyyah had become widespread there. If I were to say, for example,To the common people among whom the doctrine of the Jahmiyyah had become widespread: that Allah is on the earth by His Essence,And you said: with us truly, what would they understand? They would understand that He is on the earth,But if I say "with us," meaning: He knows us; and the one who knows you is as if He is with you. He hears us; and the one who hears you is as if He is with you. He sees us; and the one who sees you is as if He is with you. Therefore, they interpreted it by the necessary implication. Otherwise, the Asha'irah and others from the Mu'attilah (those who deny the divine attributes) argued against the people of the Sunnah, saying: How can you say He is with you and say He knows you? Rather, He is with us and He is in the sky, and there is no impediment; because Allah the Exalted encompasses everything, the seven heavens and the seven earths. They are all in the Hand of the Most Merciful, like a mustard seed in one of our hands. And there is no impediment to something being with you while it is in the sky. And the Shaykh al-Islam (may Allah have mercy on him) gave an example of this in *Al-'Aqidah al-Wasitiyyah*,And in *Al-Fatawa al-Hamawiyyah*, that the Arabs say: "We continue to travel and the moon is with us," or "We continue to travel and such-and-such a star is with us." And it is well known that the moon is in the sky, as is the star. This is a known Arabic expression.