The interpretation by some of the Salaf of the verse “And He is with you wherever you are” as knowledge-based presence: is this a type of condemned figurative interpretation?

The questioner : A questioner asks and says: Is what is reported from the Salaf in interpreting the saying of Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He: where they said “by His knowledge,” considered a type of condemned figurative interpretation, and what is the criterion for this?

The Shaykh : This is not figurative interpretation. Figurative interpretation in the scholarly terminology is taking an expression or sentence ... away from its immediate meaning. This is what figurative interpretation is, and it is only resorted to when there is a definitive Shari'ah or rational proof for its meaning. At that point, one resorts to figurative interpretation. But here, there is no figurative interpretation because the context of the verse and its preceding text means it does not imply essential presence, but rather knowledge-based presence because I think the beginning of the verse is “There is no private conversation of three...”

The questioner : And there is no private conversation of three...

The Shaykh : Yes, except that He is with them. So, yes?

The questioner : .

The Shaykh : Yes, so the presence here is a presence of oversight and knowledge. Therefore, the presence here, as reported from the Salaf, is knowledge-based presence. This is not figurative interpretation, even if some people call it figurative interpretation. The most famous example of this is the verse “Ask the village.” The word “village” refers to the buildings, walls, and enclosures standing on that land; that is the village. But if you take the verse in its entirety, you find yourself compelled to realize that this intended meaning of the word “village” does not come to mind; rather, what comes to mind is its inhabitants. “And the caravan in which we came.” The caravan is also, as a word, meaning this group of camels, for example, or the camels. But one does not look at the word separated from its preceding text and its context; rather, one looks at the sentence as a whole, from its beginning to its end. At that point, what comes to mind from this verse is different from the meaning that comes to mind from a word present in this verse, which is “village” or “caravan.” You will find yourself compelled to say that the meaning that comes to the mind of any Arab, whether he is knowledgeable about the Shari'ah or not, is simply that he is an Arab, and he will say meaning its inhabitants, and “caravan” meaning those accompanying it. This is never figurative interpretation. And the examples of this are numerous and very numerous. For example, “So roam in the land.” Here “in” is prepositional, but if you look at this verse, at this letter in this verse, you do not understand it as prepositional; rather, you understand it as meaning “on.” Say, “Roam in the land, then look.” It is not in the belly of the earth, but on the earth. And there are many, many examples of this. And accordingly came the saying of Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, also in Surat Ta-Ha, when Pharaoh transgressed and did wrong and said to the people: and he brought the magicians to triumph with them over the prophetic miracle of Musa (peace be upon him). So the outcome was for Musa (peace be upon him), and the outcome was that the magicians believed. “In the Lord of Aaron...” In the Lord of what? So what did he threaten them with? He said: Also here, “in the trunks of the palm trees.” If you separate “in” from its place here, you understand “in” as prepositional. But here, that understanding does not fit. This understanding is not valid except that it means “on.” “And I will surely crucify you in the trunks of the palm trees” means on the trunks of the palm trees. This is also not figurative interpretation, because the sentence compels you to understand “in” here and there as meaning “on.” And finally, his saying (peace and blessings be upon him), and this topic is related to the belief from which the majority of Muslims have strayed, both in the past and the present. His saying (peace and blessings be upon him): What is the meaning of “Have mercy on those in the earth”? Does it mean the worms and insects that live in the belly of the earth, which you cannot reach with any mercy? This meaning does not come to the mind of an Arab at all. Rather, here “in” is like “on” there. The merciful ones, the Most Merciful will have mercy on them. Have mercy on those in the earth, those on the earth with you, and He will have mercy on you from those in the sky. Also, He will have mercy on you from those in the sky. “In” here is not prepositional, just as “in” in “in the earth” is not prepositional, but rather it means “on.” And accordingly, we must understand His saying, Exalted is He, in Surat al-Tariq: ... meaning from those on the sky. Do you feel safe from those on the sky? All the verses converge with each other in the meaning of affirming the elevation of Allah, Mighty and Majestic, above all His creation. So Allah, Mighty and Majestic, is above all creation. None of these examples is figurative interpretation; rather, it is the sound Arab understanding before foreign influence entered it and before the science of theology took hold of it.

Another questioner : May Allah reward you, O Shaykh.