How do we reconcile the Salaf's interpretation of al-mu'ayyah (companionship) as knowledge based on the context and preceding text, with what the Shaykh al-Islam said about al-mu'ayyah being real?
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The questioner : Your Eminence! It is well known that the Salaf interpreted al-mu'ayyah (companionship) as knowledge. For example, regarding the saying of Allah the Exalted: , they said: meaning by His knowledge. Their interpretation of al-mu'ayyah (companionship) as knowledge was due to the context and the preceding text, just as 'Ali ibn al-Madini was asked about the verse: [Al-Mujadila 58:7], and he said: Read what comes before it: [Al-Mujadila 58:7]. Question: How do we reconcile what the Salaf said with what the Shaykh al-Islam said about al-mu'ayyah (companionship) being real?
The Shaykh : Yes, 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-Knowledge of the creation, Hearing them, Seeing them, and having authority over them. Everything included in Lordship falls under His saying:. Interpreting the text by its necessary implication is permissible, especially since previously the doctrine of the Jahmiyyah al-Hululiyyah had become widespread, who say that Allah is with us by His Essence in what was on earth. For this reason, 'Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak said: .
Meaning: as the Jahmiyyah say. And it is known that the general public 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 sight and the like. Interpreting by the necessary implication is permissible.
The questioner : ... the need ...
The Shaykh : No, because the general public do not know. And as I told you, the doctrine of the Jahmiyyah had become widespread there. If I were to say to a layman, for example, that the doctrine of the Jahmiyyah has become widespread among him: that Allah is on earth by His Essence, and I said: "We are with Him truly," what would he understand? He would understand that He is on earth, that He is on earth. But if I said: "With us" means: He knows us, and the One who knows you is as if He is with you, 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 have argued against the people of the Sunnah, saying: How do you say "He is with you" and "He knows you"? Say: "He is with us and He is in the sky," and there is no objection, because Allah the Exalted encompasses everything, the seven heavens and the seven earths. They are all in the palm of the Most Merciful, like a mustard seed in one of our palms. And there is no objection that a thing is with you while it is in the sky. The Shaykh al-Islam (may Allah have mercy on him) gave an example of this in al-'Aqidah al-Wasitiyyah and in the Hama Fatwa, that the Arabs say: "We have been traveling and the moon is with us," or "We have been traveling and such-and-such a star is with us." And it is known that the moon is in the sky, and so is the star. So this is a known Arabic expression. Yes.
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 يَعْلَمُThe Shaykh : Yes, 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-Knowledge of the creation, Hearing them, Seeing them, and having authority over them. Everything included in Lordship falls under His saying:
And He is with you
وَهُوَ مَعَكُمْAnd we do not say: He is here on earth
ولا نقول: إنه هاهنا في الأرضMeaning: as the Jahmiyyah say. And it is known that the general public 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 sight and the like. Interpreting by the necessary implication is permissible.
The questioner : ... the need ...
The Shaykh : No, because the general public do not know. And as I told you, the doctrine of the Jahmiyyah had become widespread there. If I were to say to a layman, for example, that the doctrine of the Jahmiyyah has become widespread among him: that Allah is on earth by His Essence, and I said: "We are with Him truly," what would he understand? He would understand that He is on earth, that He is on earth. But if I said: "With us" means: He knows us, and the One who knows you is as if He is with you, 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 have argued against the people of the Sunnah, saying: How do you say "He is with you" and "He knows you"? Say: "He is with us and He is in the sky," and there is no objection, because Allah the Exalted encompasses everything, the seven heavens and the seven earths. They are all in the palm of the Most Merciful, like a mustard seed in one of our palms. And there is no objection that a thing is with you while it is in the sky. The Shaykh al-Islam (may Allah have mercy on him) gave an example of this in al-'Aqidah al-Wasitiyyah and in the Hama Fatwa, that the Arabs say: "We have been traveling and the moon is with us," or "We have been traveling and such-and-such a star is with us." And it is known that the moon is in the sky, and so is the star. So this is a known Arabic expression. Yes.