Your claim that the companionship is real, whereas the consensus of the Salaf is to interpret the companionship as knowledge, may lead some to object to you by saying that you are contradicting the consensus.
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The questioner : Shaykh, may Allah bless you, interpreting the companionship as being real.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : And leaving aside what the Salaf said. Some people say, bring us a letter stating that the Salaf interpreted the companionship as other than knowledge.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : They said: Some scholars have transmitted the consensus of the Salaf on interpreting the companionship as knowledge.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : Is there any objection to me similar to what we raised regarding those who transmitted the consensus on the meaning of istiwaa' (rising above the Throne) and the hand, for example?
The Shaykh : Because I do not know that it was narrated from anyone among the Companions except Ibn Mas'ud that it is knowledge, and this is only if it is authentic from him. The rest are all from the Tabi'un (the generation after the Companions) and those after them, after the doctrine of the Jahmiyyah (a sect that denied the divine attributes) appeared. And as we told you, it must be interpreted as knowledge, or by this necessary implication, so that the common people, who are unable to reconcile the elevation and the companionship, do not suspect [incorrectly].
The questioner : Does he object to the Shaykh in the same way?
The Shaykh : In the same way, and then we say: How can we restrict the meaning of the companionship to knowledge only, when it is general? He is with you in His knowledge, His hearing, His sight, His power, and everything.
The questioner : Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Yes, Salim.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : And leaving aside what the Salaf said. Some people say, bring us a letter stating that the Salaf interpreted the companionship as other than knowledge.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : They said: Some scholars have transmitted the consensus of the Salaf on interpreting the companionship as knowledge.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : Is there any objection to me similar to what we raised regarding those who transmitted the consensus on the meaning of istiwaa' (rising above the Throne) and the hand, for example?
The Shaykh : Because I do not know that it was narrated from anyone among the Companions except Ibn Mas'ud that it is knowledge, and this is only if it is authentic from him. The rest are all from the Tabi'un (the generation after the Companions) and those after them, after the doctrine of the Jahmiyyah (a sect that denied the divine attributes) appeared. And as we told you, it must be interpreted as knowledge, or by this necessary implication, so that the common people, who are unable to reconcile the elevation and the companionship, do not suspect [incorrectly].
The questioner : Does he object to the Shaykh in the same way?
The Shaykh : In the same way, and then we say: How can we restrict the meaning of the companionship to knowledge only, when it is general? He is with you in His knowledge, His hearing, His sight, His power, and everything.
The questioner : Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Yes, Salim.