Explanation of the author's statement: "Thirdly: that the foremost of the first among the emigrants
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The Shaykh :"Thirdly: that the foremost of the first among the emigrants, the helpers, and those who followed them with excellence were saying what is false and concealing the truth, or were ignorant of it". They were saying what is false, why? Because they affirmed the attributes, which these people claim is false.
And they were concealing the truth because they did not clarify the negation of the attributes, which these people claim is the truth.
Or they were ignorant of it, meaning: they did not know about the truth. So they ended up speaking with falsehood and not clarifying the truth, because they were ignorant.
If you describe them as ignorant or as concealing, what is both? Both are a great defect in the Companions and those who followed them with excellence. If you say they did not know about the truth, that they did not speak of negation because they did not know that this is the truth, or that they spoke of affirmation because they did not know that this is the falsehood, all of this is a blemish against them.
He says: "Or they were ignorant, for it is well-established in the reports from them that they affirmed the attributes of perfection for Allah, which these people claim is false, and they never once spoke of negating the attributes, which these people claim is the truth. And this necessary consequence is impossible for the best of the generations and the best of the community". If ignorance of the truth is impossible for them, and saying what is false and concealing the truth is impossible for them, this indicates that what they said is the truth, which is the affirmation of the attributes.
And they were concealing the truth because they did not clarify the negation of the attributes, which these people claim is the truth.
Or they were ignorant of it, meaning: they did not know about the truth. So they ended up speaking with falsehood and not clarifying the truth, because they were ignorant.
If you describe them as ignorant or as concealing, what is both? Both are a great defect in the Companions and those who followed them with excellence. If you say they did not know about the truth, that they did not speak of negation because they did not know that this is the truth, or that they spoke of affirmation because they did not know that this is the falsehood, all of this is a blemish against them.
He says: "Or they were ignorant, for it is well-established in the reports from them that they affirmed the attributes of perfection for Allah, which these people claim is false, and they never once spoke of negating the attributes, which these people claim is the truth. And this necessary consequence is impossible for the best of the generations and the best of the community". If ignorance of the truth is impossible for them, and saying what is false and concealing the truth is impossible for them, this indicates that what they said is the truth, which is the affirmation of the attributes.