‘Thus we learned the Quran, knowledge, and practice together.’”

The second consideration is that it has been reported through several channels that the polytheists and the People of the Book asked the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to describe his Lord. Allah then revealed this surah, and he said that it sets forth the lineage and description of the Most Merciful. The answer must therefore have explained the meaning of this name to the disbelievers among the polytheists and the People of the Book, for their question could only have been answered in words whose meaning they understood. How much more, then, must the believers have understood it!

All of this demonstrates conclusively and with certainty that the meaning of this name was known to the Companions, and that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) had clarified for them anything about it that might have been unclear and taught them what they needed to know of its meaning. How could it be otherwise, when all of this is part of the explanation of the Quran, which