whereas my phrase “while believing” (1) functions as the differentia, excluding anyone who had the aforementioned meeting (2) but (3) did so while in a state (4) of disbelief.

Likewise, my words “in him” constitute a second differentiating clause; they rule out the one who met him as a believer but (5) in some other prophet. Yet does it also exclude someone who met him believing (6) that he would one day be commissioned as a prophet, although the commissioning had not yet occurred? That remains open to consideration!

My statement “and who died upon Islam” forms a third differential: it excludes whoever met him as a believer, then apostatized and died in that state of apostasy—such as ʿUbayd Allah (7) b. Jahsh (8) and Ibn Khaṭal.

And my phrase “even if an interval of apostasy occurred” refers to a period between his meeting the Prophet as a believer in him (9) and his dying upon Islam. The designation of Companionship nevertheless remains with him, whether (10) he returned (11) to Islam during the Prophet’s lifetime (12) or (13) afterward, and whether he met him (14) a second time or not.