and the Guardian of the family.”
He is therefore with the traveller on his journey and with his family in their homeland. This does not entail that His essence is mingled with theirs, just as He says:
“Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, and those who are with him.”
That is, they are with him in faith—not that his essence is within theirs; rather, they are his companions. His words:
“Those will be with the believers”
indicate their agreement with the believers in faith and their allegiance to them. Allah Most High knows His servants and is with them wherever they may be. His knowledge of them is necessarily entailed by His being with them.
Similarly, the woman said:
“My husband’s sword-strap is long; his ashes are abundant; his home is near the assembly place.”
All these descriptions are literal, and her purpose is to convey their implications: tall stature, generosity in providing abundant food, and a home close to where guests gather.
In the Quran:
“Or do they think that We do not hear their secrets and their private conversations? Yes indeed, and Our messengers are with them, recording.”
Affirming His seeing and hearing is intended to establish His knowledge of these things, and that He knows whether they are good or evil, so that He rewards good deeds and punishes evil deeds. Likewise, His power over creation is affirmed, as in His words:
“You cannot escape in the earth or in heaven.”
And His words:
“Or do those who commit evil deeds think they can outstrip Us? How evil is their judgment!”
The purpose is to instil fear of the consequences necessarily following from evil deeds: punishment and retribution. Likewise, in many passages the Lord describes Himself as knowing His servants’ deeds in order to warn them, instil fear, and encourage them to seek what is good. He describes Himself in terms of power, hearing, seeing, and the recording of deeds. The meaning signified by the expression is intended, and the necessary implication of that meaning is also intended. Thus, what is intended is what is indicated