Imams of Hadith of the Third Century
Imam Hamidi, may Allah have mercy on him (219 AH)
He, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
السنة عندنا ….. يقول الرجل: الرحمن على العرش استوى، ومن زعم غير هذا فهو معطل جهمي.
“It is our Sunnah that … a person says: The Most Merciful is established on the Throne, and whoever claims otherwise is a Mu’attal (denier of the attributes of Allah) and Jahmi.”
He also says:
الإقرار بالرؤية بعد الموت، وما نطق به القرآن والحديث، مثل: (وقالت اليهود يد الله مغلول غلت أيديهم) ، ومثل: (والسموت مطويت بيمينه) ، وما أشبه هذا من القرآن والحديث، لا يزيد فيه ولا يفسره، يقف على ما وقف عليه القرآن والسنة، ويقول: (الرحمن على العرش استوى)، ومن زعم غير هذا فهو معطل جهمي.
“After death (on the Day of Resurrection), the affirmation of seeing Allah, as well as the affirmation of all those attributes mentioned in the Quran and Sunnah, for example: (وقالت اليهود يد الله مغلولة غلت آیدیهم) (The Jews said that Allah’s hand is tied up. Their own hands are tied up) and as (والسموت مطويت بيمينه) (And the heaven is wrapped in His hand), and other such Quranic and Hadith texts. No Muslim will add to them, nor will he interpret them (on his own), but where the Quran and Sunnah have settled, he will remain there and say that the Most Merciful is established on the Throne. Whoever holds a belief contrary to this is a misguided Jahmi.”
Imam Muhammad bin Musab Al-Abid, may Allah have mercy on him (228 AH)
He, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
من زعم أنك لا تكلم، ولا ترى في الآخرة، فهو كافر بوجهك، لا يعرفك، أشهد أنك فوق العرش فوق سبع سموات، ليس كما يقول أعداتك الزنادقة.
“Allah! Whoever claims that no one will speak to You in the Hereafter, nor will anyone be able to see You, is a denier of Your Face and ignorant of Your Essence. I bear witness that You are above the Throne over the seven heavens; it is not as Your enemies, the heretics, say.”
Imam Ishaq bin Rahwayh, may Allah have mercy on him (238 AH)
He, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
جمعني وهذا المبتدع، يعني إبراهيم بن أبي صالح، مجلس الأمير عبد الله بن طاهر، فسألني الأمير عن أخبار النزول، فسردتها ، فقال إبراهيم كفرت برب ينزل من سماء إلى سماء، فقلت: آمنت برب يفعل ما يشاء.
“I and this innovator, Ibrahim bin Abi Salih, gathered in the assembly of Amir Abdullah bin Tahir. He asked me about the hadiths regarding the descent of the Exalted Lord. I narrated them. Ibrahim said: I disbelieve in a Lord who descends from one heaven to another. I said: I believe in the Lord who does whatever He wills.”
According to the Hadith of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ
, Allah descends every night before the seventh heaven. If Allah is everywhere, then what is the meaning of descending towards the heaven before the seventh heaven every night? Sheikh al-Islam Imam Ishaq bin Rahwayh, may Allah have mercy on him, who affirms the descent of Allah, holds the belief that Allah is not everywhere.
Imam Muhammad bin Aslam Tusi, may Allah have mercy on him (242 AH)
He said, may Allah have mercy on him, that Abdullah bin Tahir, may Allah have mercy on him, told me:
بلغني أنك لا ترفع رأسك إلى السماء فقلت: ولم، وهل أرجو الخير إلا ممن هو في السماء.
“I have heard that you do not raise your head towards the sky. I said: Why? I hope for every good from the One who is above the heavens.”
Imam Abu Zur’ah Razi, may Allah have mercy on him (264 AH), and Imam Abu Hatim Razi, may Allah have mercy on him (277 AH), were asked about the creed of Ahl al-Sunnah, and they said:
أدركنا العلماء في جميع الأمصار، حجازا، وعراقا، ومصرا، وشاما، ويمنا، وكان من مذهبهم أن الله على عرشه بائن من خلقه، كما وصف نفسه بلا كيف، أحاط بكل شيء علما.
“We have seen the scholars of Hijaz and Iraq, Egypt and Sham, and Yemen, all of whom held the belief that Allah is above His Throne (exalted) and separate from His creation, as He has stated in His Book and through the words of His Messenger without specifying the modality. He encompasses knowledge of everything.”
Imam Uthman ibn Sa’id al-Darimi, may Allah have mercy on him (280 AH), writes:
قد اتفقت الكلمة من المسلمين أن الله فوق عرشه، فوق سماواته.
“It is the unanimous belief of the Muslims that Allah is on the Throne above the heavens.”
Hafiz al-Dhahabi, may Allah have mercy on him, explains this statement by saying:
قلت: أوضح شيء في هذا الباب قوله تعالى: (الرحن على العرش استوى)
، فليمر كما جاء، كما هو معلوم من مذهب السلف، وينهى الشخص عن المراقبة والجدال، وتأويلات المعتزلة: (ربنا آمنا بما انزلت واتبعنا الرسول)
“I say that the clearest text regarding this is the command of Allah the Exalted: (الرحمٰن على العرش استوى)
(The Most Merciful is established on the Throne), this verse should be accepted as it was revealed. (Meaning, there is no need or scope for interpretation), as is evident from the creed of the pious predecessors, one should avoid contemplation, disputation, and the interpretations of the Mu’tazilites: (ربنا آمنا بما الزلت واتبعنا الرسول)
(Our Lord! We have believed in the religion You revealed and obeyed the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him.)”
Imam Darimi, may Allah have mercy on him, further states:
قد اتفقت الكلمة من المسلمين والكافرين أن الله في السماء، وحدوه بذلك إلا المريسي الضال وأصحابه، حتى الصبيان الذين لم يبلغوا الحنت قد عرفوه بذلك، إذا حزب الصبي شيء يرفع يديه إلى ربه يدعوه في السماء دون ما سواها، فكل أحد بالله وبمكانه أعلم من الجهمية.
“This is a common belief among Muslims and disbelievers that Allah is in the heavens; they consider Him to be above, not below, except for the misguided (Bashar) Al-Muraisi and his followers. Even children who have not yet reached puberty consider Allah to be above. Whenever a child is in distress, he raises his hands towards his Lord who is above the heavens, nowhere else. Thus, every individual in the universe knows more about Allah Almighty and His place than the Jahmiyyah.”
Further he writes:
ويلكم إجماع من الصحابة والتابعين وجميع الأمة، من نفسير القرآن والفرائض والحدود والأحكام نزلت آية كذا في كذا، ونزلت آية كذا في كذا، ونزلت سورة كذا في مكان كذا لا نسمع أحدا يقول: طلعت من تحت الأرض، ولا جاءت من أمام، ولا من خلف، ولكن كله نزلت من فوق، وما يصنع بالتنزيل من هو بنفسه في كل مكان إنما يكون شبه مناولة، لا تنزيلا من فوق السماء مع جبريل، إذ يقول سبحانه وتعالى: (قل نزله روح القدس من ربك بالحق) ، والرب بزعمكم الكاذب في البيت معه، وجبريل يأتيه من خارج، هذا واضح، ولكنكم تغالطون، فمن لم يقصد بإيمانه وعبادته إلى الله الذي استوى على العرش فوق سمواته، وبان من خلقه، فإنما يعبد غير الله، ولا يدري أين الله.
“O you Jahmiyyah! Whether it is the interpretation of the Holy Quran, matters of inheritance, issues of Hudood, or discussions of rulings, the companions of the Prophet, the great Tabi‘in, and the entire Muslim Ummah are unanimous and agreed that such and such verse was revealed regarding such and such matter, such and such verse was revealed concerning such and such person, and such and such Surah was revealed at such and such place. We have never heard anyone say that a verse appeared from beneath the earth or came from the front or behind. Every verse was revealed from above. The One who is Himself present everywhere, what need does He have to send something down from above? He can give such a thing by Himself; there is no need for Him to send it down from the sky with Jibreel. Allah Almighty says: (قل نزله روح القدس من ربك بالحق ليثبت الذين آمنوا و هدى وبشرى للمسلمين)
(O Prophet! Say that this Quran has been revealed to you by the Spirit of Holiness from your Lord in truth, so that the believers may be firmly established. It is guidance and glad tidings for the Muslims.) According to your false ideas, the Lord Almighty was at home with the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and Jibreel (bringing revelation) used to come from outside. The matter is absolutely clear, but you persist in error. Therefore, whoever does not direct his faith and worship towards Allah, who is established above the seven heavens on the Throne and is separate from creation, then he is a worshiper of other than Allah; he does not even know where Allah is.”
Bishr al-Marisi and his teachers are addressed as follows:
زعمت أنت والمضلون من زعمائك أنه في كل مكان.
“You and your misguided companions claim that Allah is present everywhere.”
Imam Ibn Abi Asim, may Allah have mercy on him (287 AH)
In his book
, he categorizes as follows:
ما ذكر أن الله تعالى في سمائه دون أرضه.
“The explanation of the evidences that Allah Almighty is above the heavens, not in the earth.”
Imam Abu Ja’far Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Nasr al-Tirmidhi, may Allah have mercy on him (295 AH)
A person asked him about the hadith of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, that Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, descends every night to the lowest heaven, so how does the elevation remain after the descent? He replied:
النزول معقول، والكيف مجهول، والإيمان به واجب، والسوال عنه بدعة.
“The descent of the Exalted is known, its modality is unknown, believing in it is obligatory, and questioning about its modality is an innovation.”
Imam Muhammad ibn Uthman ibn Abi Shaybah, may Allah have mercy on him (297 AH)
He states:
ذكروا أن الجهمية يقولون: ليس بين الله عز وجل وبين خلقه حجاب ، وأنكروا العرش وأن يكون هو فوقه وفوق السماوات، وقالوا: إن الله في كل مكان.
“They have mentioned that according to the Jahmiyyah, there is no barrier between Allah and His creation, and they have also denied that Allah is on the Throne above the heavens, saying that Allah is everywhere.”
They also say:
ثم توافرت الأخبار على أن الله تعالى خلق العرش فاستوى عليه بذاته، ثم خلق الأرض والسماوات فصار من الأرض إلى السماء ومن السماء إلى العرش، فهو فوق السماوات وفوق العرش بذاته متخلصا من خلقه، بائنا منهم، علمه في خلقه ، لا يخرجون من علمه.
“Mutawatir hadiths are evidence that Allah is established on His Throne with His Essence, thus He is on the Throne above the heavens with His Essence, separate and distinct from His creation. His knowledge is within His creation; they cannot be outside His knowledge.”
While mentioning the belief of the Jahmiyyah, they write:
قالوا: إنه فى كل مكان.
“They say that Allah is everywhere.”
At one place they write:
فسرت العلماء: وهو معكم يعني بعلمه، توافرت الأخبار أن الله خلق العرش فاستوى عليه بذاته فهو فوق العرش بذاته، متخلصا من خلقه باتنا منهم، علمه في خلقه، لا يخرجون من علمه .
The scholars have explained the interpretation of (وهو معكم) (and He is with you) as meaning that He is with you through His knowledge, because there are many hadiths regarding this that Allah created the Throne, then established Himself upon it, so He is above His Throne with His Self, separate from His creation, distinct from them. His knowledge is present within His creation; they cannot go beyond His knowledge.
They further write:
قال عزوجل: (الرحمن على العرش استوى) ، فالله تعالى استوى على العرش، يرى كل شيء في السماوات والأرضين ويعلم ويسمع كل ذلك بعينه، وهو فوق العرش، لا الحجب التي احتجب بها من خلقه تحجبه من أن يرى ويسمع ما في الأرض السفلى، ولكنه خلق الحجب وخلق العرش كما خلق الخلق لما شاء وكيف شاء.
The command of the Exalted is:
(الرحمٰن على العرش استوى)
(The Most Merciful established Himself above the Throne.)
Allah Almighty is established above the Throne and sees everything in the earth and the heavens. While established above the Throne, He knows everything and hears every sound exactly. There are no veils that prevent Him from seeing anything present on the lowest earth. He is the One who created the veils and the Throne, just as He created the creation whenever and however He willed.
Citing the consensus of the creation as evidence, they write:
أجمع الخلق جميعا أنهم إذا دعوا الله جميعا رفعوا أيديهم إلى السماء، فلو كان الله عز وجل في الأرض السفلى، ما كانوا يرفعون أيديهم إلى السماء وهو معهم على الأرض ، ثم توافرت الأخبار على أن الله تعالى خلق العرش فاستوى عليه بذاته، ثم خلق الأرض والسماوات فصار من الأرض إلى السماء ومن السماء إلى العرش، فهو فوق السماوات وفوق العرش بذاته متخلصا من خلقه، باتنا منهم، علمه في خلقه، لا يخرجون من علمه.
“When all creation prays, they coincidentally raise their hands towards the sky. If Allah were on the lower earth, then people would not raise their hands towards the sky while Allah is with them on the earth. Then, the mutawatir hadiths also indicate that Allah created the Throne, then established Himself upon it. It is from the earth to the sky and from the sky to the Throne. He is on the Throne above the heavens with His essence. He is separate from His creation. Yes, His knowledge is within the creation. The creation cannot go beyond His knowledge.”
Abu Abdullah Amr bin Uthman Makki, may Allah have mercy on him (297 AH)
He, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
المستوي على عرشه بعظمة جلاله، دون كل مكان.
“Allah is established on the Throne with His greatness and majesty, not everywhere.”
Imam Muhammad bin Jarir al-Tabari, may Allah have mercy on him (224-310 AH)
He, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
حسب امري …. أن يعلم أن ربه هو الذي على العرش استوى فمن تجاوز إلى غير ذلك فقد خاب وخسر.
“It is enough for a person to know that his Lord is the One who is established on the Throne. Whoever transgresses beyond Him will surely be destroyed and ruined.”
آیت (اليه يصعد الكلم الطيب والعمل الصالح يرفعه)
“Pure words ascend to Him, and good deeds raise pure words.”
Regarding this, it is written:
إلى الله يصعد ذكر العبد إياه وثناؤه عليه.
“The mention of the servant and the praise and glorification ascend to Allah.”
Imam al-A’immah, Ibn Khuzaymah, may Allah have mercy on him (223-311 AH)
He, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
إن الله عز وجل في السماء كما أخبرنا في محكم تنزيله وعلى لسان نبيه عليه السلام، وكما هو منهوم في فطرة المسلمين، علمائهم وجهالهم، أحرارهم ومماليكهم، ذكرانهم وإناثهم، بالغيهم وأطفالهم، كل من دعا الله جل وعلا فإنما يرفع رأسه إلى السماء ويمد يديه إلى الله، إلى أعلاه لا إلى أسفل.
“Allah is above the heavens, as Allah has stated in His firm Book and by the words of His Noble Prophet, peace be upon him. This is also present in the nature of all Muslims, scholars and ignorant, free and slave, male and female, adult and minor. Whenever a person supplicates to Allah, he raises his head towards the heavens and spreads his hands before Allah; he does not spread them downward.”
He further writes:
مما هو مصرح في التنزيل أن الرب جل وعلا في السماء، لا كما قالت الجهمية المعطلة: إنه في أسفل الأرضين، فهو في السماء.
“The Holy Quran clearly states that Allah is above the heavens. The Jahmiyyah say that Allah is in the lowest earth; their statement is incorrect.”
One chapter is dedicated to this issue:
باب ذكر الدليل على أن الإقرار بأن الله عز وجل في السماء من الإيمان.
“This acknowledgment that Allah is above the heavens, holding this belief is an essential part of faith.”
Consider another chapter:
باب ذكر سنن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم المثبتة أن الله جل وعلا فوق كل شيء وأنه في السماء، كما أعلمنا في وحيه على لسان نبيه، إذ لا تكون سنته أبدا المنقولة عنه بنقل العدل عن العدل موصولا إليه إلا موافقة لكتاب الله لا مخالفة له.
“The explanation of the Prophetic hadiths which prove that Allah is above the heavens and the skies. He has informed us of this through the words of His Prophet. Any hadith transmitted from the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) through just narrators with an unbroken chain of transmission is always in accordance with the Book of Allah, never contradictory.”
While narrating the hadiths of Mi’raj, they write:
في الأخبار دلالة واضحة أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم عرج به من الدنيا إلى السماء السابعة، وأن الله تعالى فرض عليه الصلوات على ما جاء في الأخبار، فتلك الأخبار كلها دالة على أن الخالق البارى فوق سبع سماواته لا على ما زعمت المعطلة أن معبودهم هو معهم في منازلهم، وكنفهم.
The blessed hadiths clearly indicate that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was ascended from the world to the seventh heaven, and Allah imposed five prayers upon him as mentioned in the hadiths. All these hadiths are evidence that the Creator of the earth and the heavens is above the heavens, not as the Mu’tazila have understood, who believe that their deity is with them in their homes and their places of purification.
Allah Almighty descends every night during the last part of the night towards the heaven of the world. On this, the chapter is established with the following words:
باب ذكر أخبار ثابتة السند صحيحة القوام رواها علماء الحجاز والعراق عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم في نزول الرب جل وعلا إلى السماء الدنيا كل ليلة، نشهد شهادة مقر بلسانه، مصدق بقلبه مستيقن بما في هذه الأخبار من ذكر نزول الرب من غير أن نصف الكيفية، لأن نبينا المصطفى لم يصف لنا كيفية نزول خالقنا إلى سماء الدنيا، أعلمنا أنه ينزل والله جل وعلا لم يترك، ولا نبيه عليه السلام بيان ما بالمسلمين الحاجة إليه، من أمر دينهم فنحن قاتلون مصدقون بما في هذه الأخبار من ذكر النزول غير متكلفين القول بصفته أو بصفة الكيفية، إذ النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم لم يصف لنا كيفية النزول وفي هذه الأخبار ما بان وثبت وصح أن الله جل وعلا فوق سماء الدنيا، الذي أخبرنا نبينا صلى الله عليه وسلم أنه ينزل إليه، إذ محال في لغة العرب أن يقول: نزل من أسفل إلى أعلى، ومنهوم في الخطاب أن النزول من أعلى إلى أسفل.
“The narration of those ahadith which are authentic in terms of chain and text, and have been reported by the scholars of Hijaz and Iraq from the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. These ahadith pertain to Allah’s descent every night towards the heaven of the world. We bear witness with our tongues and affirm with our hearts, and we have complete belief in the description of Allah’s descent in these ahadith. However, we do not describe its exact nature, because the Noble Prophet ﷺ did not explain the manner of our Creator’s descent towards the heaven of the world. He ﷺ only informed us that He descends. Neither Allah nor His Prophet left any essential religious matter incomplete for the Muslims. We are convinced of this and confirm the descent of Allah mentioned in these ahadith. We do not engage in speculation regarding Allah or the manner of His descent, because the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ did not describe the manner of the descent. These ahadith clearly and explicitly prove that Allah is above the heaven of the world, towards which descent has been informed to us by our Prophet ﷺ, because in the Arabic language, descent from below to above is impossible. The meaning of the address is that descent occurs from above to below.”
He also says:
قد ذكرنا استواء ربنا على العرش في الباب قبل، فاسمعوا الآن ما أتلو عليكم من كتاب ربنا الذي هو مسطور بين الدفتين، مفروء في المحاريب والكتاتيب، مما هو مصرح في التنزيل أن الرب جل وعلا في السماء، لا كما قالت الجهمية المعطلة: إنه في أسفل الأرضين، فهو في السماء، عليهم لعائن الله التابعة، قال الله تعالى: (وامنتم من في السماء أن يخسف بكم الأرض) ، وقال الله تعالى: (أم أمنتم من في السماء أن يرسل عليكم حاصبا) ، أفليس قد أعلمنا يا ذوي الحجا خالق السموات والأرض وما بينهما في هاتين الآيتين أنه في السماء، وقال عز وجل: (إليه يصعد الكلم الطيب والعمل الصالح يرفعه) ، أفليس العلم محيطا يا ذوي الحجا والألباب أن الرب جل وعلا فوق من يتكلم بالكلمة الطيبة، فتصعد إلى الله كلمته، لا كما زعمت المعطلة الجهمية أنه تهبط إلى الله الكلمة الطيبة كما تصعد إليه، ألم تسمعوا يا طلاب العلم قوله تبارك وتعالى لعيسى ابن مريم: (يعيسى إلى متوفيك ورافعك إلى) ، أليس إنما يرفع الشيء من أسفل إلى أعلا، لا من أعلا إلى أسفل، وقال الله عز وجل: (بل رفعه الله إليه) ، ومحال أن يهبط الإنسان من ظهر الأرض إلى بطنها، أو إلى موضع أخفض منه وأسفل فيقال: رفعه الله إليه، لأن الرفعة في لغة العرب الذين بلغتهم خوطبنا لا تكون إلا من أسفل إلى أعلى وفوق ألم تسمعوا قول خالقنا جل وعلا يصف نفسه: (وهو القاهر فوق عباده) ، أو ليس العلم محيطا، إن الله فوق جميع عباده ، من الجن والإنس، والملائكة ، الذين هم سكان السماوات جميعا؟ أولم تسمعوا قول الخالق الباريء: (ولله يسجد ما في السبوات وما في الأرض من دابة والمليكة وهم لا يستكبرون يخافون ربهم من فوقهم ويفعلون ما يؤمرون) فأعلمنا الجليل جل وعلا في هذه الآية أيضا أن ربنا فوق ملائكته، وفوق ما في السماوات، وما في الأرض، من دابة، أعلمنا أن ملائكته يخافون ربهم الذي فوقهم والمعطلة تزعم أن معبودهم تحت الملائكة ، ألم تسمعوا قول خالقنا: (يدبر الامر من السماء إلى الأرض ثم يعرج اليه) ، أليس معلوما فى اللغة السائرة بين العرب التي خوطبنا بها وبلسانهم نزل الكتاب، أن تدبير الأمر من السماء إلى الأرض، إنما يدبره المدبر، وهو في السماء لا في الأرض، كذلك المفهوم عندهم أن المعارج المصاعد، قال الله تعالى: (تعرج المليكة والروح إليه) ، وإنما يعرج الشيء من أسفل إلى أعلى وفوق، لا من أعلى إلى دون وأسفل، فتفهموا لغة العرب لا تغالطوا وقال جل وعلا: (سبح اسم ربك الأعلى) ، فالأعلى منهوم في اللغة أنه أعلى شيء، وفوق كل شيء، والله قد وصف نفسه في غير موضع من تنزيله ووحيه، أعلمنا أنه العلي العظيم، أفليس العلي يا ذوى الحجا ما يكون عليا، لا كما تزعم المعطلة الجهمية أنه أعلى وأسفل، ووسط، ومع كل شيء، وفي كل موضع من أرض وسماء، وفي أجواف جميع الحيوان ولو تدبروا آية من كتاب الله ووفقهم الله لفهمها، لعقلوا أنهم جهال ، لا يفهمون ما يقولون، وبأن لهم جهل أنفسهم، وخطأ مقالتهم وقال الله تعالى لما سأله كليمه موسى عليه السلام أن يريه ينظر إليه قال: (لن ترينى ولكن انظر إلى الجبل) إلى قوله: (فلما تجلى ربه للجبل جعله دکا) أفليس العلم محيطا يا ذوي الألباب أن الله عز وجل لو كان في كل موضع، ومع كل بشر وخلق كما زعمت المعطلة، لكان متجليا لكل شيء، وكذلك جميع ما في الأرض ، لو كان متجليا لجميع أرضه سهلها ووعرها وجبالها، وبراريها ومفاوزها، ومدنها وقراها، وعمرانها وخرابها، وجميع ما فيها من نبات، وبناء لجعلها دكا كما جعل الله الجبل الذي تجلى له دكا، قال الله تعالى: (فلما تجلى ربه للجبل جعله دکا) .
In the previous chapter, we explained that Allah is established on the Throne. Now I will recite to you the verses that are present in the book read in the pulpit and the prayer niche. These verses clearly state the reality that Allah’s essence is above the heavens. The claim of the Jahmiyyah Mu’tazilah that He is both below all the earths and above the heavens is false. May continuous curses be upon the Jahmiyyah. Allah Himself has said:
(امنتم من في السماء أن يخسف بكم الأرض)
(Are you secure from Him Who is above the heavens that He might cause the earth to swallow you?)
He also said:
(ام أمنتم من في السماء أن يرسل عليكم حاصبا)
“Or are you secure from Him Who is above the heavens that He might send upon you a storm of stones?”
O people of understanding! Did the Creator of the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them not inform in these two verses that He is above the heavens? His own statement is:
(اليه يصعد الكلم الطيب و العمل الصالح يرفعه)
“Pure words ascend to Him, and righteous deeds raise pure words.”
O men of wisdom! Does this not make it clear from this verse that Allah is above the one who utters pure words? If Allah is above, then only to Him do these words ascend. The claim of the Jahmiyyah Mu’tazilah that just as pure words ascend to Allah, they also descend to Him (meaning Allah is everywhere, may Allah protect us) is completely wrong. Students! Have you not heard the command of Allah which He gave to Jesus (peace be upon him):
(العيسى إلى متوفيك ورافعك إلى)
“Jesus! I will take you fully and raise you to Myself.”
Is it not true that something can only ascend from below to above, it cannot ascend from above to below? Allah’s command is:
(بل رفعه الله إليه)
(Rather, Allah raised Jesus, peace be upon him, towards Himself) It is not possible that a person goes down from above the earth or from a higher place to a lower place, and it is said that Allah raised him up, because in the Arabic language, through which (the Holy Quran) addresses us, rising always means moving from below to above. Have you not heard the command of our Creator, the Exalted:
(وهو القاهر فوق عباده)
(And He is above His servants and is over them, dominant.) Does this not indicate that Allah, the Exalted, is above and higher than all His servants living in the earth and the heavens, that is, the jinn, humans, and the angels living in the heavens? Have you not heard the command of the Exalted:
(ولله يسجد ما في السموات وما في الأرض من دابة والمليكة وهم لا يستكبرون يخافون ربهم من فوقهم ويفعلون ما يؤمرون)
(All the cattle in the heavens and the earth, and the angels, prostrate themselves to Allah alone and do not show arrogance. They fear their Lord above them and do what they are commanded.) Allah, the Lord of Glory, has informed us in this verse that He is above and exalted over His angels and all living beings in the heavens and the earth. He has also told us that His angels fear their Lord who is above them. In contrast, the Mu’tazila claim that their deity is below the angels. Have you not heard the command of our Creator:
(يدير الأمر من السماء إلى الأرض ثم يعرج إليه)
(He manages the affairs from the heavens towards the earth, then the affair ascends to Him.) Does it not become clear from the well-known Arabic language, in which the Holy Quran was revealed, that the management of affairs is done by Allah from the heavens towards the earth and He is above the heavens, not in the earth? Among the Arabs, the root ‘arj’ means going up and ascending. Something always ascends from below to above, not from above to below. Understand the Arabic language, do not create confusion. Allah Almighty also says:
(سبح اسم ربك الأعلى)
(Praise the name of your Most High Lord.) In the Arabic lexicon, the meaning of something being Most High is that it is the highest and above all. Allah has referred to Himself as العلي and العظیم in many places in the Holy Quran. People of understanding! Is not العلي that which is elevated? Despite all this, the Jahmiyyah Mu’attilah say that Allah is above and below, in the middle and with everything, indeed everywhere in the earth and the heavens, and even inside the stomachs of all living beings (نعوذ باللہ). However, if they pondered even one verse of the Holy Quran and Allah granted them the ability to understand it, they would realize that they are extremely ignorant and cannot even comprehend the words that come out of their mouths; their ignorance and the error of their statements would become evident. When Musa, the one who spoke to Allah, demanded to see Him, Allah Almighty said:
(كن ترنى ولكن انظر إلى الجبل فإن استقة مكانه فسوف ترنى فلما تجلى ربه للجبل جعله دکا)
(You cannot see Me, yes look towards that mountain, if it remains in its place, then you will be able to see Me. When their Lord manifested Himself on the mountain, it crumbled to pieces.) People of intellect and understanding! Is it not known that if, according to the suspended ones, Allah is everywhere and with every human and every creature, then His manifestation would fall upon everything and all the creatures of the earth. If Allah Almighty manifested Himself over the entire earth, that is, fields, forests, mountains, continents, deserts, cities, towns, villages, wastelands, all plants, and all buildings, then all of them would crumble to pieces just like that mountain (Mount Sinai) crumbled to pieces upon which Allah Almighty manifested Himself. The command of the Exalted is:
﴿فلما تجلى ربه للجبل جعله دکا)
(When their Lord manifested Himself on the mountain, He made it crumble to pieces)
Then the judgment is made in these words:
من لم يقر بأن الله تعالىٰ على عرشه، قد استوى فوق سبع سماواته ، فهو كافر بربه.
“Whoever does not acknowledge that Allah Almighty is established above the Throne over the seven heavens is a disbeliever in his Lord.”
Imam Abu al-Sheikh Ibn Hayyan Asbahani, may Allah have mercy on him (329 AH)
In his book
, he established a chapter as follows:
ذكر عرش الرب تبارك وتعالى وكرسيه وعظم خلقهما، وعلو الرب فوق عرشه.
“The description of Allah’s Throne, His Chair, and the greatness of both these things, as well as the statement that Allah is exalted above the Throne.”
Imam Tabrani, may Allah have mercy on him (260-360 AH)
In his book “Al-Sunnah,” he established a chapter with these words:
باب ما جاء في استواء الله تعالى على عرشه، وأنه بائن من خلقه.
“The description of Allah being established on the Throne and being separate from the creation.”
