Muslim

Hadith Commentary:
➊
Imam Bukhari rahimahullah has established a similar chapter heading in the Book of Tawheed as well.
There, the objective is to affirm the Throne (‘Arsh) of Allah, and to establish that Allah is established (istiwa) upon it, as well as to prove that Allah’s Throne is a creation and something He has brought into existence.
In this place, Imam Bukhari rahimahullah wishes to establish that even at the time of the creation of the heavens and the earth, His Throne was upon the water.
Where was this water? Is this water the same as the well-known water that we use, or was it some other kind of liquid substance? These are questions that are beyond our comprehension, and we are not obligated to understand them. However, what is certain is that before the creation of the heavens and the earth, Allah’s Throne was upon the water.

➋
The ‘Arsh (Throne) refers to the throne upon which a king sits; in the Arabic language, ‘Arsh is also used for the roof of a house. In this regard, Allah’s Throne encompasses the following meanings:
a.
It is the place of istiwa (establishment) of Allah, the Possessor of Majesty, the reality of which we do not know.
b.
It is a roof for all created beings.
Its complete discussion will be mentioned in the Book of Tawheed, insha Allah ta‘ala.

Hadith Commentary:
What is meant is to spend on one's family members first, then to give to other needy people.
When one spends, one will also have to be concerned about earning income.
Thus, whatever work the servant undertakes, Allah will place blessing in it.
This is the meaning of Allah's giving.

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
Allah, the Exalted, spends upon the son of Adam.
Its reference is the following noble verse:
“And whatever you spend, He replaces it.” ()
This matter has been experienced: when one spends in His cause, He grants as much as was spent or even more.
By what means He gives, no material explanation can be presented; however, both our experience and intuition affirm this reality.
(2)
This is a hadith qudsi:
“O son of Adam! Spend.”
This includes all types of expenditures, whether upon one’s wife and children or in the way of Allah (fi sabilillah).
From this, the virtue of spending upon one’s family and dependents is understood.

Explanation of the Hadith:

It should be remembered that this hadith consists of two parts.
First: The Divine Hadith (hadith qudsi), and that is: «أَنْفِقْ أُنْفِقْ عَلَيْكَ»
Second: The Prophetic Hadith (hadith nabawi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), and that is: «وَسَمَّى الْحَرْبَ خُدْعَةً.»
It should also be noted that the mentioned hadith is, in fact, two separate hadiths which have been narrated with the same chain of transmission. As for the second part, it is a repetition, meaning it has already been mentioned in hadith number 30, and its referencing is also present there.

From the generality of the word «أَنْفِقْ» mentioned in the Divine Hadith, it becomes clear that the encouragement to spend wealth is without any restriction or specification. That is, no amount, measure, or limit has been stated regarding spending wealth, because the wealth spent in the way of Allah includes all types of goodness and virtue. [فتح الباري: 499/9]

Imam Nawawi rahimahullah writes:
“The Divine Hadith ‘Spend, I will spend on you’ is exactly similar and synonymous with the statement of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, in Surah Saba, verse 39: «وَمَا أَنفَقْتُم مِّن شَيْءٍ فَهُوَ يُخْلِفُهُ» ‘And whatever you spend (in His cause), He will replace it for you in full.’”

Thus, from this blessed verse and the Divine Hadith, it is understood that both encourage spending wealth in the path of goodness and virtue. In addition, they also give glad tidings of this bounty, that Allah Ta’ala, out of His grace, will return to you the wealth you have spent. See: [شرح مسلم، للنووي: 32/3]

«أَنْفِقْ أُنْفِقْ عَلَيْكَ:» That is, when the son of Adam spends his wealth in the way of Allah, it appears at first glance (to the common observer) that there is a decrease and reduction in the wealth. However, this is not the case; rather, his wealth is preserved with Allah, and it continues to increase in reward and recompense. Thus, it is stated:

«وَمَا آتَيْتُم مِّن رِّبًا لِّيَرْبُوَ فِي أَمْوَالِ النَّاسِ فَلَا يَرْبُو عِندَ اللَّـهِ ۖ وَمَا آتَيْتُم مِّن زَكَاةٍ تُرِيدُونَ وَجْهَ اللَّـهِ فَأُولَـٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُضْعِفُونَ» [الروم: 39]
“And whatever you give in zakat (seeking thereby the Face of Allah), it is they who will get manifold increase (in their wealth).”

Allah Ta’ala will grant them double and multiple rewards. As has come in the authentic hadith:

«مَنْ تَصَدَّقَ بِعَدْلِ تَمْرَةٍ مِنْ كَسْبٍ طَيِّبٍ وَلَا يَقْبَلُ اللَّهُ إِلَّا الطَّيِّبَ , وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ يَتَقَبَّلُهَا بِيَمِينِهِ، ثُمَّ يُرَبِّيهَا لِصَاحِبِهِ كَمَا يُرَبِّي أَحَدُكُمْ فَلُوَّهُ حَتَّى تَكُونَ مِثْلَ الْجَبَلِ اَوْ اَعْظَمَ.» [صحيح بخاري، كتاب الزكاة، رقم: 1410 - صحيح مسلم، كتاب الزكاة، رقم: 63 ، 64 / 1014]
“Whoever gives charity equal to a date from lawful earnings—and Allah only accepts charity from lawful earnings—then Allah accepts it with His right hand, then increases it for the benefit of the giver, just as one of you raises his foal, until his charity becomes like a mountain or even greater.”

On the contrary, when Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, spends upon His creation, then in His treasures there is neither any real nor apparent decrease, deficiency, or reduction. As the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said:

«يَدُ اللَّهِ مَلْأَى لَا يَغِيضُهَا نَفَقَةٌ» [صحيح بخاري، كتاب التوحيد، رقم: 7411]
“The hand of Allah is full; it is never diminished by spending.”

Furthermore, the Divine statement is:

«مَا عِندَكُمْ يَنفَدُ ۖ وَمَا عِندَ اللَّـهِ بَاقٍ ۗ» [النحل: 96]
“Whatever is with you will come to an end, but what is with Allah will remain (forever, preserved).”

Takhrij: [صحيح بخاري 4684],
[صحيح مسلم 2309]

Fiqh al-Hadith:
➊ The Creator of the entire universe and everything within it is only one Allah. Even if He were to bestow upon His creation endlessly from the treasures He Himself has created, there would still be no decrease in His treasures.
➋ Allah Ta'ala is established above His Throne ('Arsh) over the seven heavens.
➌ The Hand of Allah is His attribute, belief in which is obligatory, and both of Allah’s hands are right hands. The interpretation of “hand” by the deniers of the attributes as “power” is invalid.

Hadith Commentary: Benefits and Issues: (1)
Allah, the Exalted, has hands, but just as it is not possible to know the reality of His Essence, it is also not possible to know the modality of His hands. However, it is necessary to affirm that they are befitting and appropriate to His majesty, and are not like those of the creation. Therefore, there is no need for interpretation (ta’wil) or likening (tashbih).

(2)
Spending in permissible and correct avenues becomes a cause for receiving from Allah, the Exalted, as Allah says:
﴿وَمَا أَنفَقْتُم مِّن شَيْءٍ فَهُوَ يُخْلِفُهُ﴾ “Whatever you spend of anything, He will replace it.” This has been mentioned in a hadith qudsi as follows:
“O son of Adam, spend, I will spend on you.”
Therefore, one should not refrain from spending in avenues of goodness and righteous deeds.
The constriction and expansion of provision, as well as honor, humiliation, rise, and fall—all are in His control alone; these are not in the control of people themselves.

Hadith Commentary: Both hands of Allah are affirmed, just as Allah is; so are His hands. Delving into the modality (kayfiyyah) of this is an innovation (bid‘ah).

Hadith Commentary:
1.
In this narration, there is mention of the Throne (‘Arsh) of Allah, that it was upon water. In the Noble Qur’an, it is stated that at the time of the creation of the earth and the heavens, His Throne was also upon water. Where was this water? Was this water the same as the well-known water, or was it some other kind of liquid substance? These are questions that are beyond our understanding, and we are not obligated to comprehend them. However, what is certain is that before the creation of the earth and the heavens, the Throne of Allah was upon water. The ‘Arsh refers to the throne upon which a king sits, as is mentioned in the Qur’an regarding the Queen of Sheba: “Her throne was magnificent.” (al-Naml: 27:23)

2.
In the Arabic language, the word ‘Arsh is also used for the roof of a house. In the Noble Qur’an it is stated: (وَهِيَ خَاوِيَةٌ عَلَى عُرُوشِهَا) “That town had collapsed upon its roofs.” (al-Baqarah: 259) Thus, in the Arabic lexicon, the meanings of ‘Arsh are:
➊ The throne of a king upon which he sits.
➋ The roof of a house.
In this regard, there are two meanings of the Throne (‘Arsh) of Allah:
➊ It is the place of istiwa’ (establishment) of Allah, the Possessor of Majesty, the reality of which we do not know.
➋ It is a roof for all creatures.
In any case, the Throne of Allah, like other created things, is His creation; it has legs, and special angels carry it. On the Day of Resurrection, eight angels will be carrying it. The Throne is above all the heavens and encompasses the seven heavens like a dome. Allah is not in need of it; rather, the Throne itself is in need of its Lord, because it is a creation of Allah, and every creation is in need of its Creator and can never be independent of Him in any way.

Hadith Commentary:
Affirmation of the hand for Allah is intended, and it is not correct to interpret it figuratively.
It is also established from the ancient books of the Hindus that in the beginning, there was only water in the world, and Narayan, that is, the Lord’s throne, was upon the water.
From the water, a vapor emerged, from which air was produced.
From the collision of the winds, fire was created, and from the sediment and pain of the water, the substance of the earth was formed. And Allah knows best.
(Wahidi)

Hadith Commentary:
1.
The Jews uttered blasphemy regarding Allah, claiming that Allah’s hand is tied up. In response, Allah said that rather, their own hands are tied up, and they are cursed because of what they said. In fact, both of Allah’s hands are outstretched; He spends as He wills. () The mentioned hadith is an explanation of this verse. In this hadith and the cited noble verse, the attribute of “hand” (yad) for Allah is affirmed, and it is not correct to interpret it otherwise. In one narration of Sahih al-Bukhari, instead of (يَدُ اللَّهِ) “the hand of Allah,” the words (يَمِينُ الله) “the right hand of Allah” are used. (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Tawhid, Hadith: 7419)

2.
Commenting on these words, Hafiz Ibn Hajar rahimahullah writes: This wording is a strong refutation of those who interpret the attribute “hand” (yad) as “blessing,” and those have gone even further astray who interpret it as “treasures.” Their argument is that it is the hand that manages the treasures, so the attribute “hand” is applied to “treasures.” (Fath al-Bari: 13/484)

3.
But their argument is not correct. Hafiz Ibn Hajar rahimahullah, despite being Ash‘ari, has refuted those who interpret the attribute “hand” (yad) otherwise, as is evident from the above statement. (Umdat al-Qari: 16/608) Allah’s hands are full; by this, real hands are meant. Interpreting it as “power” is not correct, as is the position of the Qadariyyah, because in this hadith the other hand is also mentioned, in which is the scale. If “hand” is taken to mean “power,” then it would necessitate affirming two powers, therefore the meaning of “yad” is real hand. Similarly, interpreting it as “blessing” is also not correct, because all blessings are created, and this would necessitate that one created thing created another similar created thing. And those who interpret it as “treasures” have gone far astray.

Explanation:
➊ “And the Jews said that Allah’s hands are tied up. Their hands are tied up, and they are cursed for what they said. Rather, both of Allah’s hands are outstretched; He spends as He wills.” (: al-Ma’idah: 64)

2:
That is, regarding those things which Allah, the Exalted, has mentioned for Himself, neither should they be interpreted away nor explained otherwise. That is, it should not be said that His hand is such-and-such; rather, just as His Essence is unique, so too is His hand. It is obligatory to have faith in this without describing its modality (bi-la kayf).

Commentary:

➊
In this hadith, the mention of "hand" and "hands" for Allah has been made.
This is also among those attributes regarding which one must have faith without likening (tashbih) or interpreting (ta’wil). In the Noble Qur’an, the mention of two hands for Allah occurs at multiple places, for example:
(See Surah Sad: 75)

➋
In this hadith, one of Allah’s hands is referred to as "right" (yamin). In Arabic, the word "yamin" carries the meaning of "yumn," i.e., blessing.
It is mentioned in the hadith:
(كِلْتَا يَدَيْهِ يَمِيْنٌ) (Sahih Muslim, al-Imarah, Chapter: The Virtue of the Just Leader, Hadith: 1827)
“Both of Allah’s hands are right (yamin).” That is, calling one hand "yamin" (right, blessed) does not mean that the other hand is devoid of blessing.
Both His hands are blessed.

➌
The meaning of raising and lowering the scale is to give someone more of a blessing, and to give someone (based on wisdom) less, or sometimes to give more and sometimes less, or sometimes to give one person more of one blessing and another person more of another blessing.
The statement of Allah, the Exalted, is:
﴿وَإِن مِن شَىءٍ إِلّا عِندَنا خَزائِنُهُ وَما نُنَزِّلُهُ إِلّا بِقَدَرٍ‌ مَعلومٍ﴾ (al-Hijr: 21)
“With Us are the treasures of everything (but)
We do not send it down except in a known measure.”

➍
As for Allah’s treasures, not only do they never run out, there is not even any decrease in them.
Because for acquiring anything, He is not dependent on anyone, nor does He need to exert any effort.
Rather, His will alone is sufficient to bestow every kind of blessing upon every creature.
It is stated:
﴿إِنَّما أَمرُ‌هُ إِذا أَر‌ادَ شَيـًٔا أَن يَقولَ لَهُ كُن فَيَكونُ﴾ (Ya-Sin: 82)
“When He intends a thing, His command is only that He says to it, ‘Be,’ and it is.”

➎
When Allah’s treasures are innumerable, full, and never decrease, then a person should present every need before Him and ask everything from Him alone.
Because, except for jinn and mankind, every creature asks from Him, and He gives to all.
The statement of Allah, the Exalted, is:
﴿يَسـَٔلُهُ مَن فِى السَّمـوتِ وَالأَر‌ضِ كُلَّ يَومٍ هُوَ فى شَأنٍ﴾ (ar-Rahman: 29)
“All those in the heavens and the earth ask of Him; every day He is in a matter (of His concern).”

Explanation of the Hadith:
Allah Ta’ala’s right hand is full, and continuous spending day and night does not diminish it in the least:
Hafiz Ibn Hajar rahimahullah has quoted the statement of Tayyibi rahimahullah, the summary of which is as follows: These words and similar reports establish the greatness and majesty of the Divine Being. Furthermore, the continuous and perpetual spending by the Divine Being, day and night, is a sign of His eternal and unfailing source of wealth. [فتح الباري: 395/13]

His Throne was upon the water:
Hafiz Ibn Hajar rahimahullah says: “The relevance of mentioning the Throne at this point is that, at the beginning of the hadith, it was mentioned «خَلَقَ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالْاَرْضَ» (Allah Ta’ala created the earth and the heavens), so that the listener’s mind does not fall into the misconception that there was nothing before the creation of the earth and the heavens. Rather, immediately after mentioning the creation, it is stated that before the creation of the earth and the heavens, the Throne of Allah Ta’ala was upon the water. As is narrated from Imran ibn Husayn radi Allahu anhu in the hadith «وَكَانَ عَرشُهُ عَلَي الْمَاءِ ، ثُمَّ خَلَقَ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالْاَرْضَ» the Throne of Allah Ta’ala was upon the water, then Allah Ta’ala created the earth and the heavens.” [فتح الباري: 395/13]
This is also confirmed in the Noble Qur’an:
«وَهُوَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ وَكَانَ عَرْشُهُ عَلَى الْمَاءِ» [هود: 7]
“He is Allah, Who created the earth and the heavens in six days, and His Throne was upon the water.”
Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Amr radi Allahu anhu says, I heard the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam say:
«كَتَبَ اللَّهُ مَقَادِيرَ الْخَلَائِقِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَخْلُقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ بِخَمْسِينَ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍ، قَالَ: وَعَرْشُهُ عَلَى الْمَاءِ .» [صحيح مسلم، كتاب القدر، رقم 6748]
“Allah Ta’ala wrote the decrees of all creation fifty thousand years before the creation of the earth and the heavens. He sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: And (at that time) the Throne of Allah was upon the water.”
From these evidences, it is known that before the creation of the earth and the heavens, the Throne of Allah Ta’ala was established upon the water. However, from numerous evidences in the Qur’an and Sunnah, it is also established that after the creation of the earth and the heavens, the Throne is established above the seven heavens.

In His other hand is the power over the raising and lowering of things:
From this hadith, it is established that Allah Ta’ala continuously spends upon His servants and showers them with favors, but at times He withholds His hand. As Allah says:
«وَاللّهُ يَقْبِضُ وَيَبْسُطُ» [البقرة: 245]
“And Allah Ta’ala decreases provision and (if He wills) increases it.”
Furthermore, in various narrations found in Bukhari and others, it is also established that the scale is in Allah’s hand. «والله اعلم بالصواب»
«يَرْفَعُ وَيَخْفِضُ»
He is the One Who raises and lowers.
That is, honor and humiliation, raising and lowering, are within the power and authority of Allah Ta’ala.

The other hand of Allah Ta’ala:
The affirmation of two hands for the Blessed Being of Allah Ta’ala is explicitly mentioned in the Noble Qur’an. Allah Ta’ala says: «بَلْ یَدَاہُ مَبْسُوْطَتٰنِ» [المائده: 24]
Rather, both hands of Allah Ta’ala are outspread.
And as for interpreting the word “yad” (hand) as synonymous with “power,” this is contrary to the teachings of the Qur’an and Sunnah. Allah Ta’ala says: «لِمَا خَلَقْتُ بِیَدَیَّ» [سورة ص: 75]

I created with My two hands.
In this verse, in fact, the dual form of “yad” is used, so if “yad” is interpreted as “power” here, the meaning would be: I created with My two powers. And this meaning is entirely contrary to the verse. Likewise, Allah says: «بَلْ یَدَاہُ مَبْسُوْطَتٰنِ» [المائده: 24]
“Rather, both hands of the Divine Being are outspread.”
Here too, the dual form of “yad” is used, and to interpret it as “power” is inappropriate.
Therefore, if “yad” is taken to mean “power,” then in the Divine statement «وَالْاَرْضُ جَمِيْعًا قَبْضَتُهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيٰمَةِ» [الزمر: 67]
“The whole earth will be in Allah’s grasp on the Day of Resurrection.”
the word “qabdatuhu” (His grasp) is used—so what meaning would be intended here? Similarly, in “Sahih Muslim,” there is a hadith narrated from Abdullah ibn Umar radi Allahu anhu, in which the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said:
«إِنَّ قُلُوبَ بَنِي آدَمَ كُلَّهَا بَيْنَ إِصْبَعَيْنِ مِنْ أَصَابِعِ الرَّحْمَنِ كَقَلْبٍ وَاحِدٍ .» [صحيح مسلم، كتاب القدر، رقم: 6750]
“Indeed, the hearts of all people are between two fingers from among the fingers of the Most Merciful, like a single heart.”
In this hadith, fingers are mentioned for the Divine Being. So if “yad” is interpreted as “power,” then how will the fingers be explained?
We affirm for Allah Ta’ala the hand, the finger, and the palm, because all these things are established for the Blessed Being of Allah Ta’ala in the Qur’an and Sunnah. We affirm these things without interpretation, likening, specifying the modality, or negation.
And we affirm all these things for the Blessed Being of Allah Ta’ala in the manner that befits His majesty.
When we recite the Qur’an, we find the affirmation of the word “yad” for the Divine Being, but this word is sometimes used in the singular, sometimes in the dual, and sometimes in the plural:
An example of the singular: «تَبَارَكَ الَّذِىْ بِيَدِهِ الْمُلْك» (Mulk: 1)
“Blessed is He in Whose hand is dominion.”
An example of the dual: «بَلْ یَدَاہُ مَبْسُوْطَتٰنِ» (Ma’idah: 24)
“Rather, both hands of Allah are outspread.”
An example of the plural: «أَوَلَمْ يَرَوْا أَنَّا خَلَقْنَا لَهُم مِّمَّا عَمِلَتْ أَيْدِينَا أَنْعَامًا فَهُمْ لَهَا مَالِكُونَ» (Ya-Sin: 71)
“Do they not see that We have created for them, from what Our hands have made, cattle of which they are owners?”
In all these cases, reconciliation is as follows: the first (yad) is a singular construct, and it gives the meaning of the plural, so this does not negate the affirmation of two hands for Allah.
As for the use of the plural form “aydina” (“Our hands”) for Allah’s Being, the answer is that this plural is for magnification, not for actual plurality, which would apply to three or more. And it is also transmitted that the plural can apply to as few as two, so in this case, there is no problem with the dual form.
Therefore, from the Qur’an and Hadith, the affirmation of two hands for the Divine Being is established, and we affirm the two hands of Allah or any other attribute without likening or negation (without giving any example and without stripping Allah of His attributes), in a manner befitting His majesty.

Refutation of those who deny the other right hand:
Some ignorant people have titled this hadith in their treatises as: “Allah’s right and left hand,” but this is completely wrong and based on ignorance. Both hands of Allah Ta’ala are right; what is their modality? We do not know! But both are right, as befits His majesty and greatness. As evidence, consider the noble statement of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam:
«كِلْتَا يَدى الله يَمِيْنٌ» [مجمع الزوائد: 344/10]
“Both hands of Allah Ta’ala are right.”

Benefit:
It is established from this hadith that whoever spends, Allah Ta’ala spends upon him. Allah Ta’ala continually spends upon His servants. It should be noted that both hands of Allah Ta’ala are right hands.

Benefits:

Allah Ta'ala is supremely self-sufficient (ghani), the Owner of the inexhaustible treasures of sustenance and provision. In the countless centuries of the past, whatever He has spent upon the innumerable creatures inhabiting the vast universe—especially the children of Adam—their quantity cannot be enumerated, yet there has been no decrease in His treasures.

Before the creation of the heavens and the earth, Allah Ta'ala’s Throne (‘Arsh) was upon the water.

The meaning of tilting the scale in someone’s favor is that He grants them sustenance (rizq) with abundance and opens the doors of provision for them. Whereas the meaning of tilting the scale (against someone) is that, in light of His wisdom and knowledge, He restricts someone’s sustenance.

The demand of this great hadith is that we should feel proud to be the servants of such a magnificent Lord, ask everything from Him alone, and, by utilizing lawful means, seek our provisions from Him.