The Meaning of Allah’s Istiwaʾ Over the Throne: Explanation of the Salaf and Linguistic Clarification
Reference: Fatāwā Arkān al-Islām
❖ Question
Is the explanation—“Allah is established (mustawī) over His Throne in a manner befitting His Majesty”—transmitted from the Salaf al-Ṣāliḥīn?
❖ Answer
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu was-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, ammā baʿd!
Yes, this interpretation of Allah’s istiwāʾ over the Throne—that He is over it in a manner befitting His Majesty and Glory—is indeed the interpretation transmitted from the Salaf al-Ṣāliḥīn.
❖ Tafsīr of Imām Ibn Jarīr al-Ṭabarī (رحمه الله)
◈ Imām al-Mufassirīn Ibn Jarīr al-Ṭabarī explained the meaning of istiwāʾ as ʿulū (elevation) and irtifāʿ (rising).
◈ He wrote:
When someone says: “Istawa fulānun ʿalā sarīrihi” (“So-and-so is established over his throne”), it means he is elevated above it.
In the Qur’an:
﴿الرَّحْمٰنُ عَلَى الْعَرْشِ اسْتَوٰى﴾
“The Most Merciful rose over the Throne.”
Ibn Jarīr explained: Allah, the Most Merciful, is elevated and exalted above His Throne.
He also affirmed that no differing interpretation was transmitted from the Salaf.
❖ Linguistic Usage of Istiwāʾ
In Arabic, the word istiwāʾ has different meanings depending on context:
➊ Absolute/Unrestricted Use → Perfection
﴿وَلَمَّا بَلَغَ أَشُدَّهُ وَاسْتَوَى﴾
“And when he (Mūsā) reached maturity and was perfected…”
➋ With “Waaw” → Equality
“Istawā al-māʾu wa al-ʿatabah”
“The water and the doorstep became level.”
➌ With “Ilā” → Intention/Purpose
﴿ثُمَّ اسْتَوَى إِلَى السَّمَاءِ﴾
“Then He directed Himself to the heaven…”
➍ With “ʿAlā” → Elevation and Rising
﴿الرَّحْمٰنُ عَلَى الْعَرْشِ اسْتَوٰى﴾
“The Most Merciful rose over the Throne.”
❖ Views of the Salaf
◈ Some of the Salaf said: when istiwāʾ is used with “ʿalā” or “ilā”, it means irtifāʿ (elevation) and ʿulū (highness).
◈ Others said: when used with “ʿalā”, it implies ṣuʿūd (ascending) and istiqrār (settling).
❖ Tafsīr of Ibn al-Qayyim (رحمه الله)
◈ Ibn al-Qayyim in al-Ṣawāʿiq al-Mursalah (vol. 4, p. 1303) quoted Khārijah ibn Muṣʿab’s explanation of the verse:
﴿الرَّحْمٰنُ عَلَى الْعَرْشِ اسْتَوٰى﴾
where istiwāʾ was expressed in the sense of sitting.
❖ Hadith Evidence
◈ Imām Aḥmad (رحمه الله) narrated a marfūʿ report from Ibn ʿAbbās (رضي الله عنهما) in which mention of sitting is found.
❖ Conclusion
Thus, the meaning that Allah is established over His Throne in a manner befitting His Majesty is indeed rooted in the understanding of the Salaf. The linguistic and exegetical evidence affirms that istiwāʾ over the Throne signifies a special exalted elevation, appropriate only for Allah’s Greatness, without likening Him to creation.
ھٰذَا مَا عِندِي وَاللّٰهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالصَّوَاب
