Allah’s Istiwāʾ Over the Throne: The Reality of Special Elevation and Its Attribute-Based Clarification
Reference: Fatāwā Arkān al-Islām
You stated that Allah’s being established (istiwāʾ) over the Throne means a special elevation befitting His Majesty and Greatness. Could you please clarify this further?
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu was-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, ammā baʿd!
When we say that Allah is established (mustawī) over the Throne, it means a special elevation (ʿulū khāṣṣ) that is worthy of Allah’s Majesty and Glory.
◈ This refers to Allah’s elevation specifically connected with the Throne.
◈ It is not a general elevation that applies to all creation.
◈ Hence, it is not correct to say that Allah is “established” over the creation, or over the heavens or earth, although He is indeed above them all.
We may say:
◈ Allah is above the Throne.
◈ Allah is established over the Throne.
◈ Istiwaʾ is a specific elevation related to the Throne.
◈ ʿUlū (Highness) is among Allah’s essential attributes, inseparable from His Being.
◈ Whereas istiwāʾ is a fiʿlī (action-based) attribute, connected with Allah’s Will.
While explaining the ḥadīth of Allah’s descent, Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah said:
“If it is asked: was Allah not established over the Throne before He created the heavens and the earth in six days?
The answer is that istiwāʾ means a special elevation.
Everyone who is established over something is also above it, but not everyone who is above something is established over it.
Therefore, it cannot be said of everything higher than another that it is ‘established’ upon it, though everything that is established upon something is also higher than it.”
(Majmūʿ al-Fatāwā, 5/522, arranged by Ibn Qāsim)
When we say: “as befits His Glory and Majesty”, it means:
◈ Just as all of Allah’s attributes are appropriate to His Perfect Being,
◈ So is His istiwāʾ ʿalā al-ʿArsh — befitting His Majesty.
◈ It cannot resemble the istiwāʾ of creation.
Why?
◈ Because attributes follow the nature of the one they describe.
◈ Just as Allah’s Essence is unlike all others,
◈ His Attributes are also unlike the attributes of creation.
﴿لَيسَ كَمِثلِهِ شَىءٌ وَهُوَ السَّميعُ البَصيرُ﴾ … الشورى: 11
“There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.”
◈ Allah’s Essence is incomparable.
◈ So too are His Attributes.
When Imām Mālik was asked about the manner of istiwāʾ, he replied:
“Istiwaʾ is known, its modality is unknown, belief in it is obligatory, and questioning it is an innovation.”
All Divine Attributes are affirmed as Allah affirmed them for Himself:
❀ Without taḥrīf (distortion),
❀ Without taʿṭīl (denial),
❀ Without takīf (describing how),
❀ Without tamthīl (likening to creation).
◈ Istiwaʾ ʿalā al-ʿArsh means a special elevation connected with the Throne.
◈ The general elevation (ʿulū ʿāmm) of Allah was present:
❀ Before the creation of the heavens and the earth,
❀ During creation,
❀ After creation.
This is like Allah’s other essential attributes — hearing, seeing, power, strength — which never cease.
Istiwaʾ, however, pertains to His special elevation over the Throne.
ھذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب
Reference: Fatāwā Arkān al-Islām
❖ Question
You stated that Allah’s being established (istiwāʾ) over the Throne means a special elevation befitting His Majesty and Greatness. Could you please clarify this further?
❖ Answer
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu was-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, ammā baʿd!
When we say that Allah is established (mustawī) over the Throne, it means a special elevation (ʿulū khāṣṣ) that is worthy of Allah’s Majesty and Glory.
❖ Clarification of the Special Elevation
◈ This refers to Allah’s elevation specifically connected with the Throne.
◈ It is not a general elevation that applies to all creation.
◈ Hence, it is not correct to say that Allah is “established” over the creation, or over the heavens or earth, although He is indeed above them all.
We may say:
◈ Allah is above the Throne.
◈ Allah is established over the Throne.
❖ Difference Between
◈ Istiwaʾ is a specific elevation related to the Throne.
◈ ʿUlū (Highness) is among Allah’s essential attributes, inseparable from His Being.
◈ Whereas istiwāʾ is a fiʿlī (action-based) attribute, connected with Allah’s Will.
❖ Explanation by Ibn Taymiyyah (رحمه الله)
While explaining the ḥadīth of Allah’s descent, Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah said:
“If it is asked: was Allah not established over the Throne before He created the heavens and the earth in six days?
The answer is that istiwāʾ means a special elevation.
Everyone who is established over something is also above it, but not everyone who is above something is established over it.
Therefore, it cannot be said of everything higher than another that it is ‘established’ upon it, though everything that is established upon something is also higher than it.”
(Majmūʿ al-Fatāwā, 5/522, arranged by Ibn Qāsim)
❖ Allah’s Attributes Are Befitting His Majesty
When we say: “as befits His Glory and Majesty”, it means:
◈ Just as all of Allah’s attributes are appropriate to His Perfect Being,
◈ So is His istiwāʾ ʿalā al-ʿArsh — befitting His Majesty.
◈ It cannot resemble the istiwāʾ of creation.
Why?
◈ Because attributes follow the nature of the one they describe.
◈ Just as Allah’s Essence is unlike all others,
◈ His Attributes are also unlike the attributes of creation.
❖ Qur’anic Evidence
﴿لَيسَ كَمِثلِهِ شَىءٌ وَهُوَ السَّميعُ البَصيرُ﴾ … الشورى: 11
“There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.”
◈ Allah’s Essence is incomparable.
◈ So too are His Attributes.
❖ Statement of Imām Mālik (رحمه الله)
When Imām Mālik was asked about the manner of istiwāʾ, he replied:
“Istiwaʾ is known, its modality is unknown, belief in it is obligatory, and questioning it is an innovation.”
❖ Principle Regarding Allah’s Attributes
All Divine Attributes are affirmed as Allah affirmed them for Himself:
❀ Without taḥrīf (distortion),
❀ Without taʿṭīl (denial),
❀ Without takīf (describing how),
❀ Without tamthīl (likening to creation).
❖ Difference Between General and Special Elevation
◈ Istiwaʾ ʿalā al-ʿArsh means a special elevation connected with the Throne.
◈ The general elevation (ʿulū ʿāmm) of Allah was present:
❀ Before the creation of the heavens and the earth,
❀ During creation,
❀ After creation.
This is like Allah’s other essential attributes — hearing, seeing, power, strength — which never cease.
Istiwaʾ, however, pertains to His special elevation over the Throne.
ھذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب
