The Meaning of Allah’s Istiwaʾ Over the Throne: Explanation of the Salaf and Linguistic Clarification
Reference: Fatāwā Arkān al-Islām
Is the explanation—“Allah is established (mustawī) over His Throne in a manner befitting His Majesty”—transmitted from the Salaf al-Ṣāliḥīn?
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.
◈ 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.
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.”
◈ 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).
◈ 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.
◈ Imām Aḥmad (رحمه الله) narrated a marfūʿ report from Ibn ʿAbbās (رضي الله عنهما) in which mention of sitting is found.
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
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
