WHERE IS ALLAH ?
ALLAH Exists without a Place for His existence
The utterance “Allah” in Arabic means “the one who is attributed with Godhood,” which is the power to create.
To create means to bring something into existence. Everything that has a beginning, whether a physical object, an action, a thought, or anything else must be brought into existence and is therefore a creation.
No one and nothing has the power to create except Allah, and everything else is His creation. He alone exists without a beginning or end, and everything else is created and sustained by Him.
Therefore, only He deserves to be worshiped. He does not need anything, but everything in existence needs Him.
The saying that Allah, Ta'ala, exists without a place for His existence is the belief and the creed of the Messenger of Allah, sall-Allahu 'alayhi wa sallam, the Companions and those who graciously followed them, and it shall be so until the Day of Judgment. The proof of this precious statement is what Allah said in the Glorious Qur'an, in Surah ash-Shura, ayah 11:
which means: "There was Allah and nothing existed but Him" He existed from eternity and there was nothing else." This hadith proves that Allah was alone in al-'azal (the status of existence without a beginning,) , before creating any of the creation. There was nothing with Him: no place, no space, no sky, no light, and no darkness. It is determined in the rules of Din and the judgments of the sound mind that Allah, the Exalted, does not change. Hence, it is impossible that after having been existing without a place, He would start existing in a place, because this is a development, and the development is a sign of needing others, and the one who needs others is not God.
Shaykh 'Abdu-l-Ghani an-Nabulusi said: "He who believes that Allah filled the heavens and earth or that He is a body sitting above the Throne, is a kafir." Allah the Most High says in the Noble Qur'an (surah Maryam, 93) :
which means: "All those in the heavens and earth must come to Allah as creatures." In his Exegesis, Imam ar-Razi said: "... And since it is affirmed by this verse that everything that existed in the heavens and earth is a creature to Allah, and since it is obligatory that Allah is clear of being a creature, thus itz is clear that exist without a place not of being in a place or direction, or on the Throne or the Chair." like wahabis believe . . .
That is the reason why Allah Ta'ala says in (surah Taha,ayat no.5):
"The Merciful subjugates the Throne" It clearly does not mean that Allah sits on the throne or that Allah is physically established on the Throne. In the Arabic language, the word istawa' (which with translated as subjugating) has fifteen different meanings, among of which are to subjugate, to sit, to protect, to conquer, and to preserve. Based on what we have covered so far it is clear that it is blasphemous to apply the meaning 'to sit' to Allah. However the terms to preserve and to subjugate are in compliance with Din and language.
Imam Hafizh Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali explained the meaning of al-istiwa' by al-istila', which means subjugating. That is, Allah attributed Himself with subjugating the Throne in pre-eternity. Since the angelic Throne is subjugated by Allah, then everything else which is smaller than His Throne is under the control of Allah.
It was narrated about Imam Malik Ibn Anas, may Allah reward him, in what alBayhaqi related with a sound chain from the route of 'Abd-Ullah Ibn Wahb, that "We were at Malik's when a man entered and said, 'O Aba 'Abd-Illah, (meaning Imam Malik), the Merciful subjugates the Throne, but how does he subjugate?' Malik looked down astonishingly and then lifted his head and said "He subjugates in the way He attributed to Himself the deed of subjugating. It is forbidden to ask 'how', since 'how' cannot be applied to Him. BY your question I understand you have become an Heretic. Please, bring him away." Hence, the saying of Imam Malik, ''how' cannot be applied to Him', and this means that His subjugation of the Throne is without a how, i.e., it is not with a body, place, shape, or form as sitting, touching, suspending above, and the like.
Hence, there is no basis for the saying of those who liken Allah to the creation, who misunderstand Imam Malik and his words "the act of subjugating is known but the how of it is unknown". The interpret it by claiming that istawa' is sitting, but the way of sitting is not know. This saying of theirs is an heretic innovation, because sitting, no matter how it is would be imply the existence of organs and parts that fold. Moreover, that term that they attribute to Imam Malik was not clearly confirmed about him by others.
It is one of the established matters of the belief of the Muslims that Allāh (He is clear of and above all flaws) is not contained in a place and not limited by time, because place and time are both creations.
Allāh is clear of and above being surrounded by any creation of His. Rather, He is the Creator of everything, and He (has complete knowledge and control of his creation, so in this sense, not the sense of place or direction, it is said in Arabic that He) “surrounds” His creation.
This belief is agreed upon among the Muslims, no one denies this among them.
The scholars of the religion have expressed this by saying:
“Allāh existed and there was no place, and He is now as He was before the creation of place; He has not changed from what He was.”
We Ahlus-Sunnah Wal Jama’ah negate (like the Salaf) negate direction for Allah (SWT) but
objection:- Salafis claimed that, “If Allah is not above then why did Prophet go up to meet his Lord?”
Answer to the above objection:- It is like asking, “why did Aļļaah will for the Prophet to have his first revelation by Makkah, and not in China?” You might ask them “why not?”
Aļļaah had willed for the Prophet to see Aļļaah when the Prophet was in the skies. That does not mean that it was a physical meeting.
No, Aļļaah is not in a place or direction, and the seeing of Him is without Him being in a place or direction.
This seeing could occur anywhere, as Aļļaah is not in a place, but Aļļaah willed for the Prophet to receive the ability to see Aļļaah while in the Sky.
Allah Does not Change
To understand scriptures in otherway is to say that Aļļaah is influenced by creation, and that creation causes events of anger, etc. in Him.
Aļļaah is not affected by what we do, or anything else in the creation.
This is true, because He does not need creation in any way, shape or form.
Aļļaah was perfect before the world existed and did not benefit from its existence more perfection, or lose any perfection because of it.
Aļļaah said:
فَإِنَّ ٱلله غَنِيٌّ عَنِ ٱلْعَٰلَمِينَ ---- Verily Aļļaah has absolutely no need for the worlds. (surah Aal Imraan, 97)
As for the ĥadiitħ:
“إِنَّ رَبِّي قَدْ غَضِبَ الْيَوْم غَضَبًا لَمْ يَغْضَب قَبْله مِثْله وَلَنْ يَغْضَب بَعْده مِثْله”
{If someone translated it literally he would say: “Verily My Lord is wrathful today like never before, and He will not be wrathful like that again.”}
An-Nawawiyy said in his explanation of Saĥiiĥ Muslim:
What is meant by Aļļaah’s wrath is what appears of his punishment of those who disobeyed him, and what they (people on the Day of Judgment) see of His painful torture (assigned to sinners), and what the people at the gathering (on that day) witness of horrors that have never been before and never will be again.
There is no doubt that this will never have happened before that day, and will never and its like will never reoccur.
This is the meaning of “Aļļaah’s wrath,” just like His riđaa (literal translation: “being pleased”) is the appearance of His mercy and gentle treatment of those He has willed good and dignity for.
This is because it is impossible that Aļļaah should change in being wrathful or being pleased. And Aļļaah knows best.
Imam Abu Ĥaniifah said in Al-Fiqh Al-Akbar: “…change and alteration occur only in created beings.
Because a change is the coming into existence of something new, and all such things need a creator, because it did not previously exist.
Since Aļļaah is not created, He does not change.
In addition, Aļļaah is attributed with complete perfection, which means that saying that He is changing implies that He is getting more perfect, and was not perfect before, or getting less perfect.
This is not the belief of a Muslim.
but itz belief of Jews and the Christians...
Quoting from the Bible
The Bible says:
Quote:
“Revelation 4:2-11
And when the living creatures give glory and honour and thanks to Him Who sits on the throne, to Him Who lives forever and ever, (10) the twenty-four elders will fall down before Him Who sits on the throne, and will worship Him Who lives forever and ever, and will cast their crowns before the throne, saying, For Thou hast maintained my just cause; Thou dost sit on the throne judging righteously. [ Bible book of ’Psalms 9:4 ]”
The Bible says:
* “God reigns over the nations; God sits on His holy throne.” [Psalms 47:8 ]
* “...I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple.” [ Isaiah 6:1]
* Isaiah Chapter 6, it is written : “1 In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple."
The Bible says:
* “God reigns over the nations; God sits on His holy throne.” [Psalms 47:8 ]
* “...I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple.” [ Isaiah 6:1]
* Isaiah Chapter 6, it is written : “1 In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple."
wahabis, founder Ibn Taymiyya also said same:
"The correct view is that He descends and that He does not vacate the Throne. A person's soul remains attached to his body night and day until he dies, but when he is asleep it ascends… It was said, night varies, and the last third of the night comes sooner in the east than in the west,
so the descent of Allaah to the lowest heaven, of which His Messenger spoke, happens in the east first and then in the west...”
reference Here
^Note^
It is always the last third of the night somewhere!
Anyone see a problem here?
---
Haafiz al- Hakami (1924- 1958), a former head "Master" at the Salafi colleges, has said, Indeed Allah descends to the lowest sky and in each sky He has a Kursi (chair), so when he comes down to the lowest sky, He sits on His Kursi (chair)……….. then when the morning comes, He ascends and elevates and goes and sits on His Kursi (chair).
[Ma`aarij ul- Qubul, V. 1, p. 256]
---
Then they say:
"it is blasphemy to say that Allah is inside His creation"
Reply and refutation of ibn tamiyyah
Al-Ash'ari took a middle ground and said: 'Allah existed when there was no place; then He created the Throne and the Footstool (al-'arsh wa al-kursî ) without ever being in need of place, and He is, after creating place, exactly as He was before creating it.' [In Tabyin Kadhib al-Muftari (Saqqa ed. p. 150).]
This is the position of al-Ash'ari also as given by Ibn Jahbal al-Kilabi (d. 733):
"The words of the Shaykh [Abu al-Hasan al-Ash'ari] concerning direction are: 'Allah was when there was no place, then He created the Throne and the Footstool, without ever needing place, and He is, after creating place, exactly as He was before creating it.'" [In Tabaqat al-Shafi`iyya al-Kubra (9:79).]
Ibn Jahbal also says in his Refutation of Ibn Taymiyya:
We say: Our doctrine is that Allah is pre-eternal and pre-existent (qadî m azalî ). He does not resemble anything nor does anything resemble Him. He has no direction nor place. He is not subject to time nor duration. Neither "where" (ayn) nor "at" (hayth) applies to Him. He shall be seen, but not as part of an encounter, nor in the sense of an encounter (yurâ lâ 'an muqâ bala wa lâ 'alâ muqâ bala). He was when there was no place, He created place and time, and He is now as He ever was. This is the madhhab of Ahl al-Sunna and the doctrine of the shaykhs of the [Sufi] Path - may Allah be well-pleased with them.
. Muhammad ibn Mahbub, Abu 'Uthman al-Maghribi's servant, said: "Abu 'Uthman said to me one day: 'O Muhammad! If someone asked you: Where is the One you worship, what would you answer?' I said: 'I would answer: He is where He never ceased to be.' He said: 'What if he asked: Where was He in pre-eternity?' I said: 'I would answer: Where He is now. That is: He was when there was no place, and He is now as He ever was.' Abu 'Uthman was pleased with my answer. He took off his shirt and gave it to me."8
Al-Shaykh al-Akbar Muhyi al-Din ibn 'Arabi said in the chapter of Islamic doctrine in al-Futuhat al-Makkiyya: [144] He has no conceivable likeness whatsoever (laysa lahu mithlun ma'qul), nor can minds represent Him. Time does not confine Him, nor place lift nor transport Him. Rather, He was when there was no place, and He is now as He ever was. [145] He created fixity (al-mutamakkin) and place (al-makâ n),
brought time into existence, and said: "I am the One, the Ever-Living."
Preserving His creations in no way tires Him. Attributes which do not describe Him and are devised by creatures do not apply to Him.
[146] Exalted is He far above being indwelt by originated matters, or indwelling them, or that they be after Him or that He be before them. Rather, we say: 'He was and there was nothing with him.'
For the words 'before' and 'after' are among the locutions of Time, which He invented.
Sulayman ibn 'Abd Allah ibn Mu-hammad ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab (d. 1817CE), the Wahhabi founder's grandson, said: Whoever believes or says: Allah is in person (bi dhâ tihi) in every place, or in one place: he is a disbeliever. It is obligatory to declare that Allah is separate (bâ 'in) from His creation, established over His throne without modality or likeness or examplarity. Allah was and there was no place, then He created place and He is exalted as He was before He created place.
The Imams strongly refuted those who suggested that the Throne existed together with Allah. Among these refutations is al-Bayhaqi's section entitled "The Beginning of Creation" in al-Asma' wa al-Sifat. . .
<span style='font-size:16px' From Beliefs of Sahabas [ra] like Imam Ali [ra]
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Ijma of Sahabas [ra] held the view that Allah has no makaan (place, station). ,
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Imam ‘Ali ibn Abi Taalib (’alayhis salaam) is recorded to have said
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كان- الله- ولا مكان، وهو الان على ما- عليه- كان
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“Allah was without place, and He is now as He was [then].” ((الفرق بين الفرق لأبي منصور البغدادي [ ص / 333 ] ))
,
Abi Mansur Al-Baghdadi also quotes Imam ‘Ali (radhiya Allahu ‘anhu) as saying,
,
إن الله تعالى خلق العرش إظهارًا لقدرته لا مكانا لذاته
,“Verily Allah , the exalted, created the throne to manifest His power, not as a place for his essence.”
,
,
Imam Zaynul-’Aabidin ’Ali ibn Al-Husayn ibn ‘Ali ibn Abi Taalib (radhiya Allahu ‘Anhu) stated,
أنت الله الذي لا يحويك مكان
,
“You are Allah , who does not occupy place!”
,
[It-haaf As-Saadat Al-Muttaqin 2/24 ]
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Subhanallah, Even Hadrat Ali [ra] was away from anthropomorphism [mujassimait ]
Beliefs of Classical scholars
Imam An-Nasafi (701 or 710 AH) states in his Tafsir
,
إنه تعالى كان ولا مكان فهو على ما كان قبل خلق المكان، لم يتغير عما كان.
,
“Verily He, the exalted, was without place, and He is as He was before creating (the entity of) ‘place’, not changing as He was [Tafsīr An-Nisfi Surah Taha Volume 2]
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The Shaykh Abul abbas shihad ud din Ahmad ibn Muhammad Al-Qastalānī Al-Masrī (d. 933 AH) said in his Sharh (gloss) of Sahīh Al-Bukhārī
,,
ذات الله منزه عن المكان والجهة
,
“Allah ’s essence is free from space (makān) and direction (jihah[Irshād As-Sārī 15/451]
,
He also stated when explaining the verse, “…Looking at their Lord” [Qur’an 75:23]:
بلاكيفية ولاجهة ولا ثبوت مسافة
,“Without modality, without direction, without establishing distance.
” [Irshād As-Sārī 15/462]
,
The Maliki Qadhi Ibn Rushd the Elder (d. 520), said:
ليس- الله- في مكان، فقد كان قبل أن يخلق المكان
“,
Allah ta’alaa is not in a space, for He was before ’space’ was created.” [Quoted by Ibn Al-Haaj in Al-Madkhal]
,
He also stated,
فلا يقال أين ولا كيف ولا متى لأنه خالق الزمان والمكان
“
,It is not to be asked ‘Where’, ‘How’, or ‘When’ for He created The time as well as space.” [Ibid 3/181]
,
He also stated,
وإضافته- أي العرش- إلى الله تعالى إنما هو بمعنى التشريف له كما يقال: بيت الله وحرمه، لا أنه محل له وموضع لاستقراره
,
And the ascription of the ‘Arsh (throne) to Allah ta’alaa is with the meaning of honouring Him, just as it is said ‘The House of Allah and Its Sanctity”. It is not because it is His place or the abode for which he sits (istiqraar).” [Al-Madkhal 2:149, Also Ibn Hajr in his Fat-hul Baari]
beliefs of salafs and classical scholars
, Shaykh Muhammad Al-Khatib al bhagdadi stated (d 977 AH)
,
وقال الشيخ محمد الخطيب الشربيني المصري مانصه “ثبت بالدليل القطعي أنه- تعالى- ليس بمتحيز لئلا يلزم التجسيم ”
“
,It is established by the absolute proofs that He, the exalted, is not localized in space (mutahayyiz) as that necessitates tajsīm (anthropomorphism).”
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He (rahimahullah) also said quoting the exegete Imam Qurtubi
,
قال القرطبي- المفسّر-: ووصْفه- تعالى- بالعلوّ والعظمة لا بالأماكن والجهات والحدود لأنها صفات الأجسام، ولأنه تعالى خلَق الأمكنة وهو غير متحيز، وكان في أزله قبل خلق المكان والزمان ولا مكان له ولا زمان، وهو الآن على ما عليه كان ” ا.هـ. أي موجود بلا جهة ولا مكان.
,
“And Allah , the exalted, ascribed to himself ‘Uluww (highness) and ‘Athmah (greatness), and this is without spaces (Al-amākan), directions, and limits as these qualities are attributes of ajsam (bodies or created things). That is also due to the fact that He, the exalted, created space and He is not localized in space (mutahayyiz), and He was in sempiternity before He created space and time, while there was no space for Him nor time. He is now as He was (exalted be He).” Al-Khatīb then says, “Meaning existing without direction or place.”
,
Ibn Hajar Asqalani [rah] said
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وإضافته- أي العرش- إلى الله تعالى إنما هو بمعنى التشريف له كما يقال: بيت الله وحرمه، لا أنه محل له وموضع لاستقراره
“
,And the ascription of the ‘Arsh (throne) to Allah ta’alaa is with the meaning of honouring Him, just as it is said ‘The House of Allah and Its Sanctity”. It is not because it is His place or the abode for which he sits (istiqraar).” Al-Madkhal 2:149, Also Ibn Hajr in his Fat-hul Baari]
from salaf us saliheen
Imam Malik [rah] believed Istiwa[ throne of Allah] cannot be conceived or imagined or taken literally
,
كنّا عند مالك بن أنس, فجاء رجل, فقال: يا أبا عبد الله, الرحمن على العرش استوى, فكيف استوى؟ قال: فأطرق مالك رأسه حتى علاه الرحضاء على رأسه, ثمّ قال: الاستواء غير مجهول, والكيف غير معقول, والإيمان به واجب, السؤال عنه بدعة, وما أراك إلا مبتدعا. فأمر به أن يخرج.
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We were with Màlik ibn Anas when a man came and said: “O Abâ ‘Abd Allah, al-Raämàn made istiwà on the throne. How did he make istiwà?” Màlik bowed his head [in thought] and sweat appeared on him, then he said: “Istiwà is not unknown [that is, it is known to be a fact whatever it means because it was mentioned in the Qur’an], but how is not something we can conceive [since He is other than whatever we imagine Him to be ]. Moreover, it is obligatory for us to believe in it [whatever it might mean] and asking about its meaning is a deviant innovation (bid‘ah), and I think that you are a deviant innova-tor.” Then he ordered him to be put out.
,
[al-Baihaqá reported another account of this incident with a full chain of narration by way of Yàäyà ibn Yaäyà ibn Bakár al-Nisàbârá (142-227 = 759-840)]
Imam Malik [rah] believed Istiwa[ throne of Allah] cannot be conceived or imagined or taken literally
,
continued
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After reporting the above, al-Baihaqá added that a similar answer was reported from the distinguished teacher of Màlik, al-Rabá‘ah ibn Abá ‘Abd al-Raämàn (d. 136 h. / 753), Al-Baihaqá reported with a chain of narration reported
,
سئل الربيعة عن قول الله تبارك وتعالى (الرمن على الأرش استوى) كيف استوى؟ قال الكيف مجهول والاستوى غير معقول ويجب علىّ وعليك الإيمان بذلك كله.
.
Al-Rabá‘ah was asked about His word, blessed and exalted is He, “The Merciful made istiwà,” how did he make istiwà? He said, “How He did is unknown, and the istiwà is in-conceivable, while belief in it is mandatory for me and you.
,
so even Imam Malik [rah] believed in Istiwa [rah] but never took it literally as you do or thought it can be conceived or imagined
From Imam Shafi [rah] quoted by Imam Suyuti [rah] in Al-Ashbah wa An-Nadha'ir
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Al-Hafidh As-Suyutiyy copies the statement of Imam Ash-Shafi‘iyy that Al-Mujassimah (those who believe that Allah has bodily attributes i.e. present-day wahhabis) are blasphemers.
Scanned page
From Classical book Tabsirah Al-Adillah Imam Abu Muain
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in Maymun Ibn Muhammad An-Nasafiyy has stated in his book Tabsirah Al-Adillah that the one who affirms a place to Allah has blasphemed
Exposing from Imam Bayhaqi [rah]
Imam Bayhaiqyy in al-Asma' wa as-Sifat
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al-Hafidh Abu Bakr al-Bayhaqiyy said: "Some of our companions used as evidence to deny a place for Allah, the saying of the Prophet:"O Allah You are adh-Dhahir so there is nothing above You, O Allah, You are al-Batin so there is nothing beneath You". So if there is nothing above Him and nothing below him is that He is not in a place."
Abu hanifa [rah] and Mullah Ali Qari [rah] Opinion of Abu Hanifa from Mullah Ali Qari in Minah ar-Rawd al-Azhar fi Sharh al-Fiqh al-Akbar said
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He said in his explanation of the book al-Fiqh al-Akbar, pages 333 - 334:
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To answer this [i.e. the false assumptions], we can cite the Shaykh, Imam Ibn Abdus-Salaam, who in his book al-Hal Ramuz, said that Abu Hanifah, may Allah have mercy on him, said: "Whoever says:" I do not know if God is in heaven or on earth has committed kufr, because it has assigned a place to God (al-Haqq), and one who thinks that God is in a place is an anthropomorphic (mushabbih)." There is no doubt that Ibn Abdus-Salam is one of the scholars most reliable and secure, therefore it is obligatory to believe in what he reported."
ALLAH Exists without a Place for His existence
The utterance “Allah” in Arabic means “the one who is attributed with Godhood,” which is the power to create.
To create means to bring something into existence. Everything that has a beginning, whether a physical object, an action, a thought, or anything else must be brought into existence and is therefore a creation.
No one and nothing has the power to create except Allah, and everything else is His creation. He alone exists without a beginning or end, and everything else is created and sustained by Him.
Therefore, only He deserves to be worshiped. He does not need anything, but everything in existence needs Him.
The saying that Allah, Ta'ala, exists without a place for His existence is the belief and the creed of the Messenger of Allah, sall-Allahu 'alayhi wa sallam, the Companions and those who graciously followed them, and it shall be so until the Day of Judgment. The proof of this precious statement is what Allah said in the Glorious Qur'an, in Surah ash-Shura, ayah 11:
which means: "There was Allah and nothing existed but Him" He existed from eternity and there was nothing else." This hadith proves that Allah was alone in al-'azal (the status of existence without a beginning,) , before creating any of the creation. There was nothing with Him: no place, no space, no sky, no light, and no darkness. It is determined in the rules of Din and the judgments of the sound mind that Allah, the Exalted, does not change. Hence, it is impossible that after having been existing without a place, He would start existing in a place, because this is a development, and the development is a sign of needing others, and the one who needs others is not God.
Shaykh 'Abdu-l-Ghani an-Nabulusi said: "He who believes that Allah filled the heavens and earth or that He is a body sitting above the Throne, is a kafir." Allah the Most High says in the Noble Qur'an (surah Maryam, 93) :
which means: "All those in the heavens and earth must come to Allah as creatures." In his Exegesis, Imam ar-Razi said: "... And since it is affirmed by this verse that everything that existed in the heavens and earth is a creature to Allah, and since it is obligatory that Allah is clear of being a creature, thus itz is clear that exist without a place not of being in a place or direction, or on the Throne or the Chair." like wahabis believe . . .
That is the reason why Allah Ta'ala says in (surah Taha,ayat no.5):
"The Merciful subjugates the Throne" It clearly does not mean that Allah sits on the throne or that Allah is physically established on the Throne. In the Arabic language, the word istawa' (which with translated as subjugating) has fifteen different meanings, among of which are to subjugate, to sit, to protect, to conquer, and to preserve. Based on what we have covered so far it is clear that it is blasphemous to apply the meaning 'to sit' to Allah. However the terms to preserve and to subjugate are in compliance with Din and language.
Imam Hafizh Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali explained the meaning of al-istiwa' by al-istila', which means subjugating. That is, Allah attributed Himself with subjugating the Throne in pre-eternity. Since the angelic Throne is subjugated by Allah, then everything else which is smaller than His Throne is under the control of Allah.
It was narrated about Imam Malik Ibn Anas, may Allah reward him, in what alBayhaqi related with a sound chain from the route of 'Abd-Ullah Ibn Wahb, that "We were at Malik's when a man entered and said, 'O Aba 'Abd-Illah, (meaning Imam Malik), the Merciful subjugates the Throne, but how does he subjugate?' Malik looked down astonishingly and then lifted his head and said "He subjugates in the way He attributed to Himself the deed of subjugating. It is forbidden to ask 'how', since 'how' cannot be applied to Him. BY your question I understand you have become an Heretic. Please, bring him away." Hence, the saying of Imam Malik, ''how' cannot be applied to Him', and this means that His subjugation of the Throne is without a how, i.e., it is not with a body, place, shape, or form as sitting, touching, suspending above, and the like.
Hence, there is no basis for the saying of those who liken Allah to the creation, who misunderstand Imam Malik and his words "the act of subjugating is known but the how of it is unknown". The interpret it by claiming that istawa' is sitting, but the way of sitting is not know. This saying of theirs is an heretic innovation, because sitting, no matter how it is would be imply the existence of organs and parts that fold. Moreover, that term that they attribute to Imam Malik was not clearly confirmed about him by others.
It is one of the established matters of the belief of the Muslims that Allāh (He is clear of and above all flaws) is not contained in a place and not limited by time, because place and time are both creations.
Allāh is clear of and above being surrounded by any creation of His. Rather, He is the Creator of everything, and He (has complete knowledge and control of his creation, so in this sense, not the sense of place or direction, it is said in Arabic that He) “surrounds” His creation.
This belief is agreed upon among the Muslims, no one denies this among them.
The scholars of the religion have expressed this by saying:
“Allāh existed and there was no place, and He is now as He was before the creation of place; He has not changed from what He was.”
We Ahlus-Sunnah Wal Jama’ah negate (like the Salaf) negate direction for Allah (SWT) but
objection:- Salafis claimed that, “If Allah is not above then why did Prophet go up to meet his Lord?”
Answer to the above objection:- It is like asking, “why did Aļļaah will for the Prophet to have his first revelation by Makkah, and not in China?” You might ask them “why not?”
Aļļaah had willed for the Prophet to see Aļļaah when the Prophet was in the skies. That does not mean that it was a physical meeting.
No, Aļļaah is not in a place or direction, and the seeing of Him is without Him being in a place or direction.
This seeing could occur anywhere, as Aļļaah is not in a place, but Aļļaah willed for the Prophet to receive the ability to see Aļļaah while in the Sky.
Allah Does not Change
To understand scriptures in otherway is to say that Aļļaah is influenced by creation, and that creation causes events of anger, etc. in Him.
Aļļaah is not affected by what we do, or anything else in the creation.
This is true, because He does not need creation in any way, shape or form.
Aļļaah was perfect before the world existed and did not benefit from its existence more perfection, or lose any perfection because of it.
Aļļaah said:
فَإِنَّ ٱلله غَنِيٌّ عَنِ ٱلْعَٰلَمِينَ ---- Verily Aļļaah has absolutely no need for the worlds. (surah Aal Imraan, 97)
As for the ĥadiitħ:
“إِنَّ رَبِّي قَدْ غَضِبَ الْيَوْم غَضَبًا لَمْ يَغْضَب قَبْله مِثْله وَلَنْ يَغْضَب بَعْده مِثْله”
{If someone translated it literally he would say: “Verily My Lord is wrathful today like never before, and He will not be wrathful like that again.”}
An-Nawawiyy said in his explanation of Saĥiiĥ Muslim:
What is meant by Aļļaah’s wrath is what appears of his punishment of those who disobeyed him, and what they (people on the Day of Judgment) see of His painful torture (assigned to sinners), and what the people at the gathering (on that day) witness of horrors that have never been before and never will be again.
There is no doubt that this will never have happened before that day, and will never and its like will never reoccur.
This is the meaning of “Aļļaah’s wrath,” just like His riđaa (literal translation: “being pleased”) is the appearance of His mercy and gentle treatment of those He has willed good and dignity for.
This is because it is impossible that Aļļaah should change in being wrathful or being pleased. And Aļļaah knows best.
Imam Abu Ĥaniifah said in Al-Fiqh Al-Akbar: “…change and alteration occur only in created beings.
Because a change is the coming into existence of something new, and all such things need a creator, because it did not previously exist.
Since Aļļaah is not created, He does not change.
In addition, Aļļaah is attributed with complete perfection, which means that saying that He is changing implies that He is getting more perfect, and was not perfect before, or getting less perfect.
This is not the belief of a Muslim.
but itz belief of Jews and the Christians...
Quoting from the Bible
The Bible says:
Quote:
“Revelation 4:2-11
And when the living creatures give glory and honour and thanks to Him Who sits on the throne, to Him Who lives forever and ever, (10) the twenty-four elders will fall down before Him Who sits on the throne, and will worship Him Who lives forever and ever, and will cast their crowns before the throne, saying, For Thou hast maintained my just cause; Thou dost sit on the throne judging righteously. [ Bible book of ’Psalms 9:4 ]”
The Bible says:
* “God reigns over the nations; God sits on His holy throne.” [Psalms 47:8 ]
* “...I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple.” [ Isaiah 6:1]
* Isaiah Chapter 6, it is written : “1 In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple."
The Bible says:
* “God reigns over the nations; God sits on His holy throne.” [Psalms 47:8 ]
* “...I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple.” [ Isaiah 6:1]
* Isaiah Chapter 6, it is written : “1 In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple."
wahabis, founder Ibn Taymiyya also said same:
"The correct view is that He descends and that He does not vacate the Throne. A person's soul remains attached to his body night and day until he dies, but when he is asleep it ascends… It was said, night varies, and the last third of the night comes sooner in the east than in the west,
so the descent of Allaah to the lowest heaven, of which His Messenger spoke, happens in the east first and then in the west...”
reference Here
^Note^
It is always the last third of the night somewhere!
Anyone see a problem here?
---
Haafiz al- Hakami (1924- 1958), a former head "Master" at the Salafi colleges, has said, Indeed Allah descends to the lowest sky and in each sky He has a Kursi (chair), so when he comes down to the lowest sky, He sits on His Kursi (chair)……….. then when the morning comes, He ascends and elevates and goes and sits on His Kursi (chair).
[Ma`aarij ul- Qubul, V. 1, p. 256]
---
Then they say:
"it is blasphemy to say that Allah is inside His creation"
Reply and refutation of ibn tamiyyah
Al-Ash'ari took a middle ground and said: 'Allah existed when there was no place; then He created the Throne and the Footstool (al-'arsh wa al-kursî ) without ever being in need of place, and He is, after creating place, exactly as He was before creating it.' [In Tabyin Kadhib al-Muftari (Saqqa ed. p. 150).]
This is the position of al-Ash'ari also as given by Ibn Jahbal al-Kilabi (d. 733):
"The words of the Shaykh [Abu al-Hasan al-Ash'ari] concerning direction are: 'Allah was when there was no place, then He created the Throne and the Footstool, without ever needing place, and He is, after creating place, exactly as He was before creating it.'" [In Tabaqat al-Shafi`iyya al-Kubra (9:79).]
Ibn Jahbal also says in his Refutation of Ibn Taymiyya:
We say: Our doctrine is that Allah is pre-eternal and pre-existent (qadî m azalî ). He does not resemble anything nor does anything resemble Him. He has no direction nor place. He is not subject to time nor duration. Neither "where" (ayn) nor "at" (hayth) applies to Him. He shall be seen, but not as part of an encounter, nor in the sense of an encounter (yurâ lâ 'an muqâ bala wa lâ 'alâ muqâ bala). He was when there was no place, He created place and time, and He is now as He ever was. This is the madhhab of Ahl al-Sunna and the doctrine of the shaykhs of the [Sufi] Path - may Allah be well-pleased with them.
. Muhammad ibn Mahbub, Abu 'Uthman al-Maghribi's servant, said: "Abu 'Uthman said to me one day: 'O Muhammad! If someone asked you: Where is the One you worship, what would you answer?' I said: 'I would answer: He is where He never ceased to be.' He said: 'What if he asked: Where was He in pre-eternity?' I said: 'I would answer: Where He is now. That is: He was when there was no place, and He is now as He ever was.' Abu 'Uthman was pleased with my answer. He took off his shirt and gave it to me."8
Al-Shaykh al-Akbar Muhyi al-Din ibn 'Arabi said in the chapter of Islamic doctrine in al-Futuhat al-Makkiyya: [144] He has no conceivable likeness whatsoever (laysa lahu mithlun ma'qul), nor can minds represent Him. Time does not confine Him, nor place lift nor transport Him. Rather, He was when there was no place, and He is now as He ever was. [145] He created fixity (al-mutamakkin) and place (al-makâ n),
brought time into existence, and said: "I am the One, the Ever-Living."
Preserving His creations in no way tires Him. Attributes which do not describe Him and are devised by creatures do not apply to Him.
[146] Exalted is He far above being indwelt by originated matters, or indwelling them, or that they be after Him or that He be before them. Rather, we say: 'He was and there was nothing with him.'
For the words 'before' and 'after' are among the locutions of Time, which He invented.
Sulayman ibn 'Abd Allah ibn Mu-hammad ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab (d. 1817CE), the Wahhabi founder's grandson, said: Whoever believes or says: Allah is in person (bi dhâ tihi) in every place, or in one place: he is a disbeliever. It is obligatory to declare that Allah is separate (bâ 'in) from His creation, established over His throne without modality or likeness or examplarity. Allah was and there was no place, then He created place and He is exalted as He was before He created place.
The Imams strongly refuted those who suggested that the Throne existed together with Allah. Among these refutations is al-Bayhaqi's section entitled "The Beginning of Creation" in al-Asma' wa al-Sifat. . .
<span style='font-size:16px' From Beliefs of Sahabas [ra] like Imam Ali [ra]
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Ijma of Sahabas [ra] held the view that Allah has no makaan (place, station). ,
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Imam ‘Ali ibn Abi Taalib (’alayhis salaam) is recorded to have said
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كان- الله- ولا مكان، وهو الان على ما- عليه- كان
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“Allah was without place, and He is now as He was [then].” ((الفرق بين الفرق لأبي منصور البغدادي [ ص / 333 ] ))
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Abi Mansur Al-Baghdadi also quotes Imam ‘Ali (radhiya Allahu ‘anhu) as saying,
,
إن الله تعالى خلق العرش إظهارًا لقدرته لا مكانا لذاته
,“Verily Allah , the exalted, created the throne to manifest His power, not as a place for his essence.”
,
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Imam Zaynul-’Aabidin ’Ali ibn Al-Husayn ibn ‘Ali ibn Abi Taalib (radhiya Allahu ‘Anhu) stated,
أنت الله الذي لا يحويك مكان
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“You are Allah , who does not occupy place!”
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[It-haaf As-Saadat Al-Muttaqin 2/24 ]
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Subhanallah, Even Hadrat Ali [ra] was away from anthropomorphism [mujassimait ]
Beliefs of Classical scholars
Imam An-Nasafi (701 or 710 AH) states in his Tafsir
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إنه تعالى كان ولا مكان فهو على ما كان قبل خلق المكان، لم يتغير عما كان.
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“Verily He, the exalted, was without place, and He is as He was before creating (the entity of) ‘place’, not changing as He was [Tafsīr An-Nisfi Surah Taha Volume 2]
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The Shaykh Abul abbas shihad ud din Ahmad ibn Muhammad Al-Qastalānī Al-Masrī (d. 933 AH) said in his Sharh (gloss) of Sahīh Al-Bukhārī
,,
ذات الله منزه عن المكان والجهة
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“Allah ’s essence is free from space (makān) and direction (jihah[Irshād As-Sārī 15/451]
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He also stated when explaining the verse, “…Looking at their Lord” [Qur’an 75:23]:
بلاكيفية ولاجهة ولا ثبوت مسافة
,“Without modality, without direction, without establishing distance.
” [Irshād As-Sārī 15/462]
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The Maliki Qadhi Ibn Rushd the Elder (d. 520), said:
ليس- الله- في مكان، فقد كان قبل أن يخلق المكان
“,
Allah ta’alaa is not in a space, for He was before ’space’ was created.” [Quoted by Ibn Al-Haaj in Al-Madkhal]
,
He also stated,
فلا يقال أين ولا كيف ولا متى لأنه خالق الزمان والمكان
“
,It is not to be asked ‘Where’, ‘How’, or ‘When’ for He created The time as well as space.” [Ibid 3/181]
,
He also stated,
وإضافته- أي العرش- إلى الله تعالى إنما هو بمعنى التشريف له كما يقال: بيت الله وحرمه، لا أنه محل له وموضع لاستقراره
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And the ascription of the ‘Arsh (throne) to Allah ta’alaa is with the meaning of honouring Him, just as it is said ‘The House of Allah and Its Sanctity”. It is not because it is His place or the abode for which he sits (istiqraar).” [Al-Madkhal 2:149, Also Ibn Hajr in his Fat-hul Baari]
beliefs of salafs and classical scholars
, Shaykh Muhammad Al-Khatib al bhagdadi stated (d 977 AH)
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وقال الشيخ محمد الخطيب الشربيني المصري مانصه “ثبت بالدليل القطعي أنه- تعالى- ليس بمتحيز لئلا يلزم التجسيم ”
“
,It is established by the absolute proofs that He, the exalted, is not localized in space (mutahayyiz) as that necessitates tajsīm (anthropomorphism).”
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He (rahimahullah) also said quoting the exegete Imam Qurtubi
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قال القرطبي- المفسّر-: ووصْفه- تعالى- بالعلوّ والعظمة لا بالأماكن والجهات والحدود لأنها صفات الأجسام، ولأنه تعالى خلَق الأمكنة وهو غير متحيز، وكان في أزله قبل خلق المكان والزمان ولا مكان له ولا زمان، وهو الآن على ما عليه كان ” ا.هـ. أي موجود بلا جهة ولا مكان.
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“And Allah , the exalted, ascribed to himself ‘Uluww (highness) and ‘Athmah (greatness), and this is without spaces (Al-amākan), directions, and limits as these qualities are attributes of ajsam (bodies or created things). That is also due to the fact that He, the exalted, created space and He is not localized in space (mutahayyiz), and He was in sempiternity before He created space and time, while there was no space for Him nor time. He is now as He was (exalted be He).” Al-Khatīb then says, “Meaning existing without direction or place.”
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Ibn Hajar Asqalani [rah] said
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وإضافته- أي العرش- إلى الله تعالى إنما هو بمعنى التشريف له كما يقال: بيت الله وحرمه، لا أنه محل له وموضع لاستقراره
“
,And the ascription of the ‘Arsh (throne) to Allah ta’alaa is with the meaning of honouring Him, just as it is said ‘The House of Allah and Its Sanctity”. It is not because it is His place or the abode for which he sits (istiqraar).” Al-Madkhal 2:149, Also Ibn Hajr in his Fat-hul Baari]
from salaf us saliheen
Imam Malik [rah] believed Istiwa[ throne of Allah] cannot be conceived or imagined or taken literally
,
كنّا عند مالك بن أنس, فجاء رجل, فقال: يا أبا عبد الله, الرحمن على العرش استوى, فكيف استوى؟ قال: فأطرق مالك رأسه حتى علاه الرحضاء على رأسه, ثمّ قال: الاستواء غير مجهول, والكيف غير معقول, والإيمان به واجب, السؤال عنه بدعة, وما أراك إلا مبتدعا. فأمر به أن يخرج.
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We were with Màlik ibn Anas when a man came and said: “O Abâ ‘Abd Allah, al-Raämàn made istiwà on the throne. How did he make istiwà?” Màlik bowed his head [in thought] and sweat appeared on him, then he said: “Istiwà is not unknown [that is, it is known to be a fact whatever it means because it was mentioned in the Qur’an], but how is not something we can conceive [since He is other than whatever we imagine Him to be ]. Moreover, it is obligatory for us to believe in it [whatever it might mean] and asking about its meaning is a deviant innovation (bid‘ah), and I think that you are a deviant innova-tor.” Then he ordered him to be put out.
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[al-Baihaqá reported another account of this incident with a full chain of narration by way of Yàäyà ibn Yaäyà ibn Bakár al-Nisàbârá (142-227 = 759-840)]
Imam Malik [rah] believed Istiwa[ throne of Allah] cannot be conceived or imagined or taken literally
,
continued
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After reporting the above, al-Baihaqá added that a similar answer was reported from the distinguished teacher of Màlik, al-Rabá‘ah ibn Abá ‘Abd al-Raämàn (d. 136 h. / 753), Al-Baihaqá reported with a chain of narration reported
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سئل الربيعة عن قول الله تبارك وتعالى (الرمن على الأرش استوى) كيف استوى؟ قال الكيف مجهول والاستوى غير معقول ويجب علىّ وعليك الإيمان بذلك كله.
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Al-Rabá‘ah was asked about His word, blessed and exalted is He, “The Merciful made istiwà,” how did he make istiwà? He said, “How He did is unknown, and the istiwà is in-conceivable, while belief in it is mandatory for me and you.
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so even Imam Malik [rah] believed in Istiwa [rah] but never took it literally as you do or thought it can be conceived or imagined
From Imam Shafi [rah] quoted by Imam Suyuti [rah] in Al-Ashbah wa An-Nadha'ir
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Al-Hafidh As-Suyutiyy copies the statement of Imam Ash-Shafi‘iyy that Al-Mujassimah (those who believe that Allah has bodily attributes i.e. present-day wahhabis) are blasphemers.
Scanned page
From Classical book Tabsirah Al-Adillah Imam Abu Muain
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in Maymun Ibn Muhammad An-Nasafiyy has stated in his book Tabsirah Al-Adillah that the one who affirms a place to Allah has blasphemed
Exposing from Imam Bayhaqi [rah]
Imam Bayhaiqyy in al-Asma' wa as-Sifat
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al-Hafidh Abu Bakr al-Bayhaqiyy said: "Some of our companions used as evidence to deny a place for Allah, the saying of the Prophet:"O Allah You are adh-Dhahir so there is nothing above You, O Allah, You are al-Batin so there is nothing beneath You". So if there is nothing above Him and nothing below him is that He is not in a place."
Abu hanifa [rah] and Mullah Ali Qari [rah] Opinion of Abu Hanifa from Mullah Ali Qari in Minah ar-Rawd al-Azhar fi Sharh al-Fiqh al-Akbar said
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He said in his explanation of the book al-Fiqh al-Akbar, pages 333 - 334:
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To answer this [i.e. the false assumptions], we can cite the Shaykh, Imam Ibn Abdus-Salaam, who in his book al-Hal Ramuz, said that Abu Hanifah, may Allah have mercy on him, said: "Whoever says:" I do not know if God is in heaven or on earth has committed kufr, because it has assigned a place to God (al-Haqq), and one who thinks that God is in a place is an anthropomorphic (mushabbih)." There is no doubt that Ibn Abdus-Salam is one of the scholars most reliable and secure, therefore it is obligatory to believe in what he reported."
[...] ALLAH Exists without a Place for His existence [...]
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