• “And to Allaah prostrate all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth, of the

moving (living) creatures and the angels, and they are not proud [i.e. they worship their
Lord (Allaah) with humility]. They fear their Lord above them, and they do what they are
commanded” [al-Nahl 16:49-50]
• “Do you feel secure that He, Who is over the heaven (Allaah), will not cause the earth to
sink with you, and then it should quake? Or do you feel secure that He, Who isover the
heaven (Allaah), will not send against you a violent whirlwind? Then you shall know
how (terrible) has been My Warning” [al-Mulk 67:16-17]
• And the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allaah be upon him) said: “Do you not trust me,
when I am the trustee of the One Who is above the heaven and the news of heaven comes
to me morning and evening?” Narrated by al-Bukhaari (4351) and Muslim (1064).
And he also said: “Show mercy to those who are on earth so that the One Who is in
heaven will show mercy to you.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi (no. 1924) – he said
it is hasan saheeh. And he also said: “When Allaah created the universe, he wrote in His
Book, which is with Him above the Throne: “My mercy prevails over My wrath.”
Narrated by al-Bukhaari (3194) and Muslim (2751).
• Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “No vision can grasp Him, but He grasps all
vision. He is Al-Lateef (the Most Subtle and Courteous), Well-Acquainted with all
things” [al-An’aam 6:103]
• “He (Allaah) knows what happens to them (His creatures) in this world, and what will
happen to them (in the Hereafter) but they will never compass anything of His
Knowledge” [Ta-Ha 20:110]

• The Qur’aan describes the "exaltedness" or "highness" of Allaah in different ways, as His
being High and Above, and by describing how things come down from Him, and go up to
Him, and by stating that He is above heaven. For example (interpretations of the
meaning):
o (Highness):
". . .and He is the Most High, the Most Great." [al-Baqarah 2:255]

"Glorify the Name of your Lord, the Most High." [al-A’la 87:1]

o (Above):
"And He is the Irresistible, above His slaves . . ." [al-An’aam 6:18]

"They fear their Lord above them, and they do what they are commanded." [al-
Nahl 16:50]

o (Things coming down from Him):

"He arranges (every) affair from the heavens to the earth . . ." [al-Sajdah 32:5]

"Verily We: it is We Who have sent down the Dhikr (i.e., the Qur’aan). . ." [al-
Hijr 15:9]
 o (Things going up to Him):
". . . To Him ascend (all) the goodly words, and the righteous deeds exalt it . . ."
[Faatir 35:10]

"The angels and the Rooh (Jibreel) ascend to Him . . ." [al-Ma’aarij 70:4]

o (Allaah is above heaven):

"Do you feel secure that He, Who is over the heaven, will not cause the earth to
sink with you . . .?" [al-Mulk 67:16]
• "O Haamaan! Build me a tower that I may arrive at the ways, - the ways of the heavens,
and I may look upon the god of Moosaa . . ." [Ghaafir 40:36-37]
• The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “When you ask Allaah for
Paradise, ask Him for al-Firdaws, for it is the highest part of Paradise and it isin the
middle of Paradise, and its roof is the Throne of the Most Merciful.” Ibn al-Qayyim
(may Allaah have mercy on him) said in Zaad al-Ma’aad (4/203), The same was
stated by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah in Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 6/581, 25/1998.
It was also stated by Ibn Katheer in al-Badaayah wa’l-Nahaayah, 1/9, 11; and by Ibn
Abi’l-‘Izz in Sharh al-‘Aqeedah al-Tahhaawiyyah, 1/311. See: Mukhtasar al-‘Alw
by al-Dhahabi; al-Tawheed by Ibn Khuzaymah; Ijtimaa’ al-Juyoosh al-Islamiyyah
by Ibn Al-Qayyim.
• As Imaam Maalik said, when he was asked about how Allaah rose over the Throne: “We
know that He rose over it, but we do not know how. Believing in it is obligatory and
asking about it is bid’ah.” 'Khalq Af`aal al-Ebaad' of Imaam Bukhaaree (RH),
• “Allaah it is He Who has created the heavens and the earth, and all that is between them
in six Days. Then He rose over (Istawaa) the Throne (in a manner that suits His
Majesty). You (mankind) have none, besides Him, as a Wali (protector or helper) or an
intercessor. Will you not then remember (or receive admonition)?” [al-Sajdah 32:4]
• “To Him ascend (all) the goodly words, and the righteous deeds exalt it (i.e. the goodly
words are not accepted by Allaah unless and until they are followed by good deeds)
[Faatir 35:10]
• “He is the First (nothing is before Him) and the Last (nothing is after Him), the Most
High (nothing is above Him) and the Most Near (nothing is nearer than Him) [al-Hadeed
57:3]
• The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “You are the Most High
and there is nothing above You…” “He it is Who created the heavens and the earth in six
Days and then rose over (Istawaa) the Throne (in a manner that suits His Majesty). He
knows what goes into the earth and what comes forth from it, and what descends from the
heaven and what ascends thereto. And He is with you (by His Knowledge) wheresoever
you may be [al-Hadeed 57:4]
• al-Bukhaari (2581) that Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “In Paradise there
are one hundred levels that Allaah has prepared for the mujaahideen who strive for the
sake of Allaah. (The distance) between each two levels is like the distance between the
heavens and the earth. When you ask of Allaah, ask Him for al-Firdaws for it is in the
 middle of Paradise and is the highest part of Paradise. Above it is the Throne of the Most
Merciful and from it spring forth the rivers of Paradise.
• Ibn Khuzaymah narrated in his Saheeh (9105) and in his Kitaab al-Tawheed (no.
594) that Ibn Mas’ood (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “Between the lowest
heaven and the one above it is (a distance of) five hundred years, and between each
heaven and the next is (a distance of) five hundred years marching.” According to
another report: “The thickness of each heaven is a distance of five hundred years
marching. Between the seventh heaven and the Footstool (al-Kursiy) is (a distance of)
five hundred years. Between the Footstool and the water is (a distance of) five hundred
years. The Throne is above the water and Allaah is above the Throne, and none of your
deeds are concealed from Him.” It was classed as saheeh by al-Dhahabi in al-‘Alw (p.
64) and by Ibn al-Qayyim in Ijtimaa’ al-Juyoosh al-Islamiyyah, p. 100.
• Al-Dhahabi narrated in al-‘Alw (al-Mukhtasar, 35) that ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Amr
said: Allaah created the water above the seven heavens, and He created the Throne above
the water.” Shaykh al-Albaani said: Its isnaad is saheeh.
• It was narrated that Ibn Mas’ood said: Between the first heaven and the one above it is (a
distance of) five hundred years. Between each of the heavens is (a distance of) five
hundred years. Between the seventh heaven and the Kursiy is (a distance of) five hundred
years. Between the Kursiy and the water is (a distance of) five hundred years, and the
Throne is above the water. Allaah is above the Throne, and nothing whatsoever of your
deeds is hidden from Him. (narrated by Ibn Khuzaymah in al-Tawheed, p. 105; by al-
Bayhaqi in al-Asmaa’ wa’l-Sifaat, p. 401). This report was classed as saheeh by Ibn al-
Qayyim in Ijtimaa’ al-Juyoosh al-Islamiyah, p. 100; by al-Dhahabi in al-‘Uluw, p.
64). Imaam Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhaab said, in the list of points noted from this
hadeeth:
o The great size of the Kursiy in relation to the heavens.
o The great size of the Throne in relation to the Kursiy.
o That the Throne is something other than the Kursiy and the water.
(Sharh Kitaab al-Tawheed, p. 667, 668).

• The Position of the Salaf as to Allaah being distinct from creation:

Know that the verses of the Qur`aan on this issue, clear and unequivocal in their
meaning, run into hundreds, and likewise the ahaadeeth, thatAllaah is above His creation
and over His Throne. These are well known so we will suffice here with stating the
position of the Salaf on this issue as it is they who understood the Qur`aan and Sunnah
the best.

Below is a translation of some points from 'Khalq Af`aal al-Ebaad' of Imaam Bukhaaree
(RH), pp.13+. All narrations quoted are authentic insha`Allaah according to the takhreej done of
the works quoted. The narrators are mainly Taabi`ee and those that came immediately after.

• "6) Wahb bin Jareer said, ‘The Jahmiyyah are heretics, they think that He has not risen
over His Throne.’
• 13) Ibn al-Mubaarak said, ‘we do not say as the Jahmiyyah say that Allaah is on the
earth, rather He has risen over His Throne.’
• 14) And it was said to him, ‘how should we know our Lord?’ He said, ‘above the
Heavens, over/upon (`alaa) His Throne’
• 29) Sufyaan ath-Thawree was asked about the verse, "and He is with you wheresoever
you are". He said, ‘His Knowledge.’
• 64) Sadqa said, ‘I heard Sulaiman at-Taimi saying, ‘if I were asked, "where is Allaah?" I
would say, "above (fee) the heaven". And if it said, "where was the Throne before the
Heaven?" I would say, "over the water." And if it is said, "where was the Throne before
the water?" I would say, "I do not know."’
• And Imaam Bukhaaree said, ‘and that (i.e. his answer) was because of the saying
of Allaah, "and they cannot encompass anything of His Knowledge except what He
wills." i.e. except what He explains.’
• [This shows that the question ‘where is Allaah’ was considered allowed by the Salaf, and
how could it be otherwise when the Prophet (SAW) himself asked the slave girl,
"where is Allaah" as is established firmly in the saheeh of Imaam Muslim. So do not be
misguided by the neo-Jahmiyyah of today, Saqqaaf and al-Habbashee and their likes who
try to declare the above hadeeth of Muslim as weak, and make out that the above
question is a bid`ah, having only the classical Jahmiyyah as their precedents.]
• 66) Muhammad bin Yusuf said (one of the teachers of Bukhaaree), ‘the one who says
that Allaah is not over (`alaa) His Throne is a kaafir. And the one who thinks
that Allaah did not speak to Moses is a kaafir.’
• 103) Ibn Mas`ud (RA) said about His saying, "then He rose over His Throne", - ‘the
Throne is over the water, Allaah is above (fawqa) the Throne and He knows what you are
upon.’
• 104) Qataada said about His saying, "and He is Allaah in the Heaven and in the
Earth" - ‘the One Who is worshipped in the heaven and in the earth.’"
• Below are further points translated from ‘Sharh Usul I`tiqaad Ahlus Sunnah’ of al-
Laalikaa`ee (d.414, pp396+)
• "660) Abdullaah bin Abbaas (RA) said, ‘Verily Allaah was above His Throne before He
created anything, then He created the creation and decreed what was to exist until the
Day of Judgement.’
• 662) Bashr bin Umar said, ‘I heard more then one of the Mufassir say about the
verse, "The Most Merciful istawaa upon the Throne" - istawaa means rose above.’
• 665) Rabee`(one of the teachers of Maalik) was asked about the verse, "The Most
Merciful rose over His Throne" - ‘how did He rise?’ He replied, ‘al-Istawaa
(rising) is known, and the how is not comprehensible, and from Allaah is the message,
and upon the Messenger is the preaching, and upon us is believing.’
• 670) Maqaatil bin Hayaan said about His saying, "and there is no secret discourse of 3
people except He is the fourth, or of 5 people and He is the sixth" - ‘He is above His
Throne, and nothing is hidden from His knowledge.’
• 673) Imaam Ahmad was asked, ‘Allaah is above the seventh heaven, above His Throne,
distinct from his creation, and His Power and Knowledge are in every place?’ He replied,
‘yes, above the Throne and His Knowledge is in every place.’
• 675) Imaam Ahmad was asked about the verse, "and He is with you wheresoever you
are", and the verse, "there is no secret discourse of 3 people except that he is the
fourth." – he replied, ‘(meaning) His Knowledge, He is the Knower of the seen and the
unseen, His knowledge encompasses everything, and our Lord is above the Throne
 without setting limits and giving description, and His Kursi is as the expanse of the
heavens and the earth with His Knowledge.’"
• Imaam Awzaa`ee said, "we used to say, while the Taabi`een were many,
‘indeed Allaah is above His Throne, and we believe in what occurs in the Sunnah to do
with His Attributes’" [ Related by al-Bayhaqi in ‘Asmaa was Sifaat’ (pg. 408) and ibn
Hajr declared it’s chain of narration to be good as in ‘Fath al-Baaree’ (13/406).]
• Imaam Abdullaah bin Ahmad quoted Abdullaah ibn Mubaarak as saying, ‘...I bear
witness that You are above Your Throne above the seven heavens and this is not as the
enemies of Allaah say, the heretics.’ [ ‘Sharh as-Sunnah’ of Imaam Abdullaah]
• He also quoted Abdullaah ibn Mubaarak as saying, ‘we know that our Lord is above the
seven heavens over the Throne, and we do not say as the Jahmiyyah say that he is here,’
pointing with his hand to the earth. [Ibid.]
• Abu Haneefah (RH) said, when asked of his opinion of the one who says, ‘I do not know
whether Allaah is in the heavens or on the earth.’ - ‘He has disbelieved,
because Allaah says, "The Most Merciful rose above the Throne.", and His
Throne is above His seven heavens.’ He was then asked, ‘what if he said
that Allaah is above His Throne but he does not know whether the Throne is in the
heavens or on the earth?’ He said, ‘He has disbelieved, because He has denied that
He is above the heavens and whosoever denied that He is above the heavens has
disbelieved.’ [‘al-Uluww’ of adh-Dhahabee, also ‘Sharh Aqueedah at-Tahaawiyyah’
of ibn Abee al-Izz al-Hanafee.]
• Ibn Khuzaymah (the Imaam of the muhadditheen of his time) said, ‘whosoever does not
affirm that Allaah is above His heavens, over/upon (`alaa) His Throne and He is distinct
from His creation, must be forced to repent. If he does not repent then he must be
beheaded and thrown in the garbage dump so that the Muslims and thimmis (Jews and
Christians living under the Islamic State) would not suffer from his stinking smell.’ [‘at-
Tawheed’ of ibn Khuzaimah, also quoted by al-Haakim in ‘al-Ma`rifah’]
• Imaam Abul Hasan al-Ash`aree (d.290) in ‘al-Ibaanah’ brings a whole chapter on
‘Istawaa’ (Allaah Rising over His Throne), in the course of his discussion he said, ‘and
some people say, from the Mu`tazila and Jahmiyyah and Hururiyya, about the saying
of Allaah, "The Most Merciful rose upon His Throne", that he istawla (conquered),
Milak (owned), Qahr (dominated), and that Allaah is in every place, and they
denied Allaah being above His Throne, as the People of Truth say...’
• [‘al-Ibaanah’ (pg. 120+) containing an excellent refutation of the above claim. This also
refutes clearly what Abu Mansur al-Baghdaadee states in his ‘Farq bayna al-Firaq’ that,
"The majority go the way of saying that the meaning of "Istawaa" is establishing
dominance (al-qahr) and victory (al ghalaba), that is, the Merciful vanquished the Throne
(al-rahmanu ghalaba al-`arsh) and overcame it (wa qaharahu). He mentioned the Throne
specifically because it is the greatest of created things (a`dhamu al-makhluqat)."
• It should be said to him, ‘establish the throne and then sit on it’, what majority? When the
totality of the Salaf held that Istawaa meant that Allaah has risen over His Throne. Not
only that but the very Imaam that Abu Mansur claims to follow, al-Ash`aree refutes his
very claim as being misguidance!]
• The quotes on this run into the hundreds from the salaf, and the books written on this by
the early scholars of Islaam are many but we do not wish to lengthen the discussion
beyond what is necessary.
• So we say to those that accuse ibn Taymiyyah of giving Allaah a direction, because of
this belief of his: Your accusation necessitates that all of the above Salaf also
held Allaah to have a jihha, including the two great Companions, ibn Mas`ud and ibn
Abbaas. So if you were to declare ibn Taymiyyah as misguided due to this, then you must
do the same with the Salaf. We seek refuge with Allaah from such misguidance!
• Ibn Taymiyyah said,
• "And when it became established in the souls of the addressees (of the revelation)
that Allaah is the Highest of the High, and the He is Above everything, the understanding
of His saying, "Indeed He is (fee) the Heaven" became that He was High and Above
everything. Likewise the slave girl when it was said to her, "where is Allaah," she
said, "(fee) the Heaven," meaning above, without designating for Him a created body or
His being contained in His Creation….Furthermore whosoever thinks that Allaah being
(fee) the Heaven means that the Heaven surrounds or encloses Him, then he is a liar if
he is quoting someone else or misguided if He believes this with respect to His Lord. We
have not heard anyone understand this from this word (fee) just as we have not seen
anyone quote this from anyone else" [‘Bayaan Talbees al-Jahmiyyah’ (1/559) of ibn
Taymiyyah]
• He said in ‘Darr at-Ta`aarud’ (1/253), "so when the Creator, the Exalted is separate and
distinct from the creation, high above it, and there isnothing in existence save the Creator
and created, then there is nothing that exists alongside Him which is besides Him, let
alone that He – Subhaanahu – should be in some existing thing which surrounds and
encompasses Him."