Bismillaah, wal-hamdulilaah, was-salaatu was-salaamu 'alaa rasoolillaah,
Assalaamu alaykum wa rahmatuallahi wa barakatuhu
There was Allah and nothing else before Him
Oneness, Uniqueness of Allah (Tawheed) Bukhari :: Book 9 :: Volume 93 :: Hadith 514 Narrated 'Imran bin Hussain:
While I was with the Prophet , some people from Bani Tamim came to him. The Prophet[sallalahualaihiwasallam] said, "O Bani Tamim! Accept the good news!" They said, "You have given us the good news; now give us (something)." (After a while) some Yemenites entered, and he said to them, "O the people of Yemen! Accept the good news, as Bani Tamim have refused it. " They said, "We accept it, for we have come to you to learn the Religion. So we ask you what the beginning of this universe was." The Prophet [sallalahualaihiwasallam] said "There was Allah and nothing else before Him and His Throne was over the water, and He then created the Heavens and the Earth and wrote everything in the Book." Then a man came to me and said, 'O Imran! Follow your she-camel for it has run away!" So I set out seeking it, and behold, it was beyond the mirage! By Allah, I wished that it (my she-camel) had gone but that I had not left (the gathering). "
11:7. And He it is Who has created the heavens and the earth in six Days and His Throne was on the water, that He might try you, which of you is the best in deeds. But if you were to say to them: "You shall indeed be raised up after death," those who disbelieve would be sure to say, "This is nothing but obvious magic."
Beginning of Creation Bukhari :: Book 4 :: Volume 54 :: Hadith 414 Narrated Imran bin Husain:
I went to the Prophet [sallalahualaihiwasallam] and tied my she-camel at the gate. The people of Bani Tamim came to the Prophet [sallalahualaihiwasallam] who said "O Bani Tamim! Accept the good tidings." They said twice, 'You have given us the good tidings, now give us something" Then some Yemenites came to him and he said, "Accept the good tidings, O people of Yemem, for Bani Tamim refused them." They said, "We accept it, O Allah's Apostle! We have come to ask you about this matter (i.e. the start of creations)." He said, "First of all, there was nothing but Allah, and (then He created His Throne). His throne was over the water, and He wrote everything in the Book (in the Heaven) and created the Heavens and the Earth." Then a man shouted, "O Ibn Husain! Your she-camel has gone away!" So, I went away and could not see the she-camel because of the mirage. By Allah, I wished I had left that she-camel (but not that gathering).
Narrated 'Umar: One day the Prophet stood up amongst us for a long period and informed us about the beginning of creation (and talked about everything in detail) till he mentioned how the people of Paradise will enter their places and the people of Hell will enter their places. Some remembered what he had said, and some forgot it.
13: 2. Allâh is He Who raised the heavens without any pillars that you can see. Then, He Istawâ (rose above) the Throne (really in a manner that suits His Majesty). He has subjected the sun and the moon (to continue going round)! Each running (its course) for a term appointed. He regulates all affairs, explaining the Ayât (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) in detail, that you may believe with certainty in the meeting with your Lord.
Allah exists without a place this does not mean he is on earth ,Earth is a place,His creation is place.Allah is above arsh ,Allah exists before everything and Allah created place.
Allah created Place
Allah subhanawatala mentions the word "place" for his creation.
7:143. And when Mûsa (Moses) came at the time and place appointed by Us, and his Lord spoke to him, he said: "O my Lord! Show me (Yourself), that I may look upon You." Allâh said: "You cannot see Me, but look upon the mountain if it stands still in its place then you shall see Me." So when his Lord appeared to the mountain, He made it collapse to dust, and Mûsa (Moses) fell down unconscious. Then when he recovered his senses he said: "Glory be to You, I turn to You in repentance and I am the first of the believers."
2:125. And (remember) when We made the House (the Ka'bah at Makkah) a place of resort for mankind and a place of safety. And take you (people) the Maqâm (place) of Ibrâhim (Abraham) [or the stone on which Ibrâhim (Abraham) <><> stood while he was building the Ka'bah] as a place of prayer (for some of your prayers, e.g. two Rak'at after the Tawâf of the Ka'bah at Makkah), and We commanded Ibrâhim (Abraham) and Ismâ'il (Ishmael) that they should purify My House (the Ka'bah at Makkah) for those who are circumambulating it, or staying (I'tikâf), or bowing or prostrating themselves (there, in prayer).
19: 16. And mention in the Book (the Qur'ân, O Muhammad SAW , the story of) Maryam (Mary), when she withdrew in seclusion from her family to a place facing east.
3: 97. In it are manifest signs (for example), the Maqâm (place) of Ibrâhim (Abraham); whosoever enters it, he attains security. And Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah) to the House (Ka'bah) is a duty that mankind owes to Allâh, those who can afford the expenses (for one's conveyance, provision and residence); and whoever disbelieves [i.e. denies Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah), then he is a disbeliever of Allâh], then Allâh stands not in need of any of the 'Alamîn (mankind and jinns).
Allah is above Arsh & not on earth.
- The Sahabi Abdullah Ibn Masud –May Allah be pleased with him- said: «Between the lowest heaven and the one after it is the distance of five hundred years, and between every two heavens is the distance of five hundred years, and between the seventh heaven and the Kursi is the distance of five hundred years, and between the Kursi and the water is the distance of five hundred years, and the Throne (Arsh) is above the water, and Allah the Almighty is above the Throne (fawqa Al-Arsh). And nothing is hidden from Allah of your deeds.» And in another narration «He knows what you are upon». (Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah (20/560-562); Ar-Rad `Ala Al-Jahmiyyah by Ad-Darimi (p.44-45); Musnad Al-Bazzar (1/182-183) ) Its grading is: hasan.
- Ahmad Ibn Hanbal (d. 241 H.) : Abu Yusuf bin Musa Al-Qattan said: "It was said to Abu Abdullah Ahmad ibn Hanbal: 'Allah –Azza wa Jal- is above the seventh Heaven on His Throne separate from His creation, and His Ability and Knowledge is everywhere?'
He replied: «Yes, (He is) over the Throne, and no place is free from His Knowledge.»" (Al`Adhamah by Abu Ash-Shaykh AlAsbahani (2/688-689); Al-Mujalasah wa Jawahir Al-`Ilm by Ahmad ad-Daynuri (6/406); An-Naqd by Ad-Darimi (1/422); Sharh I`tiqad Ahl AsSunnah wal Jama`ah by Al-Lalikai (3/395-396); Ithbat Sifat Al-Uluw by Ibn Qudamah (p.151-152) and others. ) Sahih
- Khushaish bin Asram (d. 253 H.) said in "Al-Istiqamah" : «If He (Allah) was on earth like He is above the Heavens, nothing would come down to earth from the Heavens, but it would ascend from the earth to the Heavens like it descends from the Heavens to the earth, and there have come reports from the Prophet – Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam- that Allah is above the heavens and not the earth.» (The text of Al-Fiqh Al-Akbar is taken from "Sharh Al-Fiqh Al-Akbar" by Abu Mansur Al-Maturidi.)
2. «with His Essence» (bi-dhatihi or bi-nafsihi),
7:54. Indeed your Lord is Allâh, Who created the heavens and the earth in Six Days, and then He Istawâ (rose over) the Throne (really in a manner that suits His Majesty). He brings the night as a cover over the day, seeking it rapidly, and (He created) the sun, the moon, the stars subjected to His Command. Surely, His is the Creation and Commandment. Blessed be Allâh, the Lord of the 'Alamîn (mankind, jinns and all that exists)!
and the testification of the scholars who came after them of that, for example:
- Uthman Ad-Darimi (d. 280 H.) said: "Because He (Allah) said in many ayat what confirms that He is above His Throne, above His Heavens, He is like that with no doubt. When He stated that He is with every person in a secret councel, we said: 'His Knowledge and Sight is with them, and He is Himself on the Throne, as He has described." (Sharh Usool I'tiqad Ahl Assunnah by Lalikai (3/399) with a sahih chain.
- Abu Ja`far bin Abi Shaybah (d. 297 H.) said: «He is above the Heavens and above the Throne by His Essence (bi-dhatihi) free from His creation, separate from them. His Knowledge is in His creation, they cannot leave His Knowledge. »
And this is what the Imams of Sunnah narrated from them by meaning:
- Abu Umar At-Talamanki Al-Maliki (d. 429 H.) said in "Al-Wusul Ila Ma`rifat Al-Usul": "The Muslims from Ahl As-Sunnah are upon consensus that the meaning of His saying: {And He is with you (by His Knowledge) wheresoever you may be} [57:4] and what is similar to it from the Quran is: by His Knowledge, and that Allah –Ta`ala- is above the Heavens by His Essence (bi-dhatihi), Mustawen (I.e. Done Istiwa, Has Risen) above His Throne however He willed. And Ahl As-Sunnah said regarding His saying: {The Most Gracious over the Throne Istawa (Rose)} [20:5]: That the Istiwa from Allah on the Throne is upon the haqiqah (literal), and not majaz (metaphorical)." (Al-Asma wa Sifat by Al-Bayhaqi (2/305-306)
- Abu Nasr As-Sijzee Al-Hanafi (d. 444 H.) said in "Al-Ibanah": "Our Imams such as Sufyan Ath-Thawri, Malik, Hammad bin Salamah, Hammad bin Zayd, Abdullah bin al-Mubarak, Al-Fudail bin `Iyad, Ahmad bin Hanbal, and Ishaq bin Rahwaih, are upon agreement that Allah –Subhanahu wa Ta`ala is by His Essence (bi-dhatihi) above the Throne, and His Knowledge is everywhere." (As-Sunnah" by Abdullah bin Ahmad bin Hanbal (1/280)
3. The Pious Salaf's interpretation of "al-Istiwa" to mean: Rise above (`alaa), and ascended (irtafa`a). And "al-istiwa" by the meaning of uluw (elevation/rising) can only be a literal uluw by the Essence. As for uluw in status, it is not one of the meanings of al-Istiwa in the Arabic language. The following are some of the authentic statements of the pious salaf on the meaning of Istawa:
- Tabi`ee Mujahid (d. 102 H.) said: «Istawa (meaning) : Rose (`alaa) above the Throne.» (Siyar A`lam An-Nubala' by Adh-Dhahabi (7/461); Tadhkirat Al-Huffadh by Adh-Dhahabi (1/168). And in another narration, Hammad bin Zayd said: "Verily, they are trying to say that there is nothing above the heaven." (Musnad Ahmad (45/566) with a sahih chain. )
- Bishr bin Umar Az-Zahrani (d. 207 H.) said: «I heard more than one of the commentators (scholars of tafsir of the Quran) say: "{Ar-Rahman above the Throne Istawa}: Ascended (Irtafa`a)".» ( As-Sunnah " by Abdullah bin Ahmad (1/111) with a sahih chain. )
- The Linguist Abu Al-Abbas Tha`lab (d. 291 H.) said: «{Istawa over the Throne} Rose above (`alaa).» (Ar-Rad `Ala alJahmiyyah by Ad-Darimi (40) with a hasan chain.
- Ibn Al-Mubarak (d 181 H.) : Ali Ibn al-Hasan Ibn Shaqeeq reported: I asked Abdullah Ibn al-Mubarak: "How are we to know our Lord –Azza wa Jal-? "
He replied: «He is over the seventh Heaven over His Throne. We do not say as the Jahmiyyah say: that He is here on the earth.» (Kitab Al-Arsh by Adh-Dhahabi (2/191) from the route of Ibn Abi Hatim Ar-Razi who narrated it in "Ar-Rad `ala Al-Jahmiyyah".) Sahih.
- Jarir Ibn Abdul-Hamid Ad-Dabbi (d. 188 H.) said: «The beginning of the speech of the Jahmiyah is honey, and the end of it is poison, verily they are only trying to say: that there is no ilah (diety) above the heavens.»
- Sa`eed bin `Aamir Ad-Dab`i (d. 208 H.), one of Imam Bukhari's teachers, said: «The Jahmiyyah have said worse than the Jews and Christians, the Jews, Christians and the people of religions have agreed that Allah –Tabaraka wa Ta`ala- is over the Throne, and they (the Jahmiyyah) said: 'There is nothing over the Throne.'» ("Kitab Al-Arsh" by Adh-Dhahabi (2/201) from the route of Ibn Abi Hatim Ar-Razi who narrated it in "Ar-Rad `ala Al-Jahmiyyah". Al-Bayhaqi also narrated it with a sahih (authentic) chain in "Al-Asma was-Sifat" (2/337).) Sahih chain.
4:Allah subhanawatala: «above the heavens and not the earth"», because if they meant elevation of status, then their saying would be a negation of Allah's high status over the earth, which is a fault/defect.
Examples :
- Khushaish bin Asram (d. 253 H.) said in "Al-Istiqamah" : «And Jahm denied that Allah is above the heavens without being on the earth, and the Book (The Quran) is evident in that Allah is above the heaven and not the earth …» (Khalq Af`al Al-Ibad by Imam Al-Bukhari (2/17) Tahqiq: Fahd al-Fehaid.
Also, Adh-Dhahabi narrated it in "Kitab Al-Arsh" (2/207) through the route of Ibn Abi Hatim who narrated it in his book "Ar-Rad `Ala Al-Jahmiyyah".
- Abu Bakr bin Abi `Asim (d. 287 H.) said in "As-Sunnah" :«Chapter: What was reported regarding Allah being above the heaven without (being on) the earth.", then he narrated the hadith of the slave girl in which the Prophet - Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam- asked her "Where is Allah?" ((Khalq Af`al Al-Ibad by Imam Bukhari ( 2/39))
- Ibn Abi Zayd Al-Qairawani Al-Maliki (d.386 H.) in "al-Jame` ": "What the Ummah has agreed upon from the matters of religion, and from the Sunnah which its opposition is bidah and misguidance, is that Allah -Tabaraka Ismuh- …" He then mentions a number of beliefs, one of them being:
"And that He is above His Heavens on His Throne and not His earth, and that He is everywhere by His Knowledge." Then he says at the end:
"And all that we have mentioned previously is the belief of Ahl As-Sunnah and the Imams of the people in fiqh, and Hadeeth, and all of it is the belief of (Imam) Malik, from him it has been reported, and it is known from his madhhab."("As-Sunnah" by Abdullah bin Ahmad (1/173) with a sahih chain. "Kitab As-Sifat" by Ad-Darqutni (p.72-72); "Ar-Rad `Ala Man Yaqulu bi-Khalq Al-Quran by An-Najad (p.71); "Tarikh (Baghdad) Madinat As-Salam by AlKhatib Al-Baghdadi (4/452).)
Imam Abu Isa At-Tirmidhi (d. 279 H.) said in his "Sunnan": «Allah's Knowledge, Ability, and sovereignty is everywhere, and He is on the Throne as He described Himself in». Thus, such interpretation of their statement is false.
Allah created Time
The hadeeth "Do not inveigh against time, for Allaah is time" was narrated in other wordings, such as "Allaah says: 'The son of Adam inveighs against Me, he inveighs against [the vicissitudes of] Time (al-Dahr), and I am Time, in My hand are all affairs, I alternate the night and the day'" and "Do not inveigh against time (al-dahr), for Allaah is time, He alternates the night and day" and "The son of Adam says, 'Woe to time,' but I am time."
The words "in My hand are all affairs, I alternate the night and the day" indicate that the meaning is not "I am time [zamaan]", because Allaah states that He alternates night and day, and time [zamaan] is night and day. Thus this hadeeth indicates that He alternates and controls time, as is indicated in the verse in which He says (interpretation of the meaning):
"See you not that Allaah drives the clouds gently, then joins them together, then makes them into a heap of layers, and you see the rain comes forth from between them; and He sends down from the sky hail (like) mountains, (or there are in the heaven mountains of hail from where He sends down hail), and strikes therewith whom He wills, and averts it from whom He wills. The vivid flash of its (clouds) lightning nearly blinds the sight"[al-Noor 24:43].
Allaah states that He creates the rain and sends it down to the earth; it is the cause of life on earth because He has created from water every living thing. Then He says "Allaah causes the night and the day to succeed each other" [v. 44]. So He alternates the night and day, and causes the state of the earth to change by sending down rain, which is the cause of the creation of plants, animals and minerals. This is what causes people's situations to change, which leads to some people being raised in status whilst others are lowered.
Allaah tells us in more than one place that He has created time, as He says (interpretation of the meaning): "and originated the darkness and the light"[al-An'aam 6:1] "And He it is Who has created the night and the day, and the sun and the moon, each in an orbit floating"[al-Anbiya' 21:33] "And He it is Who has put the night and the day in succession, for such who desires to remember or desires to show his gratitude"[al-Furqaan 25:62] "Verily, in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in the alternation of night and day, there are indeed signs for men of understanding"[Aal 'Imraan 3:190] And there are other texts which state that He is the Creator of time.
It wrongly understood by some people, who think that al-dahr (translated as "time") is one of the names of Allaah. But that is not the case. Rather al-dahr means [the vicissitudes of] time. The people of the Jaahiliyyah – who still have followers in this matter – used to inveigh against time, but none of them intended to inveigh against Allaah. How can they have intended to inveigh against Allaah when they used to say 'Qabbah Allaah al-dahr (May Allaah curse time)'? Rather inveighing against time was forbidden, and time was ascribed to Allaah, because He, may He be exalted, is its Creator and controller.
The Muslims are unanimously agreed on something that is based on common sense and rational thinking: that Allaah is not al-dahr in the sense of al-zamaan.
Abu 'Ubayd al-Qaasim ibn Salaam al-Harawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: The phrase "Allaah is time (al-dahr)" – no Muslim should be confused about its meaning, because those who deny the attributes of Allaah use this hadeeth against the Muslims. I have seen one of those who are accused of heresy and who do not believe in the hereafter quoting this hadeeth and saying: Do you not see that he says 'Allaah is time'? I say: Is there anyone who would inveigh against Allaah in any era? Rather its meaning in my opinion – and Allaah knows best – is that the Arabs (before Islam) used to blame time and inveigh against it when calamity such as death, old age, loss of wealth or other things befell them, so they regarded time as that which did that, so they inveighed against it because of that, and mentioned it in their poetry. Ghareeb al-hadeeth (2/145).
The word used in the hadeeth is not waqt (= time), but dahr (= time, vicissitudes of time) [this element of confusion may stem from translation of the question into Arabic]. This hadeeth was narrated by Muslim (5827) from Abu Hurayrah.
Other versions of the hadeeth are: "Do not inveigh against time (al-dahr), for Allaah is time"
"Let not any one of you say, 'Woe to time,' for Allaah is time"
"Allaah says, 'The sons of Adam offend Me and say, Woe to time, but they should not say Woe to time. I am time, I alternate the night and the day, and if I willed, I could seize them both.'"
With regard to the meaning of the hadeeth, al-Nawawi said: They said: this is a metaphor, because the Arabs used to inveigh against time when disasters such as death, old age, loss of money, etc., happened. They would say, 'Woe to time' and other phrases cursing or inveighing against time. So the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: 'Do not inveigh against time for Allaah is time', i.e., do not inveigh against the One Who brings about those disasters, for that will be directed towards Allaah, for He is the One Who causes them to happen. Time (al-dahr) means al-zamaan (time) which cannot do anything in and of itself, for it is just one of the things that have been created by Allaah.
The meaning of the phrase "for Allaah is time" means that He is the One Who causes those events and accidents to happen, and He is the Creator of all that happens. And Allaah knows best. (Sharh Muslim, 15/3)
Al-Haafiz Ibn Katheer said, in his Tafseer of the aayah (interpretation of the meaning):
"And they say: "There is nothing but our life of this world, we die and we live and nothing destroys us except Ad-Dahr (time)" [al-Jaathiyah 45:24]
Al-Shaafa'i, Abu 'Ubaydah and others said, in their commentary on the hadeeth of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), "Do not inveigh against time for Allaah is time" – During the Jaahiliyyah, if some difficulty, trial or disaster befell them, the Arabs would say 'Woe to time', attributing those events to time and inveighing against it. But the One Who brought those events to pass is Allaah, so it was as if they were inveighing against Allaah, may He be glorified, because in fact He was the One Who caused those things to happen. So it was forbidden to inveigh against time in this manner, because Allaah is Time, i.e., He is the One lWho is controlling it, but the Arabs were attributing those events to Time.
This is the best of the comments made in the Tafseer of this hadeeth, and this is what is meant. And Allaah knows best. (Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 4/152)
The hadeeth referred to in the question was narrated by al-Bukhaari (4826) and Muslim (2246) from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) who said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Allaah, may He be glorified and exalted, says: 'The son of Adam inveighs against Me, he inveighs against [the vicissitudes of] Time (al-Dahr), and I am Time, in My hand are all affairs, I alternate the night and the day."
This hadeeth does not indicate that al-Dahr is one of the names of Allaah, rather what the hadeeth means is that Allaah is the One who controls time.
Al-Khattaabi said: What this means is: I am the Owner of Time, the Controller of all affairs that they attribute to time, so whoever inveighs against time because it does these things, is in effect inveighing against his Lord Who is the One who does them.
Al-Nawawi said: What is meant by saying "Allaah is al-Dahr (Time)" is that He is the One Who causes things to happen, the Creator of all things that exist. And Allaah knows best. [source for Time topic -islam qa]
walekum salaam wa ramatuallahi wa barakatuhu
Oneness, Uniqueness of Allah (Tawheed) Bukhari :: Book 9 :: Volume 93 :: Hadith 514 Narrated 'Imran bin Hussain:
While I was with the Prophet , some people from Bani Tamim came to him. The Prophet[sallalahualaihiwasallam] said, "O Bani Tamim! Accept the good news!" They said, "You have given us the good news; now give us (something)." (After a while) some Yemenites entered, and he said to them, "O the people of Yemen! Accept the good news, as Bani Tamim have refused it. " They said, "We accept it, for we have come to you to learn the Religion. So we ask you what the beginning of this universe was." The Prophet [sallalahualaihiwasallam] said "There was Allah and nothing else before Him and His Throne was over the water, and He then created the Heavens and the Earth and wrote everything in the Book." Then a man came to me and said, 'O Imran! Follow your she-camel for it has run away!" So I set out seeking it, and behold, it was beyond the mirage! By Allah, I wished that it (my she-camel) had gone but that I had not left (the gathering). "
11:7. And He it is Who has created the heavens and the earth in six Days and His Throne was on the water, that He might try you, which of you is the best in deeds. But if you were to say to them: "You shall indeed be raised up after death," those who disbelieve would be sure to say, "This is nothing but obvious magic."
Beginning of Creation Bukhari :: Book 4 :: Volume 54 :: Hadith 414 Narrated Imran bin Husain:
I went to the Prophet [sallalahualaihiwasallam] and tied my she-camel at the gate. The people of Bani Tamim came to the Prophet [sallalahualaihiwasallam] who said "O Bani Tamim! Accept the good tidings." They said twice, 'You have given us the good tidings, now give us something" Then some Yemenites came to him and he said, "Accept the good tidings, O people of Yemem, for Bani Tamim refused them." They said, "We accept it, O Allah's Apostle! We have come to ask you about this matter (i.e. the start of creations)." He said, "First of all, there was nothing but Allah, and (then He created His Throne). His throne was over the water, and He wrote everything in the Book (in the Heaven) and created the Heavens and the Earth." Then a man shouted, "O Ibn Husain! Your she-camel has gone away!" So, I went away and could not see the she-camel because of the mirage. By Allah, I wished I had left that she-camel (but not that gathering).
Narrated 'Umar: One day the Prophet stood up amongst us for a long period and informed us about the beginning of creation (and talked about everything in detail) till he mentioned how the people of Paradise will enter their places and the people of Hell will enter their places. Some remembered what he had said, and some forgot it.
13: 2. Allâh is He Who raised the heavens without any pillars that you can see. Then, He Istawâ (rose above) the Throne (really in a manner that suits His Majesty). He has subjected the sun and the moon (to continue going round)! Each running (its course) for a term appointed. He regulates all affairs, explaining the Ayât (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) in detail, that you may believe with certainty in the meeting with your Lord.
Allah exists without a place this does not mean he is on earth ,Earth is a place,His creation is place.Allah is above arsh ,Allah exists before everything and Allah created place.
Allah created Place
Allah subhanawatala mentions the word "place" for his creation.
7:143. And when Mûsa (Moses) came at the time and place appointed by Us, and his Lord spoke to him, he said: "O my Lord! Show me (Yourself), that I may look upon You." Allâh said: "You cannot see Me, but look upon the mountain if it stands still in its place then you shall see Me." So when his Lord appeared to the mountain, He made it collapse to dust, and Mûsa (Moses) fell down unconscious. Then when he recovered his senses he said: "Glory be to You, I turn to You in repentance and I am the first of the believers."
2:125. And (remember) when We made the House (the Ka'bah at Makkah) a place of resort for mankind and a place of safety. And take you (people) the Maqâm (place) of Ibrâhim (Abraham) [or the stone on which Ibrâhim (Abraham) <><> stood while he was building the Ka'bah] as a place of prayer (for some of your prayers, e.g. two Rak'at after the Tawâf of the Ka'bah at Makkah), and We commanded Ibrâhim (Abraham) and Ismâ'il (Ishmael) that they should purify My House (the Ka'bah at Makkah) for those who are circumambulating it, or staying (I'tikâf), or bowing or prostrating themselves (there, in prayer).
19: 16. And mention in the Book (the Qur'ân, O Muhammad SAW , the story of) Maryam (Mary), when she withdrew in seclusion from her family to a place facing east.
3: 97. In it are manifest signs (for example), the Maqâm (place) of Ibrâhim (Abraham); whosoever enters it, he attains security. And Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah) to the House (Ka'bah) is a duty that mankind owes to Allâh, those who can afford the expenses (for one's conveyance, provision and residence); and whoever disbelieves [i.e. denies Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah), then he is a disbeliever of Allâh], then Allâh stands not in need of any of the 'Alamîn (mankind and jinns).
Allah is above Arsh & not on earth.
- The Sahabi Abdullah Ibn Masud –May Allah be pleased with him- said: «Between the lowest heaven and the one after it is the distance of five hundred years, and between every two heavens is the distance of five hundred years, and between the seventh heaven and the Kursi is the distance of five hundred years, and between the Kursi and the water is the distance of five hundred years, and the Throne (Arsh) is above the water, and Allah the Almighty is above the Throne (fawqa Al-Arsh). And nothing is hidden from Allah of your deeds.» And in another narration «He knows what you are upon». (Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah (20/560-562); Ar-Rad `Ala Al-Jahmiyyah by Ad-Darimi (p.44-45); Musnad Al-Bazzar (1/182-183) ) Its grading is: hasan.
- Ahmad Ibn Hanbal (d. 241 H.) : Abu Yusuf bin Musa Al-Qattan said: "It was said to Abu Abdullah Ahmad ibn Hanbal: 'Allah –Azza wa Jal- is above the seventh Heaven on His Throne separate from His creation, and His Ability and Knowledge is everywhere?'
He replied: «Yes, (He is) over the Throne, and no place is free from His Knowledge.»" (Al`Adhamah by Abu Ash-Shaykh AlAsbahani (2/688-689); Al-Mujalasah wa Jawahir Al-`Ilm by Ahmad ad-Daynuri (6/406); An-Naqd by Ad-Darimi (1/422); Sharh I`tiqad Ahl AsSunnah wal Jama`ah by Al-Lalikai (3/395-396); Ithbat Sifat Al-Uluw by Ibn Qudamah (p.151-152) and others. ) Sahih
- Khushaish bin Asram (d. 253 H.) said in "Al-Istiqamah" : «If He (Allah) was on earth like He is above the Heavens, nothing would come down to earth from the Heavens, but it would ascend from the earth to the Heavens like it descends from the Heavens to the earth, and there have come reports from the Prophet – Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam- that Allah is above the heavens and not the earth.» (The text of Al-Fiqh Al-Akbar is taken from "Sharh Al-Fiqh Al-Akbar" by Abu Mansur Al-Maturidi.)
2. «with His Essence» (bi-dhatihi or bi-nafsihi),
7:54. Indeed your Lord is Allâh, Who created the heavens and the earth in Six Days, and then He Istawâ (rose over) the Throne (really in a manner that suits His Majesty). He brings the night as a cover over the day, seeking it rapidly, and (He created) the sun, the moon, the stars subjected to His Command. Surely, His is the Creation and Commandment. Blessed be Allâh, the Lord of the 'Alamîn (mankind, jinns and all that exists)!
and the testification of the scholars who came after them of that, for example:
- Uthman Ad-Darimi (d. 280 H.) said: "Because He (Allah) said in many ayat what confirms that He is above His Throne, above His Heavens, He is like that with no doubt. When He stated that He is with every person in a secret councel, we said: 'His Knowledge and Sight is with them, and He is Himself on the Throne, as He has described." (Sharh Usool I'tiqad Ahl Assunnah by Lalikai (3/399) with a sahih chain.
- Abu Ja`far bin Abi Shaybah (d. 297 H.) said: «He is above the Heavens and above the Throne by His Essence (bi-dhatihi) free from His creation, separate from them. His Knowledge is in His creation, they cannot leave His Knowledge. »
And this is what the Imams of Sunnah narrated from them by meaning:
- Abu Umar At-Talamanki Al-Maliki (d. 429 H.) said in "Al-Wusul Ila Ma`rifat Al-Usul": "The Muslims from Ahl As-Sunnah are upon consensus that the meaning of His saying: {And He is with you (by His Knowledge) wheresoever you may be} [57:4] and what is similar to it from the Quran is: by His Knowledge, and that Allah –Ta`ala- is above the Heavens by His Essence (bi-dhatihi), Mustawen (I.e. Done Istiwa, Has Risen) above His Throne however He willed. And Ahl As-Sunnah said regarding His saying: {The Most Gracious over the Throne Istawa (Rose)} [20:5]: That the Istiwa from Allah on the Throne is upon the haqiqah (literal), and not majaz (metaphorical)." (Al-Asma wa Sifat by Al-Bayhaqi (2/305-306)
- Abu Nasr As-Sijzee Al-Hanafi (d. 444 H.) said in "Al-Ibanah": "Our Imams such as Sufyan Ath-Thawri, Malik, Hammad bin Salamah, Hammad bin Zayd, Abdullah bin al-Mubarak, Al-Fudail bin `Iyad, Ahmad bin Hanbal, and Ishaq bin Rahwaih, are upon agreement that Allah –Subhanahu wa Ta`ala is by His Essence (bi-dhatihi) above the Throne, and His Knowledge is everywhere." (As-Sunnah" by Abdullah bin Ahmad bin Hanbal (1/280)
3. The Pious Salaf's interpretation of "al-Istiwa" to mean: Rise above (`alaa), and ascended (irtafa`a). And "al-istiwa" by the meaning of uluw (elevation/rising) can only be a literal uluw by the Essence. As for uluw in status, it is not one of the meanings of al-Istiwa in the Arabic language. The following are some of the authentic statements of the pious salaf on the meaning of Istawa:
- Tabi`ee Mujahid (d. 102 H.) said: «Istawa (meaning) : Rose (`alaa) above the Throne.» (Siyar A`lam An-Nubala' by Adh-Dhahabi (7/461); Tadhkirat Al-Huffadh by Adh-Dhahabi (1/168). And in another narration, Hammad bin Zayd said: "Verily, they are trying to say that there is nothing above the heaven." (Musnad Ahmad (45/566) with a sahih chain. )
- Bishr bin Umar Az-Zahrani (d. 207 H.) said: «I heard more than one of the commentators (scholars of tafsir of the Quran) say: "{Ar-Rahman above the Throne Istawa}: Ascended (Irtafa`a)".» ( As-Sunnah " by Abdullah bin Ahmad (1/111) with a sahih chain. )
- The Linguist Abu Al-Abbas Tha`lab (d. 291 H.) said: «{Istawa over the Throne} Rose above (`alaa).» (Ar-Rad `Ala alJahmiyyah by Ad-Darimi (40) with a hasan chain.
- Ibn Al-Mubarak (d 181 H.) : Ali Ibn al-Hasan Ibn Shaqeeq reported: I asked Abdullah Ibn al-Mubarak: "How are we to know our Lord –Azza wa Jal-? "
He replied: «He is over the seventh Heaven over His Throne. We do not say as the Jahmiyyah say: that He is here on the earth.» (Kitab Al-Arsh by Adh-Dhahabi (2/191) from the route of Ibn Abi Hatim Ar-Razi who narrated it in "Ar-Rad `ala Al-Jahmiyyah".) Sahih.
- Jarir Ibn Abdul-Hamid Ad-Dabbi (d. 188 H.) said: «The beginning of the speech of the Jahmiyah is honey, and the end of it is poison, verily they are only trying to say: that there is no ilah (diety) above the heavens.»
- Sa`eed bin `Aamir Ad-Dab`i (d. 208 H.), one of Imam Bukhari's teachers, said: «The Jahmiyyah have said worse than the Jews and Christians, the Jews, Christians and the people of religions have agreed that Allah –Tabaraka wa Ta`ala- is over the Throne, and they (the Jahmiyyah) said: 'There is nothing over the Throne.'» ("Kitab Al-Arsh" by Adh-Dhahabi (2/201) from the route of Ibn Abi Hatim Ar-Razi who narrated it in "Ar-Rad `ala Al-Jahmiyyah". Al-Bayhaqi also narrated it with a sahih (authentic) chain in "Al-Asma was-Sifat" (2/337).) Sahih chain.
4:Allah subhanawatala: «above the heavens and not the earth"», because if they meant elevation of status, then their saying would be a negation of Allah's high status over the earth, which is a fault/defect.
Examples :
- Khushaish bin Asram (d. 253 H.) said in "Al-Istiqamah" : «And Jahm denied that Allah is above the heavens without being on the earth, and the Book (The Quran) is evident in that Allah is above the heaven and not the earth …» (Khalq Af`al Al-Ibad by Imam Al-Bukhari (2/17) Tahqiq: Fahd al-Fehaid.
Also, Adh-Dhahabi narrated it in "Kitab Al-Arsh" (2/207) through the route of Ibn Abi Hatim who narrated it in his book "Ar-Rad `Ala Al-Jahmiyyah".
- Abu Bakr bin Abi `Asim (d. 287 H.) said in "As-Sunnah" :«Chapter: What was reported regarding Allah being above the heaven without (being on) the earth.", then he narrated the hadith of the slave girl in which the Prophet - Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam- asked her "Where is Allah?" ((Khalq Af`al Al-Ibad by Imam Bukhari ( 2/39))
- Ibn Abi Zayd Al-Qairawani Al-Maliki (d.386 H.) in "al-Jame` ": "What the Ummah has agreed upon from the matters of religion, and from the Sunnah which its opposition is bidah and misguidance, is that Allah -Tabaraka Ismuh- …" He then mentions a number of beliefs, one of them being:
"And that He is above His Heavens on His Throne and not His earth, and that He is everywhere by His Knowledge." Then he says at the end:
"And all that we have mentioned previously is the belief of Ahl As-Sunnah and the Imams of the people in fiqh, and Hadeeth, and all of it is the belief of (Imam) Malik, from him it has been reported, and it is known from his madhhab."("As-Sunnah" by Abdullah bin Ahmad (1/173) with a sahih chain. "Kitab As-Sifat" by Ad-Darqutni (p.72-72); "Ar-Rad `Ala Man Yaqulu bi-Khalq Al-Quran by An-Najad (p.71); "Tarikh (Baghdad) Madinat As-Salam by AlKhatib Al-Baghdadi (4/452).)
Imam Abu Isa At-Tirmidhi (d. 279 H.) said in his "Sunnan": «Allah's Knowledge, Ability, and sovereignty is everywhere, and He is on the Throne as He described Himself in». Thus, such interpretation of their statement is false.
Allah created Time
The hadeeth "Do not inveigh against time, for Allaah is time" was narrated in other wordings, such as "Allaah says: 'The son of Adam inveighs against Me, he inveighs against [the vicissitudes of] Time (al-Dahr), and I am Time, in My hand are all affairs, I alternate the night and the day'" and "Do not inveigh against time (al-dahr), for Allaah is time, He alternates the night and day" and "The son of Adam says, 'Woe to time,' but I am time."
The words "in My hand are all affairs, I alternate the night and the day" indicate that the meaning is not "I am time [zamaan]", because Allaah states that He alternates night and day, and time [zamaan] is night and day. Thus this hadeeth indicates that He alternates and controls time, as is indicated in the verse in which He says (interpretation of the meaning):
"See you not that Allaah drives the clouds gently, then joins them together, then makes them into a heap of layers, and you see the rain comes forth from between them; and He sends down from the sky hail (like) mountains, (or there are in the heaven mountains of hail from where He sends down hail), and strikes therewith whom He wills, and averts it from whom He wills. The vivid flash of its (clouds) lightning nearly blinds the sight"[al-Noor 24:43].
Allaah states that He creates the rain and sends it down to the earth; it is the cause of life on earth because He has created from water every living thing. Then He says "Allaah causes the night and the day to succeed each other" [v. 44]. So He alternates the night and day, and causes the state of the earth to change by sending down rain, which is the cause of the creation of plants, animals and minerals. This is what causes people's situations to change, which leads to some people being raised in status whilst others are lowered.
Allaah tells us in more than one place that He has created time, as He says (interpretation of the meaning): "and originated the darkness and the light"[al-An'aam 6:1] "And He it is Who has created the night and the day, and the sun and the moon, each in an orbit floating"[al-Anbiya' 21:33] "And He it is Who has put the night and the day in succession, for such who desires to remember or desires to show his gratitude"[al-Furqaan 25:62] "Verily, in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in the alternation of night and day, there are indeed signs for men of understanding"[Aal 'Imraan 3:190] And there are other texts which state that He is the Creator of time.
It wrongly understood by some people, who think that al-dahr (translated as "time") is one of the names of Allaah. But that is not the case. Rather al-dahr means [the vicissitudes of] time. The people of the Jaahiliyyah – who still have followers in this matter – used to inveigh against time, but none of them intended to inveigh against Allaah. How can they have intended to inveigh against Allaah when they used to say 'Qabbah Allaah al-dahr (May Allaah curse time)'? Rather inveighing against time was forbidden, and time was ascribed to Allaah, because He, may He be exalted, is its Creator and controller.
The Muslims are unanimously agreed on something that is based on common sense and rational thinking: that Allaah is not al-dahr in the sense of al-zamaan.
Abu 'Ubayd al-Qaasim ibn Salaam al-Harawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: The phrase "Allaah is time (al-dahr)" – no Muslim should be confused about its meaning, because those who deny the attributes of Allaah use this hadeeth against the Muslims. I have seen one of those who are accused of heresy and who do not believe in the hereafter quoting this hadeeth and saying: Do you not see that he says 'Allaah is time'? I say: Is there anyone who would inveigh against Allaah in any era? Rather its meaning in my opinion – and Allaah knows best – is that the Arabs (before Islam) used to blame time and inveigh against it when calamity such as death, old age, loss of wealth or other things befell them, so they regarded time as that which did that, so they inveighed against it because of that, and mentioned it in their poetry. Ghareeb al-hadeeth (2/145).
The word used in the hadeeth is not waqt (= time), but dahr (= time, vicissitudes of time) [this element of confusion may stem from translation of the question into Arabic]. This hadeeth was narrated by Muslim (5827) from Abu Hurayrah.
Other versions of the hadeeth are: "Do not inveigh against time (al-dahr), for Allaah is time"
"Let not any one of you say, 'Woe to time,' for Allaah is time"
"Allaah says, 'The sons of Adam offend Me and say, Woe to time, but they should not say Woe to time. I am time, I alternate the night and the day, and if I willed, I could seize them both.'"
With regard to the meaning of the hadeeth, al-Nawawi said: They said: this is a metaphor, because the Arabs used to inveigh against time when disasters such as death, old age, loss of money, etc., happened. They would say, 'Woe to time' and other phrases cursing or inveighing against time. So the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: 'Do not inveigh against time for Allaah is time', i.e., do not inveigh against the One Who brings about those disasters, for that will be directed towards Allaah, for He is the One Who causes them to happen. Time (al-dahr) means al-zamaan (time) which cannot do anything in and of itself, for it is just one of the things that have been created by Allaah.
The meaning of the phrase "for Allaah is time" means that He is the One Who causes those events and accidents to happen, and He is the Creator of all that happens. And Allaah knows best. (Sharh Muslim, 15/3)
Al-Haafiz Ibn Katheer said, in his Tafseer of the aayah (interpretation of the meaning):
"And they say: "There is nothing but our life of this world, we die and we live and nothing destroys us except Ad-Dahr (time)" [al-Jaathiyah 45:24]
Al-Shaafa'i, Abu 'Ubaydah and others said, in their commentary on the hadeeth of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), "Do not inveigh against time for Allaah is time" – During the Jaahiliyyah, if some difficulty, trial or disaster befell them, the Arabs would say 'Woe to time', attributing those events to time and inveighing against it. But the One Who brought those events to pass is Allaah, so it was as if they were inveighing against Allaah, may He be glorified, because in fact He was the One Who caused those things to happen. So it was forbidden to inveigh against time in this manner, because Allaah is Time, i.e., He is the One lWho is controlling it, but the Arabs were attributing those events to Time.
This is the best of the comments made in the Tafseer of this hadeeth, and this is what is meant. And Allaah knows best. (Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 4/152)
The hadeeth referred to in the question was narrated by al-Bukhaari (4826) and Muslim (2246) from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) who said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Allaah, may He be glorified and exalted, says: 'The son of Adam inveighs against Me, he inveighs against [the vicissitudes of] Time (al-Dahr), and I am Time, in My hand are all affairs, I alternate the night and the day."
This hadeeth does not indicate that al-Dahr is one of the names of Allaah, rather what the hadeeth means is that Allaah is the One who controls time.
Al-Khattaabi said: What this means is: I am the Owner of Time, the Controller of all affairs that they attribute to time, so whoever inveighs against time because it does these things, is in effect inveighing against his Lord Who is the One who does them.
Al-Nawawi said: What is meant by saying "Allaah is al-Dahr (Time)" is that He is the One Who causes things to happen, the Creator of all things that exist. And Allaah knows best. [source for Time topic -islam qa]
walekum salaam wa ramatuallahi wa barakatuhu
Surah Isra 17 verse 80 Say: "O my Lord! let my entry be by the Gate of Truth and Honor and likewise my exit by the Gate of Truth and Honor; and grant me from Thy Presence an authority to aid (me)."
Ameen.
Transliteration :Wa qur rabbi adkhilni mudkhala sidqiw wa akhrijni mukhraja sidqiw wa-j'al li mil ladunka sulta_nan nasira_(n).
Al-Tirmidhi HadithHadith 2482 Narrated by AbuHurayrah (May Allah be pleased with him)
Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) used to say, " O Allah, grant me benefit in what Thou hast taught me, teach me what will benefit me, and increase my knowledge. Praise be to Allah in all circumstances. I seek refuge in Allah from the state of those who go to Hell."
Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it, Tirmidhi saying this is a tradition whose isnad is gharib.
Transliteration:an Abi Hurairah (radiya Allahu anhu) qaal:
qaala Rasul Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam): "Allahumma infa'ni bima 'allamtani, wa allimni maa yanfa'oni wa zidni 'ilman, alhamdulillahi alaa kolli haal, wa a'odtho billahi min haali ahlil naar."
qaala Rasul Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam): "Allahumma infa'ni bima 'allamtani, wa allimni maa yanfa'oni wa zidni 'ilman, alhamdulillahi alaa kolli haal, wa a'odtho billahi min haali ahlil naar."
No comments:
Post a Comment