The Oneness of the Names and Attributes
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Fatwa No. ( 13683 )
Q: Is it permissible to interpret the word (istiwa') as meaning "straightness" or not?
A: The belief of the people of the Sunnah and the community regarding the oneness of the names and attributes is that they believe in what came in the Book of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) and what is established from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) without figurative interpretation or likening Allah to creation, and without distortion of a text's meaning or denial of the divine attributes. They describe Allah the Exalted with what He described Himself with and with what His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) described Him with. Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) has described Himself in several places in the Noble Qur'an as being established above His Throne, and it is an establishment befitting His Majesty. So He the Exalted said:[Taha 20:5], and He the Exalted said: [Al-Hadid 57:4], and He said: .
And the Imam of the people of the Sunnah, Malik ibn Anas , was asked about the manner of the establishment, so he said: "The establishment is not unknown, the manner is not known, belief in it is obligatory, and asking about it is a religious innovation." It is obligatory for the Muslim to follow the Salaf of this Ummah and to believe in what came in the Book of Allah the Exalted regarding the attributes according to the intent of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He), and in what is established from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) regarding the attributes of Allah the Exalted according to the intent of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). It is not permissible to describe the establishment of Allah on His Throne as straightness or dominance or the like. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and his Companions.
Q: Is it permissible to interpret the word (istiwa') as meaning "straightness" or not?
A: The belief of the people of the Sunnah and the community regarding the oneness of the names and attributes is that they believe in what came in the Book of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) and what is established from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) without figurative interpretation or likening Allah to creation, and without distortion of a text's meaning or denial of the divine attributes. They describe Allah the Exalted with what He described Himself with and with what His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) described Him with. Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) has described Himself in several places in the Noble Qur'an as being established above His Throne, and it is an establishment befitting His Majesty. So He the Exalted said:
The Most Merciful [who is] above the Throne established.
الرَّحْمَنُ عَلَى الْعَرْشِ اسْتَوَىIt is He who created the heavens and earth in six days and then established Himself above the Throne
هُوَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضَ فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ ثُمَّ اسْتَوَى عَلَى الْعَرْشِThen the Most Merciful established Himself above the Throne, so ask about Him one who knows.
ثُمَّ اسْتَوَى عَلَى الْعَرْشِ الرَّحْمَنُ فَاسْأَلْ بِهِ خَبِيرًاAnd the Imam of the people of the Sunnah, Malik ibn Anas , was asked about the manner of the establishment, so he said: "The establishment is not unknown, the manner is not known, belief in it is obligatory, and asking about it is a religious innovation." It is obligatory for the Muslim to follow the Salaf of this Ummah and to believe in what came in the Book of Allah the Exalted regarding the attributes according to the intent of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He), and in what is established from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) regarding the attributes of Allah the Exalted according to the intent of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). It is not permissible to describe the establishment of Allah on His Throne as straightness or dominance or the like. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and his Companions.
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.