The ruling on the statement that Allah is everywhere and the evidence cited for it
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Question:
The third question: A man was asked, "Where is Allah?" He answered, "He is everywhere," and then cited the saying of Allah the Exalted:[Al-Baqarah 2:115]. When he was questioned about this matter and told that Allah is in the sky, he said, "You agree with the Christians on this." What is the ruling on this statement? May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
The question "Where is Allah?" is the one the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) asked the girl. He said to her: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) approved her statement that He is in the sky. This is found in the Book of Allah just as it is found in the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). Indeed, Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, says: [Al-Mulk 67:16] [Al-Mulk 67:16-17]?
So the Book, the Sunnah, and the consensus of the Salaf of the Ummah and its imams, and all the verified scholars of knowledge, are in agreement that Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, is in the sky, meaning that He is in the height or that He is above the heavens, Glorified and Exalted is He. This is part of the belief of the Muslims: affirming that Allah is in the sky, that He is above the heavens, and that He is rising above His Throne, Glorified and Exalted is He, distinct from His creation. This is by the consensus of the religions and the sound instincts; the heavenly religions and the sound instincts agree that Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, is in the sky.
As for the statement that He is everywhere, this is the view of the Jahmiyyah. Allah is exalted above what they say, greatly exalted. This is disbelief in Allah, Mighty and Majestic, for this implies, may Allah protect us from it, that Allah is in every place, even in filthy places. Allah is exalted above what they say, greatly exalted. We affirm that Allah is in the sky, and we refute those who say He is everywhere. We hold that this is disbelief and misguidance.
If the Christians agree with us on this, then it is the truth. We do not abandon it because the Christians agree with us on it. If they agree with us on the truth, we affirm it. We only differ with them regarding the falsehood they have stated. Yes.
As for the argument of the one who cites the saying of Allah the Exalted:[Al-Baqarah 2:115], it contains no evidence for him that Allah is everywhere. Allah is exalted above that. The verse was revealed regarding facing the qiblah in prayer. It is said it was revealed concerning a group of travelers who were confused about the qiblah. They exerted effort and prayed. Then it became clear to them after they had prayed that they were facing other than the qiblah. So Allah, Glorious and Exalted, accepted their prayer because they exerted effort and did their best to ascertain the qiblah. This is the limit of their capacity. It applies to one who is confused about the qiblah, exerts effort, and prays. His prayer is valid, even if it becomes clear afterwards that he erred regarding the qiblah, provided he had no one to inform him of the qiblah or there were no signs indicating it. If the Muslim exerts effort and prays, his prayer is valid, even if it becomes clear to him afterwards that he faced other than the qiblah. The saying of Allah the Exalted: [Al-Baqarah 2:286].
It is also said that the verse was revealed regarding voluntary prayer while traveling. The traveler prays the nafilah and tahajjud at night wherever his mount faces, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did. It is revealed regarding facing the qiblah in prayer. The intended meaning of "face" here is direction, i.e., the direction that Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, is pleased with. It does not refer to the Face, which is one of the attributes of Allah, Mighty and Majestic. Yes.
The presenter:
May Allah reward you with good.
The third question: A man was asked, "Where is Allah?" He answered, "He is everywhere," and then cited the saying of Allah the Exalted:
And to Allah belongs the east and the west. So wherever you [might] turn, there is the Face of Allah
وَلِلَّهِ الْمَشْرِقُ وَالْمَغْرِبُ فَأَيْنَمَا تُوَلُّوا فَثَمَّ وَجْهُ اللَّهِAnswer:
The question "Where is Allah?" is the one the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) asked the girl. He said to her:
Where is Allah? He was testing her.
أين الله يختبرها؟She said, "In the sky." So he said to her master, "Free her, for she is a believer."
قالت في السماء، فقال لسيدها أعتقها فإنها مؤمنة،Do you feel secure that He who [holds authority] in the heaven
أَأَمِنتُم مَّن فِي السَّمَاءِcause the earth to swallow you and suddenly it would sway? (17) Or do you feel secure that He who [holds authority] in the heaven would not send against you a storm of stones
يَخْسِفَ بِكُمُ الْأَرْضَ فَإِذَا هِيَ تَمُورُ أَمْ أَمِنتُم مَّن فِي السَّمَاءِ أَن يُرْسِلَ عَلَيْكُمْ حَاصِبًاSo the Book, the Sunnah, and the consensus of the Salaf of the Ummah and its imams, and all the verified scholars of knowledge, are in agreement that Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, is in the sky, meaning that He is in the height or that He is above the heavens, Glorified and Exalted is He. This is part of the belief of the Muslims: affirming that Allah is in the sky, that He is above the heavens, and that He is rising above His Throne, Glorified and Exalted is He, distinct from His creation. This is by the consensus of the religions and the sound instincts; the heavenly religions and the sound instincts agree that Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, is in the sky.
As for the statement that He is everywhere, this is the view of the Jahmiyyah. Allah is exalted above what they say, greatly exalted. This is disbelief in Allah, Mighty and Majestic, for this implies, may Allah protect us from it, that Allah is in every place, even in filthy places. Allah is exalted above what they say, greatly exalted. We affirm that Allah is in the sky, and we refute those who say He is everywhere. We hold that this is disbelief and misguidance.
If the Christians agree with us on this, then it is the truth. We do not abandon it because the Christians agree with us on it. If they agree with us on the truth, we affirm it. We only differ with them regarding the falsehood they have stated. Yes.
As for the argument of the one who cites the saying of Allah the Exalted:
And to Allah belongs the east and the west. So wherever you [might] turn, there is the Face of Allah
وَلِلَّهِ الْمَشْرِقُ وَالْمَغْرِبُ فَأَيْنَمَا تُوَلُّوا فَثَمَّ وَجْهُ اللَّهِAllah does not charge a soul except [with that within] its capacity
لَا يُكَلِّفُ اللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَاIt is also said that the verse was revealed regarding voluntary prayer while traveling. The traveler prays the nafilah and tahajjud at night wherever his mount faces, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did. It is revealed regarding facing the qiblah in prayer. The intended meaning of "face" here is direction, i.e., the direction that Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, is pleased with. It does not refer to the Face, which is one of the attributes of Allah, Mighty and Majestic. Yes.
The presenter:
May Allah reward you with good.
Source
الفوزان - الإجابات العلمية والتوجيهات المنمهجية - 02 — archive.org (36:46)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.