Reflection on the Creation of Allah and the Limits Thereof
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The third and fourth questions from Fatwa No. (782): Q3: The text is: (We have children and we want them to reflect on what Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, has created. What holds up the earth that is on the surface of the water from
the water? And they said: The earth is of seven layers, and each layer has inhabitants. And they presented to us: One of the layers of the earth is a blazing fire hotter than the Fire, in which Allah places the souls of sinners and disbelievers. And they told us: Harut and Marut are angels in the earth who are being punished. May Allah reward you with good, what is their punishment?)
Volume 3: First: There is no land on the surface of the water for you to ask what supports it from the water; rather, above the water is the air and the sky. All the celestial bodies have held together, and each has remained in its place by the power of Allah the Exalted. Allah the Exalted said:[Fatir 35:41]. This cohesion may be due to a secret that Allah has deposited in the creatures, which is known by those for whom Allah has prepared the means of knowing it, such as scholars of the natural laws of the universe and others. In [Sahih al-Bukhari], it is narrated from Ali (may Allah be pleased with him): . Second: Allah informed us that the earth is seven layers, saying: [At-Talaq 65:12]. The scholars who, through their independent legal reasoning, stated that they are layers, one above the other, with air between them, and that each layer is inhabited by a creation of Allah, cited as evidence His saying:
[At-Talaq 65:12]. Some of them said that they are seven layers, one above the other, touching each other, and they cited as evidence the hadith: Sunan al-Bayhaqi 7:59. Third: (Sijjin) is among the matters of the unseen about which we must refrain from speculating, except to the extent that Allah has clarified in His Book or through His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). Allah the Exalted said: [Al-Mutaffifin 83:7-8]. Therefore, we must believe in this and not add to it any words from ourselves, lest we fall into what Allah has forbidden in His saying: [Al-Isra 17:36]. Fourth: Harut and Marut are two angels among the angels of Allah. Allah tested His servants with them, and they did nothing but what Allah commanded them to do, so they were obedient to Allah in what they were tasked with. It is for Allah to test His servants and try them with whatever He wills, however He wills, and no one can challenge Him in His decree and His legislation. Allah the Exalted said: [Al-Baqarah 2:102].
As for the claim that they were angels who were transformed into men, that they committed sins and were barred from the sky, and that they are being punished in this world or are hanging by their hair, all of this and the like are the words of liars among the storytellers. A Muslim must not accept this from them and must avoid reading in books that are not trustworthy, such as the book [Bada'i' al-Zuhur fi Waqi'at al-Dahur], for its author and those like him are the ones who mention such fabrications. And Allah knows best.
the water? And they said: The earth is of seven layers, and each layer has inhabitants. And they presented to us: One of the layers of the earth is a blazing fire hotter than the Fire, in which Allah places the souls of sinners and disbelievers. And they told us: Harut and Marut are angels in the earth who are being punished. May Allah reward you with good, what is their punishment?)
Volume 3: First: There is no land on the surface of the water for you to ask what supports it from the water; rather, above the water is the air and the sky. All the celestial bodies have held together, and each has remained in its place by the power of Allah the Exalted. Allah the Exalted said:
Indeed, Allah holds the heavens and the earth, lest they cease. And if they should cease, no one could hold them [in place] after
إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُمْسِكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضَ أَنْ تَزُولا وَلَئِنْ زَالَتَا إِنْ أَمْسَكَهُمَا مِنْ أَحَدٍ مِنْ بَعْدِهِInform the people of what they know. Do you wish that Allah and His Messenger be lied about?
حدثوا الناس بما يعرفون أتريدون أن يكذب الله ورسولهIt is Allah who has created seven heavens and of the earth, the like of them
اللَّهُ الَّذِي خَلَقَ سَبْعَ سَمَاوَاتٍ وَمِنَ الأَرْضِ مِثْلَهُنَّ[His] command descends among them so you may know that Allah is over all things competent
يَتَنَـزَّلُ الأَمْرُ بَيْنَهُنَّ لِتَعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌWhoever cuts off a span of land, it will encircle him on the Day of Resurrection from seven earths
من اقتطع شبرًا من أرض طوّقه يوم القيامة من سبع أرضين(7) No! Indeed, the record of the wicked is in sijjeen. (8) And what can make you know what is sijjeen?
كَلا إِنَّ كِتَابَ الْفُجَّارِ لَفِي سِجِّينٍ (7) وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا سِجِّينٌ (8) كِتَابٌ مَرْقُومٌAnd do not pursue that of which you have no knowledge
وَلاَ تَقْفُ مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِ عِلْمٌAnd they followed [instead] what the devils had recited during the reign of Solomon. It was not Solomon who disbelieved, but the devils disbelieved, teaching people magic and that which was revealed to the two angels at Babylon, Harut and Marut. But the two angels do not teach anyone unless they say, "We are a trial, so do not disbelieve
وَاتَّبَعُوا مَا تَتْلُو الشَّيَاطِينُ عَلَى مُلْكِ سُلَيْمَانَ وَمَا كَفَرَ سُلَيْمَانُ وَلَكِنَّ الشَّيَاطِينَ كَفَرُوا يُعَلِّمُونَ النَّاسَ السِّحْرَ وَمَا أُنْزِلَ عَلَى الْمَلَكَيْنِ بِبَابِلَ هَارُوتَ وَمَارُوتَ وَمَا يُعَلِّمَانِ مِنْ أَحَدٍ حَتَّى يَقُولاَ إِنَّمَا نَحْنُ فِتْنَةٌ فَلاَ تَكْفُرْAs for the claim that they were angels who were transformed into men, that they committed sins and were barred from the sky, and that they are being punished in this world or are hanging by their hair, all of this and the like are the words of liars among the storytellers. A Muslim must not accept this from them and must avoid reading in books that are not trustworthy, such as the book [Bada'i' al-Zuhur fi Waqi'at al-Dahur], for its author and those like him are the ones who mention such fabrications. And Allah knows best.
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.