Exposing the misguidance of al-Sha'rawi and those who agree with him in their interpretation of the statement of the Exalted: "The Most Merciful settled upon the Throne" to mean "he took control."
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The Shaykh : The point now is: regarding the phrase or verse: [Taha 20:5], the scholars of the Muslims have two opinions in its interpretation:
One opinion is that of the Salaf, and the other is that of the Khalaf:
The Salaf say:[Taha 20:5] meaning: He is above, and therefore we say in every prostration: "Glory be to my Lord, the Most High," applying the statement of the Exalted: [Al-A'la 87:1].
The second opinion is what Shaykh al-Sha'rawi said: meaning he took control. This figurative interpretation is among the most false of falsehoods. Why?
Because it portrays this meaning as if there is a struggle between Allah and others, but Allah overcame them and took control of their dominion. Does any Muslim say this?! Do you understand me well?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh :[Taha 20:5] He interpreted it to mean "he took control." So who was the one who had control over him before? Are there partners with Allah?!
Far be it from Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He).
Then came the other thing—as they say: "It is a straw on a camel's load". When he was confronted with the previous question, "Where is Allah?", he bristled, his hair stood on end, and he said: "It is not permissible to direct such a question," knowing that this question came from the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) in the most authentic of the hadiths narrated by Imam Muslim in his Sahih. Perhaps you have heard that the most authentic books after the Qur'an are: Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : You must hear this, okay? The hadith I will mention is narrated in Sahih Muslim. Do you see this noble man, al-Sha'rawi, who has captured the hearts of people? No doubt, regarding this hadith I will mention, he is one of two people:
Either he knew of it and denied it, or he was ignorant of it and did not speak according to it, and as they say: "Both are bitter". Meaning, if he knew and deviated, that is more dangerous than if he did not know. However, not knowing might be said regarding the general public, but for a person who is responsible for guiding the entire Islamic world and directing it, it is very ugly for us to imagine that this authentic hadith did not reach his ears. What is this authentic hadith?!
Now, please pay attention: it is a long story, but I want to take from it what suits the occasion now: A man from the Companions of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) named Mu'awiyah ibn al-Hakam al-Sulami came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and said to him: meaning he slapped her a slap on her cheek. Mu'awiyah said this: Sunan ad-Darimi 18:63: He is inquiring and seeking clarification from the Messenger whether freeing this slave girl would suffice for him, because he struck her without right. A wolf had pounced, what does a man do with a wolf, let alone a slave girl?!
So he was regretful of that slap or strike, as he called it, so he (peace be upon him) said to him:: So who asked "Where is Allah?"
The Messenger of Allah, and the slave girl answered that Allah is in the sky. So al-Sha'rawi and his like, many of the scholars of al-Azhar, do not believe that Allah is in the sky, even though every Muslim reads the statement of the Exalted in Surat al-Mulk, the chapter of Blessing:[Al-Mulk 67:16-17]: So from this perspective, the slave girl is more knowledgeable than al-Sha'rawi and his like, because she was able to give the answer for which the Messenger of Allah testified that she was a believer. And based on that, he said to her master: , she testified that Allah is in the sky, meaning: High, and not as many like al-Sha'rawi and others say. This is a famous phrase among the general people, and you will mention it. One person will be sitting in a gathering like this, in silence, quiet, saying: "Allah is present in every place, Allah is present in all existence." This is disbelief. But people, as the Exalted said: [Al-A'raf 7:187] Why is it disbelief?!
Because it is contrary, first, to what we previously mentioned, such as His statement:[Taha 20:5] and such as the hadith of this slave girl Sunan Abi Dawud 3282Sahih (Al-Albani), believing in what came in Surat al-Mulk. The hadiths and verses are many, and very many, such as his statement (peace and blessings be upon him): "Is it not so, is it not so, until the dawn breaks." So the descent of Allah from the sky means that He is above the sky, and that He is not in every place as the common people say. This is contrary to the verses and the authentic hadiths on one hand.
On the other hand, if the rational Muslim asks: Allah (Mighty and Majestic) is eternal, having no beginning, as He said:[Al-Hadid 57:3], whereas creation has a beginning, as he (peace be upon him) said: . So before Allah created creation, was He in a place? And they say Allah is in every place. The place was not a partner with Allah, because Allah is the one who brought it into existence and created it with the word "Be," as the Exalted said: [Ya-Sin 36:82] So by "Be," He created the heavens and the earth, and so time came to be, and place came to be. So what is the meaning of these people when they say: "Allah is present in every place," and Allah was, but there was no place?!
Does that mean that when Allah created creation, He entered into it and it became a refuge for Him, and a shelter for Him, and He became surrounded in this place? Did the place become a container for Him? Far be it from Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) from what they say, exalted above that greatly, because they say: "Allah is in every place." This is one point.
The Most Merciful [who is] above the Throne established.
الرحمن على العرش استوىOne opinion is that of the Salaf, and the other is that of the Khalaf:
The Salaf say:
The Most Merciful [who is] above the Throne established.
الرحمن على العرش استوىExalt the name of your Lord, the Most High,
سبح اسم ربك الأعلىThe second opinion is what Shaykh al-Sha'rawi said:
The Most Merciful took control of the Throne
الرحمن على العرش استولىBecause it portrays this meaning as if there is a struggle between Allah and others, but Allah overcame them and took control of their dominion. Does any Muslim say this?! Do you understand me well?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh :
The Most Merciful [who is] above the Throne established.
الرحمن على العرش استوىFar be it from Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He).
Then came the other thing—as they say: "It is a straw on a camel's load". When he was confronted with the previous question, "Where is Allah?", he bristled, his hair stood on end, and he said: "It is not permissible to direct such a question," knowing that this question came from the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) in the most authentic of the hadiths narrated by Imam Muslim in his Sahih. Perhaps you have heard that the most authentic books after the Qur'an are: Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : You must hear this, okay? The hadith I will mention is narrated in Sahih Muslim. Do you see this noble man, al-Sha'rawi, who has captured the hearts of people? No doubt, regarding this hadith I will mention, he is one of two people:
Either he knew of it and denied it, or he was ignorant of it and did not speak according to it, and as they say: "Both are bitter". Meaning, if he knew and deviated, that is more dangerous than if he did not know. However, not knowing might be said regarding the general public, but for a person who is responsible for guiding the entire Islamic world and directing it, it is very ugly for us to imagine that this authentic hadith did not reach his ears. What is this authentic hadith?!
Now, please pay attention: it is a long story, but I want to take from it what suits the occasion now: A man from the Companions of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) named Mu'awiyah ibn al-Hakam al-Sulami came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and said to him:
O Messenger of Allah, I have a slave girl who tends my sheep in one of the mountains of Medina. One day a wolf pounced on my sheep, and I am a human being who gets angry as humans get angry, so I struck her a strike
يا رسول الله لي جارية ترعى غنماً لي في أحد في المدينة ، فسطا الذئب يوماً على غنمي وأنا بشر أغضب كما يغضب البشر فصككتها صكَّةAnd upon me, O Messenger of Allah, is the freeing of a neck
وعليّ يا رسول الله عتق رقبةSo he was regretful of that slap or strike, as he called it, so he (peace be upon him) said to him:
Bring her. When she came, he said to her: "Where is Allah?"—here is the point, the Messenger of Allah said to her: "Where is Allah?" She said: "In the sky." He said: "And who am I?" She said: "You are the Messenger of Allah." So he turned to her master and said to him: "Free her, for she is a believer"
ائت بها ، فلما جاءت قال لها : أين الله ؟ -هنا الشاهد قال لها رسول الله : أين الله ؟ قالت : في السماء ، قال : فمن أنا ، قالت : أنت رسول الله ، فالتفت إلى سيدها وقال له : أعتقها فإنها مؤمنةThe Messenger of Allah, and the slave girl answered that Allah is in the sky. So al-Sha'rawi and his like, many of the scholars of al-Azhar, do not believe that Allah is in the sky, even though every Muslim reads the statement of the Exalted in Surat al-Mulk, the chapter of Blessing:
(16) Do you feel secure that He who [holds authority] in the heaven would not cause 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? Then you would know how [severe] was My warning.
أأمنتم من في السماء أن يخسف بكم الأرض فإذا هي تمور * أم أمنتم من في السماء أن يرسل عليكم حاصباً فستعلمون كيف نذيرSet her free, for she is a believer
أعتقها فإنها مؤمنةbut most of the people do not know."
ولكنَّ أكثر الناس لا يعلمونBecause it is contrary, first, to what we previously mentioned, such as His statement:
The Most Merciful [who is] above the Throne established.
الرحمن على العرش استوىWhere is Allah ? She replied: In the heaven.
أين الله ؟ قالت : في السماءAllah descends every night to the lowest heaven in the last third of the night and says: Is there anyone who calls upon Me that I may answer him? Is there anyone who seeks My forgiveness that I may forgive him? Is there anyone who asks Me that I may give him?
ينزل الله كل ليلة إلى السماء الدنيا في الثلث الأخير من الليل فيقول: ألا هل من داعٍ فأستجيب له، ألا هل من مستغفر فأغفر له، ألا هل من سائل فأعطيهOn the other hand, if the rational Muslim asks: Allah (Mighty and Majestic) is eternal, having no beginning, as He said:
He is the First and the Last, the Ascendant and the Intimate
هو الأول والآخر والظاهر والباطنThe first thing Allah created was the Pen, and He said to it: Write. It said: What shall I write? He said: Write what is destined to happen until the Day of Resurrection.
أول ما خلق اللهُ القلم ، فقال له : اكتب ، قال : ما أكتب ؟ قال : اكتب ما هو كائن إلى يوم القيامةHis command is only when He intends a thing that He says to it, "Be," and it is.
إنما أمره إذا أراد شيئاً أن يقول له كن فيكونDoes that mean that when Allah created creation, He entered into it and it became a refuge for Him, and a shelter for Him, and He became surrounded in this place? Did the place become a container for Him? Far be it from Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) from what they say, exalted above that greatly, because they say: "Allah is in every place." This is one point.