The Shaykh’s inquiry of one of Shaykh al-Badri’s students regarding his statement on the elevation of Allah.
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The Shaykh: ; so did he explain to you the concept of istiwaa' (rising above the Throne) according to the Salaf and the concept of istiwaa' according to the Khalaf?
The student: I can answer that myself, but as for whether I heard it from him, perhaps it was...
The Shaykh : Very good.
The student: ... he may have said it, and its counterpart is found in that lecture.
The Shaykh: All right, let us hear what you heard from him.
The student: I will say what I heard from him.
The Shaykh: Let us hear something you heard from him, since you are saying now that I... but I do not say that I heard it from him.
The student: ... on this question.
The Shaykh: No, put that aside. Let us hear something you heard from him regarding the topic you raised.
The student: The names and attributes.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The student: ... First, the Shaykh used to lecture for seven full days, as I said: creed on Saturday... jurisprudence on Sunday, hadith on Monday, and likewise on Tuesday he would give an exegesis of the Qur'an. So perhaps it was two Saturdays that I did not attend the Shaykh, and his lesson on creed... this is one matter.
The Shaykh: You are straying, straying, straying far away. I remind you of my question.
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh: Let us hear about something you heard from him regarding the topic of the names and attributes. If you were present, if you were not present, then we return to your first statement.
The student: I am the one who is saying this.
The Shaykh: Dar al-Kitab al-'Arabi... .
The student: The maidservant was asked where Allah is, so she said, "In the sky." He said, "You have spoken the truth. It is as if I am like this."
Another student: In the hadith... she is a believer.
The student: ... she is a believer, on the basis that Allah (Mighty and Majestic) is in the sky, not with the people on the earth.
The Shaykh : ... .
The student: With His knowledge.
The Shaykh: This is an answer related to the hadith.
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh: You, may Allah bless you, mentioned just now that on such-and-such day there is a lesson in exegesis, on such-and-such day there is a lesson in hadith, and on such-and-such day there is a lesson in jurisprudence.
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh: So you are saying you heard him one day narrating the hadith of the maidservant. This has a connection to the lesson on hadith, but what is the connection of this hadith to jurisprudence, and what is its interpretation of the maidservant's statement: Did you hear anything of that from him?
The student: That Allah (Mighty and Majestic) is in the sky with His essence?
The Shaykh : Yes.
The student: ... there are some who say that Allah (Mighty and Majestic) is in every place on the earth with His essence, and they deny that Allah (Mighty and Majestic) is in the sky, but His knowledge is there?
The Shaykh: Meaning, Allah is in the sky with His essence, he says?
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh: And His knowledge is in every place? All right, does this not make one feel that if this is the interpretation, does it not make one feel that Allah (Mighty and Majestic) is confined to the sky?
The student: This is what some of the opponents have said, that Allah has a specific limit in which He is confined.
The Shaykh: Do not stray from me so much. Enough of your straying.
The student: I am not straying.
The Shaykh: What is your kunya? What do they call you?
The student: Abu Muhammad, if Allah wills.
The Shaykh: O Abu Muhammad, enough of your straying.
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh: Stay with me. I am asking the Shaykh what he says? So he mentioned to me what he says: that Allah (Mighty and Majestic) is in the sky with His essence, and His knowledge is in every place. My question was: does this not make one feel that in his statement, Allah is confined to the sky?
The student: No.
The Shaykh: Yes, this is the answer now. You are following me, you are not straying from me.
The questioner: ... from you, if Allah wills.
The Shaykh: No, excuse me, and the point is, we really, frankly, first want to know Shaykh al-Badri.
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh: And thereby we know his student.
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh: So if I finally say, yes, this makes one feel that Allah (Mighty and Majestic) is confined to the sky, is this befitting of Allah?
The questioner: It is not befitting of Allah.
The Shaykh: So how does the Shaykh say this?
The student : ... .
The Shaykh: I understood incorrectly, so correct my understanding. What does the Shaykh say[Al-Mulk 67:16], and the maidservant's answer to the Messenger's statement: . She said: "In the sky."
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh: What is the Shaykh's interpretation? My original question was: what is the Shaykh's interpretation of the hadith of the maidservant? I explained to you that narrating the hadith has a connection to the science of hadith, but what is its interpretation of the maidservant's statement: So I understood from you that he says Allah is in the sky with His essence and His knowledge is in every place. You say no. I am confused.
The student: Is that why you said no?
The Shaykh: I am repeating: did I understand correctly or incorrectly from you?
The student: The first time I understood correctly, and the second time incorrectly.
The Shaykh: The first time, what was the correct statement of the Shaykh?
The student: We said that when you asked me if Allah (Mighty and Majestic) is confined to a place in the sky, we said no, so you said yes. And the second time you said yes, so I repeated the second time, I said I understood incorrectly, so we went back.
The Shaykh: So tell me what is the Shaykh's statement regarding the meaning of the maidservant's statement: so that I understand well?
The student: That Allah (Mighty and Majestic) exists in the sky with His essence and His knowledge is in every place.
The Shaykh: Yes, that is it.
The student: ... he says in the interpretation:[Al-Mulk 67:16], "Allah is in the sky" is al-Badri's statement. Does it establish that Allah (Mighty and Majestic) is in the sky with His essence, or does it not establish that? Does he say that Allah (Mighty and Majestic), if we say He is in the sky, is confined by such-and-such a limit or place, or does he not say this...?
The Shaykh : ... .
The student: We said that he does not say that.
Another student: He does not say that.
The student: We said that he does not say that Allah is confined by a limit, and this is what I said, I do not know what?
Another student: The Shaykh wanted to hear it a second time.
The student: We heard it, and praise be to Allah.
Another student: It was confusing for him.
The student: Perhaps I heard it three times.
Another student: The matter was confusing for him the first time.
The Shaykh: Finally, what did you say? Finally, what did you say?
The student: We said that Allah (Mighty and Majestic) is in the sky with His essence.
The Shaykh : Stop there.
The student: We stop.
The Shaykh: You say that Allah is in the sky with His essence.
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh: This is what I understood, but just now you said no, it is not with His essence in the sky.
The questioner: All that I said is that Allah (Mighty and Majestic) exists in the sky with His essence.
The Shaykh: No, that is incorrect. This is an error.
The student: Yes, it was confusing for me, if Allah wills... the correct one.
The Shaykh: But I mean, we need to understand each other.
The student : ...
The Shaykh: I thought that I understood you incorrectly, meaning I heard badly, and now I heard correctly. You are conveying from the Shaykh that he says Allah is in the sky with His essence, and based on that, does it not follow from this statement that Allah is confined to the sky? So you returned, you say I do not know what... now, may Allah bless you, let us stay so that we can understand each other.
The student : If Allah wills.
The Shaykh: That Allah is in the sky with His essence, in response to the objection of the disputing people: if Allah is in the sky, then He is confined. Does this mean it is necessary, and what is the solution?
The student: This is not befitting of His majesty.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The student: This is a statement that is not befitting of His majesty.
The Shaykh: What is it that is not befitting?
The questioner: That He is confined.
The Shaykh: But you are saying that He is in the sky with His essence.
The questioner: No, but He is not confined by a limit that defines Him.
The Shaykh: What is the meaning of "limit"? Did the word "limit" come in the Book or in the Sunnah?
The student : ...
The Shaykh: All right, I fear you are mistaken, and I do not fear for the Shaykh, and it may be the opposite, because the Shaykh, as you say, is a learned and virtuous man.
The student : That is correct.
The Shaykh: And you are a student of knowledge, so it is more likely that the error is from you than that the error is from him.
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh: So to clarify this or that, we ask a new question, and in the end, we will be on the right path in what we say or believe.
The questioner : If Allah wills.
Then He rose above the Throne
ثُمَّ اسْتَوَى عَلَى الْعَرْشِThe student: I can answer that myself, but as for whether I heard it from him, perhaps it was...
The Shaykh : Very good.
The student: ... he may have said it, and its counterpart is found in that lecture.
The Shaykh: All right, let us hear what you heard from him.
The student: I will say what I heard from him.
The Shaykh: Let us hear something you heard from him, since you are saying now that I... but I do not say that I heard it from him.
The student: ... on this question.
The Shaykh: No, put that aside. Let us hear something you heard from him regarding the topic you raised.
The student: The names and attributes.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The student: ... First, the Shaykh used to lecture for seven full days, as I said: creed on Saturday... jurisprudence on Sunday, hadith on Monday, and likewise on Tuesday he would give an exegesis of the Qur'an. So perhaps it was two Saturdays that I did not attend the Shaykh, and his lesson on creed... this is one matter.
The Shaykh: You are straying, straying, straying far away. I remind you of my question.
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh: Let us hear about something you heard from him regarding the topic of the names and attributes. If you were present, if you were not present, then we return to your first statement.
The student: I am the one who is saying this.
The Shaykh: Dar al-Kitab al-'Arabi... .
The student: The maidservant was asked where Allah is, so she said, "In the sky." He said, "You have spoken the truth. It is as if I am like this."
Another student: In the hadith... she is a believer.
The student: ... she is a believer, on the basis that Allah (Mighty and Majestic) is in the sky, not with the people on the earth.
The Shaykh : ... .
The student: With His knowledge.
The Shaykh: This is an answer related to the hadith.
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh: You, may Allah bless you, mentioned just now that on such-and-such day there is a lesson in exegesis, on such-and-such day there is a lesson in hadith, and on such-and-such day there is a lesson in jurisprudence.
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh: So you are saying you heard him one day narrating the hadith of the maidservant. This has a connection to the lesson on hadith, but what is the connection of this hadith to jurisprudence, and what is its interpretation of the maidservant's statement:
In the sky
في السماءThe student: That Allah (Mighty and Majestic) is in the sky with His essence?
The Shaykh : Yes.
The student: ... there are some who say that Allah (Mighty and Majestic) is in every place on the earth with His essence, and they deny that Allah (Mighty and Majestic) is in the sky, but His knowledge is there?
The Shaykh: Meaning, Allah is in the sky with His essence, he says?
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh: And His knowledge is in every place? All right, does this not make one feel that if this is the interpretation, does it not make one feel that Allah (Mighty and Majestic) is confined to the sky?
The student: This is what some of the opponents have said, that Allah has a specific limit in which He is confined.
The Shaykh: Do not stray from me so much. Enough of your straying.
The student: I am not straying.
The Shaykh: What is your kunya? What do they call you?
The student: Abu Muhammad, if Allah wills.
The Shaykh: O Abu Muhammad, enough of your straying.
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh: Stay with me. I am asking the Shaykh what he says? So he mentioned to me what he says: that Allah (Mighty and Majestic) is in the sky with His essence, and His knowledge is in every place. My question was: does this not make one feel that in his statement, Allah is confined to the sky?
The student: No.
The Shaykh: Yes, this is the answer now. You are following me, you are not straying from me.
The questioner: ... from you, if Allah wills.
The Shaykh: No, excuse me, and the point is, we really, frankly, first want to know Shaykh al-Badri.
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh: And thereby we know his student.
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh: So if I finally say, yes, this makes one feel that Allah (Mighty and Majestic) is confined to the sky, is this befitting of Allah?
The questioner: It is not befitting of Allah.
The Shaykh: So how does the Shaykh say this?
The student : ... .
The Shaykh: I understood incorrectly, so correct my understanding. What does the Shaykh say
Do you feel secure that He who [holds authority] in the heaven
أَأَمِنْتُمْ مَنْ فِي السَّمَاءِWhere is Allah?
أين الله ؟The student: Yes.
The Shaykh: What is the Shaykh's interpretation? My original question was: what is the Shaykh's interpretation of the hadith of the maidservant? I explained to you that narrating the hadith has a connection to the science of hadith, but what is its interpretation of the maidservant's statement:
Allah is in the sky
الله في السماءThe student: Is that why you said no?
The Shaykh: I am repeating: did I understand correctly or incorrectly from you?
The student: The first time I understood correctly, and the second time incorrectly.
The Shaykh: The first time, what was the correct statement of the Shaykh?
The student: We said that when you asked me if Allah (Mighty and Majestic) is confined to a place in the sky, we said no, so you said yes. And the second time you said yes, so I repeated the second time, I said I understood incorrectly, so we went back.
The Shaykh: So tell me what is the Shaykh's statement regarding the meaning of the maidservant's statement:
Allah is in the sky
الله في السماءThe student: That Allah (Mighty and Majestic) exists in the sky with His essence and His knowledge is in every place.
The Shaykh: Yes, that is it.
The student: ... he says in the interpretation:
Do you feel secure that He who [holds authority] in the heaven
أَأَمِنْتُمْ مَنْ فِي السَّمَاءِThe Shaykh : ... .
The student: We said that he does not say that.
Another student: He does not say that.
The student: We said that he does not say that Allah is confined by a limit, and this is what I said, I do not know what?
Another student: The Shaykh wanted to hear it a second time.
The student: We heard it, and praise be to Allah.
Another student: It was confusing for him.
The student: Perhaps I heard it three times.
Another student: The matter was confusing for him the first time.
The Shaykh: Finally, what did you say? Finally, what did you say?
The student: We said that Allah (Mighty and Majestic) is in the sky with His essence.
The Shaykh : Stop there.
The student: We stop.
The Shaykh: You say that Allah is in the sky with His essence.
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh: This is what I understood, but just now you said no, it is not with His essence in the sky.
The questioner: All that I said is that Allah (Mighty and Majestic) exists in the sky with His essence.
The Shaykh: No, that is incorrect. This is an error.
The student: Yes, it was confusing for me, if Allah wills... the correct one.
The Shaykh: But I mean, we need to understand each other.
The student : ...
The Shaykh: I thought that I understood you incorrectly, meaning I heard badly, and now I heard correctly. You are conveying from the Shaykh that he says Allah is in the sky with His essence, and based on that, does it not follow from this statement that Allah is confined to the sky? So you returned, you say I do not know what... now, may Allah bless you, let us stay so that we can understand each other.
The student : If Allah wills.
The Shaykh: That Allah is in the sky with His essence, in response to the objection of the disputing people: if Allah is in the sky, then He is confined. Does this mean it is necessary, and what is the solution?
The student: This is not befitting of His majesty.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The student: This is a statement that is not befitting of His majesty.
The Shaykh: What is it that is not befitting?
The questioner: That He is confined.
The Shaykh: But you are saying that He is in the sky with His essence.
The questioner: No, but He is not confined by a limit that defines Him.
The Shaykh: What is the meaning of "limit"? Did the word "limit" come in the Book or in the Sunnah?
The student : ...
The Shaykh: All right, I fear you are mistaken, and I do not fear for the Shaykh, and it may be the opposite, because the Shaykh, as you say, is a learned and virtuous man.
The student : That is correct.
The Shaykh: And you are a student of knowledge, so it is more likely that the error is from you than that the error is from him.
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh: So to clarify this or that, we ask a new question, and in the end, we will be on the right path in what we say or believe.
The questioner : If Allah wills.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.