The Shaykh’s explanation of the verse “Do you feel safe from the One in the heaven?”
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The Shaykh : Here in the verse and in the answer of the girl, there is a clarification that is necessary. [Al-Mulk 67:16] The word “heaven” in the language has several meanings: rain is a heaven, a ceiling is a heaven, clouds are a heaven, and there are seven heavens, one above the other, heavens and so on. So which meaning is intended in the saying of Allah the Exalted, [Al-Mulk 67:16]? We must mention that the intended meaning of “heaven” in this specific verse is absolute elevation, so that this verse aligns in meaning with [Taha 20:5]. This is because the Throne is above all created things, above the heavens. There is no creation whatsoever behind the Throne; behind the Throne is only the Creator of the Throne and the Creator of the entire universe, (Glorified and Exalted is He).
So when we read[Al-Mulk 67:16], we must not visualize “heaven” in the sense of a place, because this visualization has led us to the same state as others. In that case, if we want to say that Allah is in the heaven, meaning in this creation that He created, it means that we have confined Him to a place. But the intended meaning of “heaven” here is absolute elevation, meaning outside of created things, meaning above the Throne [Taha 20:5].
The verses and hadiths, and I say the Salaf and the imams, all proceed on the basis of affirming this reality, which is that Allah has the attribute of elevation.
One of the subtleties of the verses mentioned in this issue is that Allah (Mighty and Majestic) describes His servants by saying[An-Nahl 16:50]. This is, in fact, like an indirect test for us. We are the ones who assume in ourselves that we fear our Lord, and sometimes the fear of Allah and His greatness takes hold of us. Do we notice that this Great Lord is above us, or is He mixed and mingled with us? Our Lord says here regarding the attributes of the believers: [An-Nahl 16:50].
So among the attributes of the believers is what the girl answered in the previous hadith: Allah is in the heaven. Because our Lord (Blessed and Exalted is He) says regarding the believers:[An-Nahl 16:50].
There is nothing in the Book or in the Sunnah that contradicts this belief, or that compels us to follow the path of those who interpret it figuratively; rather, they have some doubts.
Do you feel secure that He who [holds authority] in the heaven
أأمنتم من في السماءDo you feel secure that He who [holds authority] in the heaven
أأمنتم من في السماءThe Most Merciful [who is] above the Throne established.
الرحمن على العرش استوىSo when we read
Do you feel secure that He who [holds authority] in the heaven
أأمنتم من في السماءThe Most Merciful [who is] above the Throne established.
الرحمن على العرش استوىThe verses and hadiths, and I say the Salaf and the imams, all proceed on the basis of affirming this reality, which is that Allah has the attribute of elevation.
One of the subtleties of the verses mentioned in this issue is that Allah (Mighty and Majestic) describes His servants by saying
They fear their Lord above them
يخافون ربهم من فوقهمThey fear their Lord
يخافون ربهم من في فوقهمSo among the attributes of the believers is what the girl answered in the previous hadith: Allah is in the heaven. Because our Lord (Blessed and Exalted is He) says regarding the believers:
They fear their Lord above them
يخافون ربهم من فوقهمThere is nothing in the Book or in the Sunnah that contradicts this belief, or that compels us to follow the path of those who interpret it figuratively; rather, they have some doubts.