Affirming the Attribute of Rising Above the Throne for Allah and the Linguistic Meanings of Rising Above
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The Shaykh : And I give you an example that came in the Qur'an in seven places in the Book of Allah. A thing in the Book of Allah is established if it comes in what?
The student: Once.
The Shaykh : In one place, once is enough, because the speech of Allah is the truest of speech. But it came in seven places. In seven places, what is it? What is it, O brothers?
The student: Rising Above (Istiwaa').
The Shaykh : Allah's Rising Above the Throne. It came in seven places in the Book of Allah:[Taha 20:5] [Al-A'raf 7:54].
Ask anyone who has knowledge of the Arabic language, even if it is little, and say: What is the meaning of "Rising Above the Throne"? Ask him? He will tell you: It means He rose and elevated Himself above the Throne, He rose and elevated Himself above the Throne.
Now, does this construction come with this meaning, meaning does "Rising Above" something come with this meaning, i.e., rising and elevating? Yes, it does. Allah Blessed and Exalted is He said:[Az-Zukhruf 43:12-13] What is the meaning of "settle yourselves upon their backs"? You rise upon them. [Az-Zukhruf 43:13] If you rise upon it, [Al-Mu'minun 23:28] what does it mean? You rose upon the ship.
Everyone knows that, and the Qur'an was revealed in the Arabic language.[Ash-Shu'ara 26:193-194] In which tongue? [Ash-Shu'ara 26:195], and He the Exalted said: [Az-Zukhruf 43:3] so that you may understand it. If we understand it according to the requirements of this Arabic language, the word becomes clear: He rose above it and settled upon it, He rose above it and elevated Himself above it.
But a man comes to you and says: So you have likened Allah to His creation, so you have likened Allah to His creation, because you made the meaning of like the meaning in His saying ... Rising Above means He rose above the Throne and elevated Himself, but I did not say it is like the rising of a man upon a camel. And there is a difference between affirming the original meaning and affirming the modality. I did not affirm the modality. If I said that He rose in this modality, that would be forbidden, because I do not know about the modality. And Allah the Exalted said: [Al-A'raf 7:33], and He said: [Al-Isra 17:36].
The student: Once.
The Shaykh : In one place, once is enough, because the speech of Allah is the truest of speech. But it came in seven places. In seven places, what is it? What is it, O brothers?
The student: Rising Above (Istiwaa').
The Shaykh : Allah's Rising Above the Throne. It came in seven places in the Book of Allah:
The Most Merciful [who is] above the Throne established.
الرحمن على العرش استوىIndeed, your Lord is Allah, who created the heavens and earth in six days and then established Himself above the Throne
إن ربكم الله الذي خلق السماوات والأرض في ستّة أيام ثم استوى على العرشAsk anyone who has knowledge of the Arabic language, even if it is little, and say: What is the meaning of "Rising Above the Throne"? Ask him? He will tell you: It means He rose and elevated Himself above the Throne, He rose and elevated Himself above the Throne.
Now, does this construction come with this meaning, meaning does "Rising Above" something come with this meaning, i.e., rising and elevating? Yes, it does. Allah Blessed and Exalted is He said:
and has made for you of ships and animals those which you mount. (13) That you may settle yourselves upon their backs and then remember the favor of your Lord when you have settled upon them
وجعل لكم من الفلك والأنعام ما تركبون لتستووا على ظهوره ثم تذكروا نعمة ربكم إذا استويتم عليهwhen you have settled upon them
إذا استويتم عليهAnd when you have boarded the ship, you and those with you
فإذا استويت أنت ومن معك على الفلكEveryone knows that, and the Qur'an was revealed in the Arabic language.
(193) The Trustworthy Spirit has brought it down (194) Upon your heart, [O Muhammad] - that you may be of the warners -
نزل به الروح الأمين على قلبك لتكون من المنذرينIn a clear Arabic language.
بلسان عربي مبينIndeed, We have made it an Arabic Qur'an that you might understand.
إنّا جعلناه قرآنا عربيّا لعلكم تعقلونHe settled upon the Throne
استوى على العرشBut a man comes to you and says: So you have likened Allah to His creation, so you have likened Allah to His creation, because you made the meaning of