What is the interpretation of the saying of Allah the Exalted: "Then He directed Himself to the heaven while it was smoke"?
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The questioner : May Allah reward you. A questioner asks about the interpretation of the saying of Allah the Exalted in Surat al-Furqan: [Fussilat 41:11].
The Shaykh : The first of the verses, Allah the Exalted said:[Fussilat 41:9-11]. And similarly, regarding this verse, Allah the Exalted said: [Al-Baqarah 2:29]. The exegetes (may Allah have mercy on them) differed regarding the meaning of "He directed Himself to the heaven": does it mean He rose to the heaven, or does it mean He intended and aimed for the heaven? There are two opinions among the exegetes from the people of the Sunnah who affirm the attributes. What appears to me is that its meaning is "He directed Himself to the heaven," meaning He intended it. This is because the preposition indicates the meaning. There is a difference between saying "He directed Himself to such-and-such" and "He directed Himself over such-and-such." The first indicates intention and direction, while the second indicates elevation. Know that this root, which I mean the root of "istawa" (to be equal/level/direct), occurs in the Arabic language in four forms: absolute, restricted by the letter waw, restricted by the preposition ila (to), and restricted by the preposition 'ala (over). How many categories are there? Four: absolute, restricted by waw, restricted by ila, restricted by 'ala. An example of the absolute form: give it to me, come on.
The questioner : The saying of Allah the Mighty and Majestic:[Al-Qasas 28:14].
The Shaykh : The saying of Allah the Exalted:[Al-Qasas 28:14]. Here, it means perfection. "Istawa" means the creation was perfected. An example of it being paired with the letter waw.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : No, my brother, it is paired with the letter waw.
The questioner : The water and the plank became level.
The Shaykh : Yes, from the examples of the grammarians: "The water and the plank became level." They said the waw here is for accompaniment, and the meaning of "istawa" here is that the water and the plank became equal. What is this plank? The plank. Do you know the pool? The pool of water. One placed a plank in the pool so that when the water reached this point, the leveling ended. "The water and the plank became level" means the water and the plank became equal. The third is when it is transitive with 'ala, paired with "elevated." Its example is:
The questioner :[Taha 20:5]
The Shaykh :[Taha 20:5]. This means elevation, a specific elevation belonging to the Throne. It is not said for anything other than the Throne. One says "He directed Himself over the Throne," but one does not say "He directed Himself over the heaven," nor "He directed Himself over the creation." One says "He directed Himself over the Throne" and "He is elevated over the heaven and over the creation." Here, we must know the difference between specific elevation and absolute elevation. Absolute elevation: our Lord, the Exalted, is above everything. Specific elevation is over what? Over the Throne. The fourth is when it is transitive with ila, and this is the case here. An example of this is the saying of Allah the Exalted: . The most correct view is that here, "istawa" means intention. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you. This questioner says: I am a woman who is away from her homeland.
The Shaykh : I am what?
The questioner : I am a woman who is away from her homeland, and I have no relatives with me except my husband. I ask him to let me go to the Prophet's Mosque or to go visit my neighbors, but my husband says to me: I do not want you to be going out and coming in. So...
The Shaykh : Going out and coming in.
The questioner : Yes, so is it permissible for him to prevent me?
The Shaykh : Repeat, repeat the question. I don't know...
Then He directed Himself to the heaven while it was smoke
ثم استوى إلى السماء وهي دخانThe Shaykh : The first of the verses, Allah the Exalted said:
(9) Say, "Do you indeed disbelieve in He who created the earth in two days and attribute to Him equals? That is the Lord of the worlds." (10) And He placed on the earth firmly set mountains over its surface, and He blessed it and determined therein its [creatures'] sustenance in four days without distinction - for [the information] of those who ask. (11) Then He directed Himself to the heaven while it was smoke and said to it and to the earth, "Come [into being], willingly or by compulsion." They said, "We have come willingly."
قُلْ أَئِنَّكُمْ لَتَكْفُرُونَ بِالَّذِي خَلَقَ الْأَرْضَ فِي يَوْمَيْنِ وَتَجْعَلُونَ لَهُ أَنْدَادًا ذَلِكَ رَبُّ الْعَالَمِينَ * وَجَعَلَ فِيهَا رَوَاسِيَ مِنْ فَوْقِهَا وَبَارَكَ فِيهَا وَقَدَّرَ فِيهَا أَقْوَاتَهَا فِي أَرْبَعَةِ أَيَّامٍ سَوَاءً لِلسَّائِلِينَ * ثُمَّ اسْتَوَى إِلَى السَّمَاءِ وَهِيَ دُخَانٌ فَقَالَ لَهَا وَلِلْأَرْضِ ائْتِيَا طَوْعًا أَوْ كَرْهًا قَالَتَا أَتَيْنَا طَائِعِينَIt is He who created for you all of that which is on the earth. Then He directed Himself to the heaven, [His being above all creation], and made them seven heavens
هُوَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ لَكُمْ مَا فِي الْأَرْضِ جَمِيعًا ثُمَّ اسْتَوَى إِلَى السَّمَاءِ فَسَوَّاهُنَّ سَبْعَ سَمَاوَاتٍThe questioner : The saying of Allah the Mighty and Majestic:
And when he attained his full strength and was [mentally] mature
ولما بلغ أشده واستوىThe Shaykh : The saying of Allah the Exalted:
And when he attained his full strength and was [mentally] mature
ولما بلغ أشده واستوىThe questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : No, my brother, it is paired with the letter waw.
The questioner : The water and the plank became level.
The Shaykh : Yes, from the examples of the grammarians: "The water and the plank became level." They said the waw here is for accompaniment, and the meaning of "istawa" here is that the water and the plank became equal. What is this plank? The plank. Do you know the pool? The pool of water. One placed a plank in the pool so that when the water reached this point, the leveling ended. "The water and the plank became level" means the water and the plank became equal. The third is when it is transitive with 'ala, paired with "elevated." Its example is:
The questioner :
The Most Merciful [who is] above the Throne established.
الرحمن على العرش استوىThe Shaykh :
The Most Merciful [who is] above the Throne established.
الرحمن على العرش استوىThen He rose above the heaven
ثم استوى إلى السماءThe questioner : May Allah reward you. This questioner says: I am a woman who is away from her homeland.
The Shaykh : I am what?
The questioner : I am a woman who is away from her homeland, and I have no relatives with me except my husband. I ask him to let me go to the Prophet's Mosque or to go visit my neighbors, but my husband says to me: I do not want you to be going out and coming in. So...
The Shaykh : Going out and coming in.
The questioner : Yes, so is it permissible for him to prevent me?
The Shaykh : Repeat, repeat the question. I don't know...