The Meaning of the Poet's Saying: O my people, His descent and His rising above are not a reality for you, but rather they are non-existence
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The Shaykh :"O my people ***" He is addressing those who deny the attribute of rising above (istiwa').
"O my people, His descent and His rising above ***" How can he say "O my people" while he is declaring them misguided? We say, yes, just like the prophets. The prophets say "O my people" while they are lying to them and associating partners with Allah. He says:
"O my people, His descent and His rising above *** are not a reality for you, but rather they are non-existence"
Because they do not acknowledge the rising above of Allah, nor His descent. They say, "What is the rising above of Allah?"
The student: The attributes
The Shaykh : Divine decree and compulsion, and they say regarding the descent that it is the descent of the command and mercy. If I say, "Our Lord descends to the lowest heaven," it is the same Lord who descends (Mighty and Majestic). He struck his hand on his head and shouted, "Allah descends." I said, "Yes, you are not the one who is wrong; it is His command that descends to the lowest heaven in the last third of the night." So, what does the command say?Sahih al-Bukhari 1145 He said, "No, it does not say who descends; it says His mercy descends." You say, "This is what the mercy says." Then what is the benefit for us of the mercy descending to the lowest heaven? And the command, does it end at the lowest heaven, or does it end at the earth? [As-Sajdah 32:5]
So the third one found the correct meaning: an angel from among His angels descends. We say, "Glory be to Allah! The angel calls people to associating partners with Allah? He says, 'Whoever calls upon Me, I will respond to him.'" Yes, and in that case, the paths are cut off from him, and he becomes a traveler whose way is cut off. And we say, "Submit and accept. Submit the matter to Allah and His Messenger, and say, 'Our Lord descends in a true descent befitting Him' (Mighty and Majestic is He). And in that case, you are safe. Yes, but they say, 'There is no descent and no rising above.'"
"O my people, His descent and His rising above ***" How can he say "O my people" while he is declaring them misguided? We say, yes, just like the prophets. The prophets say "O my people" while they are lying to them and associating partners with Allah. He says:
"O my people, His descent and His rising above *** are not a reality for you, but rather they are non-existence"
Because they do not acknowledge the rising above of Allah, nor His descent. They say, "What is the rising above of Allah?"
The student: The attributes
The Shaykh : Divine decree and compulsion, and they say regarding the descent that it is the descent of the command and mercy. If I say, "Our Lord descends to the lowest heaven," it is the same Lord who descends (Mighty and Majestic). He struck his hand on his head and shouted, "Allah descends." I said, "Yes, you are not the one who is wrong; it is His command that descends to the lowest heaven in the last third of the night." So, what does the command say?
Is there anyone to invoke Me, so that I may respond to invocation?
من يدعوني فأستجيب لهHe arranges [each] matter from the heaven to the earth
يدبر الأمر من السماء إلى الأرضSo the third one found the correct meaning: an angel from among His angels descends. We say, "Glory be to Allah! The angel calls people to associating partners with Allah? He says, 'Whoever calls upon Me, I will respond to him.'" Yes, and in that case, the paths are cut off from him, and he becomes a traveler whose way is cut off. And we say, "Submit and accept. Submit the matter to Allah and His Messenger, and say, 'Our Lord descends in a true descent befitting Him' (Mighty and Majestic is He). And in that case, you are safe. Yes, but they say, 'There is no descent and no rising above.'"