(Mentioning the hadith of the descent and that He does not descend except from above, and mentioning the opinions on the issue of Allah being absent from the Throne when He descends, and clarifying the stronger position) And mention the hadith
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The Shaykh : These are also two hadiths mentioned by the author. The first is the hadith of the descent to the lowest heaven in the middle of the night. The descent, rationally, cannot occur except from above, because it is not possible to say "He descended" unless He was high. He says:
"And mention the hadith of His descent in the middle of the night" meaning the middle of the night
"In the last or second third of the night
So the descent of the Lord who is not above His sky *** is impossible in reason and in the Qur'an"
Yes, it is not possible for Him to descend except from above. But we must know that the descent of Allah to the lowest heaven does not mean that the attribute of His being High is removed. He is descending and High, Mighty and Majestic, because Allah is not like anything in all His attributes. But does the Throne become empty of Him? Because rising above the Throne is an attribute of action that He does whenever He wills. We say there are three opinions of the scholars on this issue. One opinion says: the Throne becomes empty of Him. The second opinion says: the Throne does not become empty of Him. The third is: withholding judgment.
So we have two issues. The first issue: If He descends, is the attribute of being High removed from Him? The answer is no, it is not possible, because being High is an essential attribute, and an essential attribute is necessary and Allah does not separate from it. Does the Throne become empty of Him? Because rising above the Throne is an attribute of action that He does whenever He wills. We say there are three opinions of the scholars on this issue. Some said: Yes, the Throne becomes empty of Him. Some said: No. This second opinion is the choice of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him), that the Throne does not become empty of Him. And Allah is able to do all things. He can be descending to the lowest heaven while He is on His Throne, because nothing is like Allah. And some said: Rather, we withhold judgment or remain silent. The correct view in my opinion is that we remain silent and do not speak about this at all, because if there were good in detailing this, the Companions would have been the first to ask the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). So the correct view is that we remain silent about this and turn away from it. Now he says:
"And mention the hadith of the truthful Ibn Rawahah *** regarding the matter of a girl at the time of intercourse
In which is the testimony that the Throne of Allah is *** above the water, outside this".
"And mention the hadith of His descent in the middle of the night" meaning the middle of the night
"In the last or second third of the night
So the descent of the Lord who is not above His sky *** is impossible in reason and in the Qur'an"
Yes, it is not possible for Him to descend except from above. But we must know that the descent of Allah to the lowest heaven does not mean that the attribute of His being High is removed. He is descending and High, Mighty and Majestic, because Allah is not like anything in all His attributes. But does the Throne become empty of Him? Because rising above the Throne is an attribute of action that He does whenever He wills. We say there are three opinions of the scholars on this issue. One opinion says: the Throne becomes empty of Him. The second opinion says: the Throne does not become empty of Him. The third is: withholding judgment.
So we have two issues. The first issue: If He descends, is the attribute of being High removed from Him? The answer is no, it is not possible, because being High is an essential attribute, and an essential attribute is necessary and Allah does not separate from it. Does the Throne become empty of Him? Because rising above the Throne is an attribute of action that He does whenever He wills. We say there are three opinions of the scholars on this issue. Some said: Yes, the Throne becomes empty of Him. Some said: No. This second opinion is the choice of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him), that the Throne does not become empty of Him. And Allah is able to do all things. He can be descending to the lowest heaven while He is on His Throne, because nothing is like Allah. And some said: Rather, we withhold judgment or remain silent. The correct view in my opinion is that we remain silent and do not speak about this at all, because if there were good in detailing this, the Companions would have been the first to ask the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). So the correct view is that we remain silent about this and turn away from it. Now he says:
"And mention the hadith of the truthful Ibn Rawahah *** regarding the matter of a girl at the time of intercourse
In which is the testimony that the Throne of Allah is *** above the water, outside this".