The hadith regarding the descent of Allah the Exalted in the last third of the night, given that the last third exists in one place but not another, does this necessitate the permanence of the Lord's descent?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : May Allah preserve you, O honorable Shaykh. The hadith states that our Lord descends to the lowest heaven in the last third of the night, and this happens every night. However, the last third of the night differs from city to city and from country to country, such that the last third may occur at any time of the day. Does this necessitate that He is constantly in the state of descending?
The Shaykh : I think, my brother, that we have not moved from the place where we forbade you from discussing these matters. If you are in a country and it is the last third of the night, believe that Allah has descended to the lowest heaven. If you are in a country at a time other than this, there is no descent. For example, right now for us here it is before the midday prayer, and there is no descent. But if you go to other regions where it is the last third of the night, we say: the descent is established. And Allah the Exalted is[Ash-Shuraa 42:11] in all His attributes.
This question is a question of excessive pedantry. Believe that Allah descends to the lowest heaven when the last third of the night remains, every night, and in every place. As for saying that He remains constantly in the state of descending, who said that?
So I advise you to keep this in your pocket and not bring it up. When you are in the last third of the night, the Lord is descending, and when you are at a time other than this, the Lord is not descending, and the matter is concluded. This is because the attributes of Allah are not like the attributes of the created. Now, we believe that Allah descends to the lowest heaven, and we believe that He is above everything. Can this be imagined for a created being, that he descends to a place while being above everything? And yet, we believe that Allah is above everything, and that He is descending, and that the closest a servant is to his Lord is when he is in prostration. And yet, we do not ask: How is He closest to the servant when he is in prostration, while He is above His Throne? We say: This is only raised if we imagine that the attributes of the Creator are like the attributes of the created.
So my advice to you, our brothers, is not to engage in such things, because Allah is too great and too exalted to be comprehended by minds or eyes. Say: I believe in Allah, and say:[Ash-Shuraa 42:11] and it is concluded. Do you understand?
So if it is presented to you, because this ... some people, assume with their minds that the descent of the Creator is like the descent of the created. So we say: Believe in what has come in the explicit text and do not go beyond it, and do not raise questions.
The Shaykh : I think, my brother, that we have not moved from the place where we forbade you from discussing these matters. If you are in a country and it is the last third of the night, believe that Allah has descended to the lowest heaven. If you are in a country at a time other than this, there is no descent. For example, right now for us here it is before the midday prayer, and there is no descent. But if you go to other regions where it is the last third of the night, we say: the descent is established. And Allah the Exalted is
There is nothing like unto Him
لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْءٌThis question is a question of excessive pedantry. Believe that Allah descends to the lowest heaven when the last third of the night remains, every night, and in every place. As for saying that He remains constantly in the state of descending, who said that?
So I advise you to keep this in your pocket and not bring it up. When you are in the last third of the night, the Lord is descending, and when you are at a time other than this, the Lord is not descending, and the matter is concluded. This is because the attributes of Allah are not like the attributes of the created. Now, we believe that Allah descends to the lowest heaven, and we believe that He is above everything. Can this be imagined for a created being, that he descends to a place while being above everything? And yet, we believe that Allah is above everything, and that He is descending, and that the closest a servant is to his Lord is when he is in prostration. And yet, we do not ask: How is He closest to the servant when he is in prostration, while He is above His Throne? We say: This is only raised if we imagine that the attributes of the Creator are like the attributes of the created.
So my advice to you, our brothers, is not to engage in such things, because Allah is too great and too exalted to be comprehended by minds or eyes. Say: I believe in Allah, and say:
There is nothing like unto Him
لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْءٌSo if it is presented to you, because this ... some people, assume with their minds that the descent of the Creator is like the descent of the created. So we say: Believe in what has come in the explicit text and do not go beyond it, and do not raise questions.