Does affirming the descent of Allah to the lower heaven imply that the Throne is empty?
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Q: How do we respond to those who say: You say that Allah descends to the lower heaven in the last third of the night, and that this necessitates Him leaving the Throne; because the last third of the night is not at the same time for the people of the earth?
A: This is the word of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him); he is the one who said, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him:Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 753 It is agreed upon that it is authentic. The scholars have explained that this is a descent befitting Allah, and it is not like our descent. No one knows its modality except He, (Glorified and Exalted is He). He descends as He wills, and it does not follow from this that the Throne is empty. It is a descent befitting Him (may He be exalted). The third of the night differs in the parts of the world, and this is a matter specific to Him, (the Exalted). He does not resemble His creation in any of His attributes, as He, (Glorified and Exalted is He), said: [Surat al-Shura: 11]. And He, (Exalted and Majestic is He), said: [Surat Ta-Ha: 110]. And he, (peace and blessings be upon him), mentioned in the Verse of the Throne: [Surat al-Baqarah: 255]. And the verses in this meaning are many. He, (Glorified and Exalted is He), is more knowledgeable about the modality of His descent. So it is upon us to affirm the descent in the manner befitting Allah. And while He has risen above the Throne, He descends as befits Him (may He be exalted), not like our descent. If someone descends from a roof, the roof becomes empty of him, and if he descends from a car, the car becomes empty of him. This is a defective analogy for Him, because He, (Glorified and Exalted is He), is not measured by His creation, nor does He resemble His creation in any of His attributes.
Similarly, we say: He has risen above the Throne in the manner befitting Him, (Glorified and Exalted is He). We do not know the modality of His rising, so we do not liken Him to the creation nor compare Him to them. Rather, we say: He has risen in a manner befitting His Majesty and Greatness. When the theologians (mutakallimun) delved into this matter without right, they fell into great confusion until their speech led them to the denial of Allah entirely. They said: He is not inside the world, nor outside the world, nor so-and-so, nor so-and-so, until they described Him with attributes whose meaning is non-existence and the denial of His existence, (Glorified and Exalted is He), entirely. For this reason, the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and the people of the Sunnah and the community followed them. They affirmed what the texts of the Book and the Sunnah brought, and they said: No one knows the modality of His attributes except He, (Glorified and Exalted is He). Among this is what Malik (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “The rising is known, the modality is unknown, belief in it is obligatory, and asking about it is a religious innovation.” Meaning asking about the modality. And similar to that is what is narrated from Umm Salama (may Allah be pleased with her) from Rabi'ah ibn Abi Abd al-Rahman, the shaykh of Malik (may Allah have mercy on them both): “The rising is not unknown, the modality is not comprehensible, and belief in it is obligatory.”
And whoever commits to this matter is safe from many doubts and from the many numerous beliefs of the people of falsehood. It is sufficient for us to affirm what came in the texts and not to add to that. And so we say: He hears and speaks and sees, and He becomes angry and is pleased, in a manner befitting Him, (Glorified and Exalted is He). No one knows the modality of His attributes except He. And this is the path of safety, the path of salvation, and the path of knowledge. It is the methodology of the righteous Salaf, and it is the safest, most knowledgeable, and most wise methodology. By this, the believer is safe from the doubts of those who liken Allah to creation and the misguidance of those who mislead. He holds fast to the Sunnah and the clear Book, and he returns the knowledge of the modality to his Lord (may He be exalted). And Allah, (Glorified and Exalted is He), is the One who grants success.
A: This is the word of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him); he is the one who said, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him:
Our Lord, the Blessed and Exalted, descends to the lowest heaven every night when a third of the night remains. He says, 'Who is calling on Me so that I can answer him? Who is asking Me for something so that I can give to him? "Who is asking Me for forgiveness so that I can forgive him?
ينزل ربنا تبارك وتعالى إلى السماء الدنيا كل ليلة حين يبقي ثلث الليل الآخر؛ فيقول: من يدعوني فأستجيب له؟ من يسألني فأعطيه؟ من يستغفرني فأغفر له؟ حتى ينفجر الفجرThere is nothing like unto Him, and He is the Hearing, the Seeing.
لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْءٌ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُAllah knows what is [presently] before them and what will be after them, but they do not encompass it in knowledge.
يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ وَلا يُحِيطُونَ بِهِ عِلْمًاand they encompass not a thing of His knowledge except for what He wills
وَلا يُحِيطُونَ بِشَيْءٍ مِنْ عِلْمِهِ إِلا بِمَا شَاءَSimilarly, we say: He has risen above the Throne in the manner befitting Him, (Glorified and Exalted is He). We do not know the modality of His rising, so we do not liken Him to the creation nor compare Him to them. Rather, we say: He has risen in a manner befitting His Majesty and Greatness. When the theologians (mutakallimun) delved into this matter without right, they fell into great confusion until their speech led them to the denial of Allah entirely. They said: He is not inside the world, nor outside the world, nor so-and-so, nor so-and-so, until they described Him with attributes whose meaning is non-existence and the denial of His existence, (Glorified and Exalted is He), entirely. For this reason, the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and the people of the Sunnah and the community followed them. They affirmed what the texts of the Book and the Sunnah brought, and they said: No one knows the modality of His attributes except He, (Glorified and Exalted is He). Among this is what Malik (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “The rising is known, the modality is unknown, belief in it is obligatory, and asking about it is a religious innovation.” Meaning asking about the modality. And similar to that is what is narrated from Umm Salama (may Allah be pleased with her) from Rabi'ah ibn Abi Abd al-Rahman, the shaykh of Malik (may Allah have mercy on them both): “The rising is not unknown, the modality is not comprehensible, and belief in it is obligatory.”
And whoever commits to this matter is safe from many doubts and from the many numerous beliefs of the people of falsehood. It is sufficient for us to affirm what came in the texts and not to add to that. And so we say: He hears and speaks and sees, and He becomes angry and is pleased, in a manner befitting Him, (Glorified and Exalted is He). No one knows the modality of His attributes except He. And this is the path of safety, the path of salvation, and the path of knowledge. It is the methodology of the righteous Salaf, and it is the safest, most knowledgeable, and most wise methodology. By this, the believer is safe from the doubts of those who liken Allah to creation and the misguidance of those who mislead. He holds fast to the Sunnah and the clear Book, and he returns the knowledge of the modality to his Lord (may He be exalted). And Allah, (Glorified and Exalted is He), is the One who grants success.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.