ʿAqīdah

The safest position on the issue of Istawā' ʿalā al-

ʿArsh and the likes

By Zuber Karim
© Zuber Karim 2009

The Salafis, Deobandis or Barelwis of whatever Manhaj leanings, whether Ashʿarī, Māturdī

or of whatever inclinations among the Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jamaʿah agree upon the fact that the

safest Madh-hab regarding these types of issue is that of the Salaf al-Sālihīn, Sahābah (‫ )رض ا عنم‬and

ultimately, Rasūlullah (‫ )صل ا عليه وسل‬. That is to believe unreservedly in all that has come from Allah

through his Messenger (‫)صل ا عليه وسل‬. This belief should be from the heart and tongue. This is what

Imān is all about. This is also the command of Allah. Allah Taʿālā states:

‫م ل نفرق بي أحد منم ونن ل ۥ‬%‫م ن 'رب‬% ‫بي*ون‬% '‫وت ٱلن‬% ‫ أ‬1 ‫يس وما‬
3 ‫ع‬% ‫موس و‬ % ' ‫ا ءامن 'ا ب‬R ‫و‬1 ‫قول‬
3 ‫وت‬% ‫ أ‬1 ‫اط وما‬% ‫ب‬9‫ق ويعقوب وٱلس‬3‫سـ‬%‫عيل وإ‬% 3‫سـ‬%‫م وإ‬E‫هـ‬% ‫برٲ‬%‫ل إ‬%1 3 ‫زل إ‬% ‫ أ ن‬1 ‫لين ا وما‬%‫زل إ‬% ‫ أ ن‬1 ‫ٱل وما‬%

' ‫فيڪهم‬% ‫يك‬9‫ فس‬d‫شقاق‬% ‫ف‬% ‫إن 'ما ه‬% ‫ا ف‬R ‫ن تول'و‬%‫ا 'وإ‬dR ‫د ٱهتدو‬% ‫هۦ فق‬% ‫ب‬% ‫ ءامنت‬1 ‫ ما‬%‫مثل‬% ‫ب‬% ‫ا‬R ‫ن ءامنو‬%‫( فإ‬١٣٦) ‫لمون‬% ‫مس‬
' ‫ٱل _ وهو‬
١٣٧) ‫لي‬% ‫ميع ٱلع‬% ‫ٱلس‬

“Say ye: "We believe, in Allah and the revelation given to us and to Abraham Isma`il Isaac Jacob and the Tribes
and that given to Moses and Jesus and that given to (all) Prophets from their Lord we make no difference between one

and another of them and we bow to Allah (in Islam)." (136) So if they believe as ye believe they are indeed on the right

path; but if they turn back, it is they who are in schism; but Allah will suffice thee as against them, and He is the All-

Hearing the All- Knowing. (137)” (2:136-137)

© Zuber Karim 2009, Dundee.

1
 Whilst observing verse 137, it reveals that if others uphold the same belief as you, the

believers, then they are guided, otherwise they are in schism. Al-Qurṭubī states that you ( ye) in this

verse is an address to the Prophet (‫ )صل ا عليه وسل‬and his Ummah. The belief outlined previously in

verse 136, is unreserved Imān (faith) in Allah and all His revelations to His stated Messengers and

prophets, which entails belief in them (the prophets) too.

Rasūlullah and his companions as well as the Salaf after them remained steadfast on this

belief, thus, one does not find any Madh-hab of Ta'wīl in in the Aḥādīth nor the statements of the

latter. This is the quality of ʿUlama Rāsikhīn fī al-ʿilm as mentioned in the Holy Qur'ān.

Man has always inquiries. He is inquisitive by nature. He is always in search of truth and

since his childhood, pines for knowing the how-ness, what-ness and why-ness of things around him.

Hence, the birth of philosophy is logical. Does a philosopher always reach the truth? Is he in need

of a tool, in this case, revelation, to assist him in solving the mysteries that baffle him? The writer

does not wish to answer these questions, however, seeks to make them as introduction to the

following.

The inquiry being a human nature, has never become dislodged from the prophets too. Take

an example of ʿUzair (‫ )عليه السلم‬when he saw the destroyed city of Jerusalem as stated in the book of

Allah:

‫ثت‬%‫ قال بل ل'ب‬d‫ثت يو †ما أو بعض يوم‬%‫ قال لب‬d‫ثت‬%‫ قال ڪم لب‬d‫ئة عام 'ث بعثه ۥ‬R‫ما‬% ‫ٱل‬ ' ‫ه‬% ‫ذ‬% 3‫ ۦى هـ‬% ‫ن ي‬3 ' ‫وشها قال أ‬
' ‫ فأماته‬d‫ ا‬%‫ٱل بعد موت‬ 3 ‫وي }ة‬% ‫ه خا‬% ‫عل قرية و‬
% ‫عل عر‬ 3 ‫ٱلى 'مر‬
% ' ‫أو ك‬

‫ئة عام‬R‫ما‬%

3 ‫ٱل‬
‫عل ڪل شء‬ ' ‫نشها 'ث نكسوها لح †ما_ فل 'ما تب 'ي ل ۥ قال أعل أ 'ن‬% ‫م ڪيف ن‬% ‫عظا‬% ‫ل ٱل‬%‫ وٱنظر إ‬d ‫اس‬% '‫لنجعل ءاي †ة للن‬% ‫ارك و‬% ‫ح‬% ‫ل‬%3 ‫ وٱنظر إ‬d ‫ن'ه‬9‫ك لم يتس‬%‫مك وشاب‬% ‫ل طعا‬%3 ‫فٱنظر إ‬

٢٥٩ ‫د }ير‬% ‫ق‬

© Zuber Karim 2009, Dundee.

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Or (take) the similitude of one who passed by a hamlet, all in ruins to its roofs. He said: "Oh! how shall Allah bring it

(ever) to life, after (this) its death?" But Allah caused him to die for a hundred years, then raised him up (again). He

said: "How long didst thou tarry (thus)?" He said: "(perhaps) a day or part of a day." He said: "Nay, thou hast tarried

thus a hundred years; but look at thy food and thy drink; they show no signs of age; and look at thy donkey: and that

We may make of thee a Sign unto the people Look further at the bones, how We bring them together and clothe them

with flesh! When this was shown clearly to him he said: "I know that Allah hath power over all things." (2:259)

His question about how the ruined city will be revived in “Oh! how shall Allah bring it (ever) to

life, after (this) its death?" But Allah caused him to die for a hundred years, then raised him up

(again). He said: "How long didst thou tarry (thus)?”, was not of a negator but of a wonder-struck

believer who believed in the power of Allah of resuscitating the life in this once bustling city, thus

he wondered about Allah's mechanics or how-ness of its reconstruction as highlighted by Jalālayn.

He slept for a hundred years as the verse proves, in which period his donkey was reduced to

fractured skeleton, yet he and his provisions, the juice and fresh figs remained intact during the said

time. During the same period, the city underwent re-building. The commentators point that he was

overpowered by sleep after making his inquiring statement in the morning and woke up after a

century in the later hours of the day, thus, answering to Allah that his rest was for "(perhaps) a day

or part of a day." Allah informed him that the time was more than that, 100 years. Allah, the

Almighty told him to observe two sets of items, i) the juice and the fig and ii) the donkey. The first

set was intact while the second was in skeletal form. The bones started joining together until the the

flesh-less skeletal structure stood. The flesh and later the skin were incorporated to it until the life

was inserted to it when it brayed, on seeing this he concluded, "I know that Allah hath power over

all things."

© Zuber Karim 2009, Dundee.

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The Messenger of Allah, Ibrahim's (‫ )عليه السلم‬inquiry on how does Allah bring the mortals to life is

another example to the natural quest in human beings. Allah knowingly asks, “ ‫من‬% ‫” أولم تؤ‬, “Do not you

believe?” He responded, "Yes (I believe), but to be stronger in Faith.” These incidents point to the

fact that unreserved belief was present but the inquiry was human in nature as part of wonder and

not as part of doubt in faith, let alone negation in belief. Ibrahim's (‫ )عليه السلم‬nearness to Allah, gave

access to such bravery and to serve as Hujjah(evidence) for us. Analysing this type of inquiry and

comparing it with that of philosophers, one finds a great deal of difference in approach and thought,

thus my former questions persist, “Is he (the philosopher) in need of a tool, in this case, revelation,

to assist him in solving the mysteries that baffle him?” And does a philosopher always reach the

truth? Perhaps a ponderous look into the afore-mentioned verses and other verses on the same

subject may assist in calming the yearning to climb the peaks of knowledge the hard way and help

conquer them fast.

The onslaught on the pure ʿAqīdah of Salaf happened during the entry of Hellenistic

philosophy into the lands of Muslims. Thus, the Muʿtazilī school was an affirmative testament to

this. While, on the contrary, Ashʿarī and Māturdī schools of Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jamaʿah were a

philosophical response to it. These schools which soon gained momentum and succeeded in

challenging the Muʿtazilites during debates were fast gaining rigidity. As time passed, Muʿtazilī

thought whose backbone was the ruling class weakened. The philosophical debate was won by the

Ashʿarī and Māturdī schools. At all times, the popular stance in ʿaqīdah (Creed) was that of Ahl al-

Sunnah wa al-Jamaʿah. The debates brought about the Madh-hab of Ta'wīl, which was incorporated

into the scientific works of Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jamaʿah. The reason for its introduction was to

speak the same language (lingua franca) as the philosophers' and remedy their quests. It was the

need of the said time that compelled bringing about this madh-hab, thus serving as barrier to any

© Zuber Karim 2009, Dundee.

4
absurd philosophical entry into the system of Deen that may corrupt it and serving as material of

defence to any philosophical onslaught in the future.

Do philosophers in their quest for truth get always right or do they sometimes deviate? Imam

al-Haramayn al-Sharifayn Abdur Rahman al-Jawini, a man of great philosophical expertise states, “I

read 50,000 philosophical works during 50,000 seatings. I was able to disable the Muslim

philosophers from the non-Muslim ones within these articles. See, now I am following the religion

of an old lady [meaning: my beliefs and thoughts are simple].” Imam Ghazali in his quest to

quench his thirst, left the highest seat of learning, His article Fī Tarīq al-Sadaʿāh wa al-Yaqīn bears

testimony to the well that quenched his thirst. To the writer, these two incidents are seen as a u-turn

to the madh-hab of Salaf.

The Salaf always enjoyed purity in beliefs. They encouraged simplistic and surface approach

in them. Imam Malik's anger to the inquirer about Istawā' ʿalā al-ʿArsh emphasises this. Imam

Malik inclined his head and was silent until he was covered with sweat, then he looked up and said:

“Istawā is not unknown, the modality of it is inconceivable in the mind; but belief in it is

obligatory, and inquiring about it is a heretical innovation. You are an innovator.”1 And he ordered

the man to be taken out. Take an example of Abdullah ibn Mubarak and others whilst passing by the

likes of such verses, stating, “Amirrūhā kamā Jā'at” “Pass them as they came”. This is for some

reasons. First, we have not been commanded to ponder over them deeply and compose anything

about them, however, we have been commanded to believe in them and absorb the grandeur and

power of Allah that Allah demonstrates in them (the latter [from 'absorb' onward] may explain the

madh-hab of Ta'wīl). Second, any pose and ponder and analogy with the human surroundings will

bring about similitude (Tashībh) which Allah is free from. The same attitude is observable in many
1Sources: Al-Bayhaqi, (Sound Chain), al-'Asma' wal Sifat (2:305-306 #867); Al-Baghawi, Sharh al-Sunna (1.171); Al-Lalika'i, Sharh Usul al-I'tiqad
(2:398); Ibn Abi Zayd al-Qayrawani, al-Jami' fil-Sunan (p. 123); Abu Nu'aym, Hilya (6:325-326); Ibn 'Abd al Barr, al-Tamhid (7:151) and Ibn Hajar,
Fath (13:407). Available at: URL<http://thinkerspen.blogspot.com/2008/07/imam-malik-on-istiwa.html> Access Date: 13th April 2009.

© Zuber Karim 2009, Dundee.

5
commentators who often use the word “Kamā yalīqu bi Jalāli Dhātihī” “As the grandeur of His

Being deserves” in the likes of Istawā' ʿalā al-ʿArsh. This is the safest position. Other

commentators, together with this, may add the madh-hab of Ta'wīl, however, the preference

remained always for the former to the latter.

Conclusively, the safest (Aslam) madh-hab that every Muslim scholar and non-scholar agrees

upon is that of Salaf al-Sālihīn, Sahābah and ultimately, Rasūlullah (‫ ) صل ا عل يه و سل‬which is to

unreservedly believe in what Allah has revealed and not to inquire in the how-ness of such verses

as neither has one been commanded to do so nor is the human intellect capable of grasping it due to

its limitations. The benefits of adhering to this position are plenty, which puts one in par with and

on the same stance as Salaf al-Sālihīn, Sahābah (‫ ) رض ا عنم‬and ultimately, Rasūlullah (‫)صل ا عليه وسل‬

and other prophets (‫ )عليم السلم‬regarding Imān, in which the safety of one's Deen rests and in which

the flawless guidance is found. For Barakah, I wish to conclude this article with the verses quoted

in the beginning:

‫م ل نفرق بي أحد منم ونن ل ۥ‬%‫م ن 'رب‬% ‫بي*ون‬% '‫وت ٱلن‬% ‫ أ‬1 ‫يس وما‬
3 ‫ع‬% ‫موس و‬ % ' ‫ا ءامن 'ا ب‬R ‫و‬1 ‫قول‬
3 ‫وت‬% ‫ أ‬1 ‫اط وما‬% ‫ب‬9‫ق ويعقوب وٱلس‬3‫سـ‬%‫عيل وإ‬% 3‫سـ‬%‫م وإ‬E‫هـ‬% ‫برٲ‬%‫ل إ‬%1 3 ‫زل إ‬% ‫ أ ن‬1 ‫لين ا وما‬%‫زل إ‬% ‫ أ ن‬1 ‫ٱل وما‬%

١٣٧) ‫لي‬% ‫ميع ٱلع‬% ‫فيڪهم 'ٱل _ وهو 'ٱلس‬% ‫يك‬9‫ فس‬d‫شقاق‬% ‫ف‬% ‫إن 'ما ه‬% ‫ا ف‬R ‫ن تول'و‬%‫ا 'وإ‬dR ‫د ٱهتدو‬% ‫ۦه فق‬% ‫ب‬% ‫ ءامنت‬1 ‫ ما‬%‫مثل‬% ‫ب‬% ‫ا‬R ‫ن ءامنو‬%‫( فإ‬١٣٦) ‫لمون‬% ‫مس‬

“Say ye: "We believe, in Allah and the revelation given to us and to Abraham Isma`il Isaac Jacob and the Tribes
and that given to Moses and Jesus and that given to (all) Prophets from their Lord we make no difference between one

and another of them and we bow to Allah (in Islam)." (136) So if they believe as ye believe they are indeed on the right

path; but if they turn back, it is they who are in schism; but Allah will suffice thee as against them, and He is the All-

Hearing the All- Knowing. (137)” (2:136-137)

© Zuber Karim 2009, Dundee.

6