4. Ibn Taymiyah's Saying of the Sitting of Allah !!

[Alsunna Teacher]

IV. The Fourth Article
Ibn Taymiyah's Saying of the Sitting of Allah, Ta^ala
 

Ibn Taymiyah's saying of Allah sitting is confirmed about him, although some of his followers negated this when they found it ugly.  He mentioned this in his book "Minhaj-us-Sunnat-in-Nabawiyyah" by sayings: The majority of Ahl-us-Sunnah wal-Jama^ah say that Allah, tabaraka wa ta^ala, [Tabaraka wa ta^ala attributes the giving and perfection to Allah.] descends and al-^Arsh does not get void of Him. He claimed that this was reported about Ishaq Ibn Rahawayh, Hammad Ibn Zayd, Imam Ahmad, and others. He is a fabricator and great lier about that.

In his Tafsir named "an-Nahr", the Grammarian Abu Hayyan al-'Andalusiyy reported about Ibn Taymiyah having this belief. He said: In his handwriting, a book of Ahmad Ibn Taymiyah, who was contemporary with us, which he called "Kitab-ul-^Arsh", I read: Allah sits on al-Kursiyy and has left a space for the Messenger of Allah to sit with Him.  At-Taj Muhammad Ibn ^Aliyy Ibn ^Abd-il-Haqq al-Baranbariyy pretended that he is a promoter of his ideas and tricked him, until he took it from him; we read that in it. [The author of "Kashf-uz-Zunun" reported that about him also in Volume 2, page 1438.]

This reporting of Abu Hayyan was omitted from the old printed copy.  However, the manuscript confirms it. In his commentary on "as-Sayf-us-Saqil", page 85, az-Zahid al-Kawthariyy said explaining the reason of omitting these statements of Ibn Taymiyah: The editor of as-Sa^adah Printing House told me that he found it very ugly and he omitted it upon printing so that the enemies of al-'Islam would not use it.  Then he requested that I record that here to catch up what he missed and out of sincerity to the Muslims.

In "al-Muwafaqah", page 29, Ibn Taymiyah said: Allah, ta^ala, has a hadd no one but Him knows it.  One should not imagine that hadd for a purpose in himself, but believe it and leave knowing about it to Allah. His place has a hadd, which is on His ^Arsh above His skies. These are two limits.

In the twenty-fifth volume of "al-Kawakib-ud-Darariyy", which is in the Library of az-Zahiriyyah in Damascus, Ibn Taymiyah said: If Allah willed he would sit on a mosqito, which would carry Him by His power; how about on a large ^Arsh!

[Alsunna Teacher]

The Belief Of True Salaf Allah is Attributed with Perfection

Allah does not sit on the throne. Allah is not in the heavens or in any driection. Allah existed before the creations.

The saying that Allah, ta^ala, exists without a place is the belief and the creed of the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu ^alayhi wa sallam, the Companions and the True Salaf and Khalaf, those who graciously followed them, and it shall be until the Day of Judgment. The proof of this precious statement is what Allah said in the Qur'an, in Surat ash-Shura, ayah 11 which means: "There is nothing like Him and He has the attribute of Hearing and Seeing." This ayah absolutely and totally clears Allah of resembling the creation. It comprises that Allah, ta^ala, is different from the creations in the Self, Attributes, and Doings. Hence, it shows that Allah, ta^ala, exists without a place, because the one who exists in a place would, by nature, be composed of atoms, i.e., he would be a body, occupying a space, and Allah, ta^ala, is clear of occupying spaces.

Al-Bukhariyy, al-Bayhaqiyy and Ibn al-Jarud related that the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu ^alayhi wa sallam, said which means: "Allah existed eternally and there was nothing else." This hadith proves that Allah was alone in al-'azal, (the status of existence without a beginning,) i.e., before creating any of the creation. There was nothing with Him: no place, no space, no sky, no light, and no darkness. It is determined in the rules of the Religion and the judgments of the sound mind that Allah, the Exalted, does not change. Hence, it is impossible that after having been existing without a place, He would become in a place, because this is a development, and the development is a sign of needing others, and the one who needs others is not God.

[Alsunna Teacher]

Imam Abu Mansur al-Baghdadiyy related in his book, Al-Farqu Bayn al-Firaq, that Imam ^Aliyy, the fourth of the caliphs, may Allah reward his deeds, said which means:

Allah existed eternally and there was no place, and He now is as He was, i.e., without a place.

Imam Abu Hanifah, who is one of the authorities of as-Salaf, said in his book Al-Fiqh al-Absat: "Allah existed eternally and there was no place. He existed before creating the creation. He existed, and there was no place, creation, or thing; and He is the Creator of everything."

Imam al-Hafidh al-Bayhaqiyy said in his book, Al-Asma'u was-Sifat, on page 400: ".... What was mentioned towards the end of the hadith is an indication of denying Allah has a place and denying the slave is alike to Allah, wherever he was in proximity or remoteness. Allah, the Exalted, is adh-Dhahir--hence, it is valid to know about Him by proofs. Allah is al-Batin--hence, it is invalid that He would be in a place."

He also said: "Some of our companions used as a proof to refute the place to Allah the saying of the Prophet, sallallahu ^alayhi wa sallam : 'You are adh-Dhahir and there is nothing above You, and You are al-Batin and there is nothing underneath You.' Therefore, if there is nothing above Him and nothing underneath Him, He is not in a place."

Imam Ahmad Ibn Salamah, Abu Ja^far at-Tahawiyy, who was born in the year 237 after Hijrah, and was one of the Heads of Great Salaf wrote a book called Al-^Aqidah at-Tahawiyyah. He mentioned that the content of his book is an elucidation of the creed of Ahl as-Sunnah wal Jama^ah, which is the creed of Imam Abu Hanifah, who died in the year 150 after al-Hijrah, and his two companions, Imam Abu Yusuf al-Qadi and Imam Muhammad Ibn al-Hasan ash-Shaybaniyy and others. He said in his book: "Allah is supremely clear of all boundaries, extremes, sides, organs and instruments. The six directions do not contain Him--these are attributed to all created things." Such is the saying of Imam Abu Ja^far who is among the heads of as-Salaf. He explicitly stated that Allah is clear of being contained by the six directions. The six directions are above, below, in front of, behind, right, and left.

The linguist and scholar of hadith, Imam Muhammad Murtada az-Zabidiyy, narrated by a continuous chain from himself back to Imam Zayn al-^Abidin ^Aliyy Ibn al-Husayn Ibn ^Aliyy Ibn Abi Talib, (who was among the first of as-Salaf, who earned the title of as-Sajjad, i.e., the one who prays a lot), that Zayn al-^Abidin said in his treatise as-Sahifah as-Sajjadiyyah about Allah: which means: "O Allah, You are clear of all imperfection. You are Allah, the One Who no place contains You." He also said which means: "O Allah, You are clear of all imperfection. You are Allah, the One Who is not in boundaries."

[Alsunna Teacher]

Shaykh ^Abdul-Ghaniyy an-Nabulsiyy said: "He who believes that Allah fills the heavens and earth or that He is a body sitting above al-^arsh (ceiling of Paradise; throne) is a kafir."

Since we have determined that the creed of the Muslims is that Allah exists without a place and that the question 'how' does not apply to Allah, it is clear to us that al-^arsh (the throne) which is the biggest of the creations of Allah and the ceiling of Paradise, is not a place for Allah, the Exalted.

Hence Surat Taha, ayah 5, in the Qur'an, clearly does not mean that Allah sits on the throne or that Allah is firmly established on the throne. In the Arabic language, the word istawa has fifteen (15) different meanings, among of which are to sit, to subjugate, to protect, to conquer, and to preserve. Based on what we have covered so far it is clear that it is blasphemous to apply the meaning 'to sit' to Allah. However the terms to preserve and to subjugate are in compliance with the Religion and the language. And those so-called translations of al-Quran that referred to the term "Istawa" to "Sits" or "Sat"or "Established himself firmly on the throne" contradict Arabic rules, and Islamic bases. Bewarned from such translations and such attribues, Allah is almighty clear from the sitting, movement, size, shape, form or change.

Allah is great.

[alsunna]

The one who attributes to Allah the sitting is belitting Allah. Because the sitting is an attribute of weakness. And the one who attributes to Allah such an attribute commits blasphemy, and must returun to Islam by saying the shahadatayn; that is: No one is God Except Allah Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.

Ibn Taymiah Said: Where in his book called: Talbees al-Jahmieh page 101, Ibn Taymiah says:

"Ibn Taymiah attributes falsely the body to Allah he said: "It's not in the book of Allah, nor alsunna of the messenger, nor a saying of one of the Salaf of the nation of their leaders that that (Allah) is not a body, or that his attributes (Sifat) are not bodies or properties of the bodies...".

Ibn Taymiah always quotes other's including Salaf and Khalaf in what he says. But none of them say really what he came up with!! He only attributes the claim to Sahabah (Radiallahu ^Anhum) and Salaf for being very authentic sources.

In  page 100 of his book talbees al-Jahmiah ibn taymiah says: “the imams never talked about that (attributing Jism – body to Allah) neither did they attribute Allah with it NOR did they deny it”.

The link is:
http://www.alsunna.org/firaqfiles/ibntaimiah_tajseem.gif

And here:
http://www.alsunna.org/firaqfiles/ibntaimiah_tajseem2.gif

The salaf certainly without a doubt denied attributing the Body jism, or form to Allah. If anyone has a doubt about that he needs serious knowledge. The one who claims that Allah is a body (Jism), or that Allah resembles the creations, would be blying Qur'an, which is kufur.

Ibn Taimiah claims that salaf and scholars never denied that attribute (Body – Jism) to Allah!! AND THEN in other books he literally attributes the body to Allah and the organs. As in one of his books he said “Allah is as big as the throne” and in another says Allah has mouth and other ugly sayings Wal-^iathu Billah.

That shows that he He’s a contradictive liar, and not a scholar. That’s why so many scholars authored against him and his sayings. Because the scholars of Islam of Salaf not only denied that attributes or its likes, rather declared as a kafir the one who attributes the body or organs to Allah.

The great true Salafi, Imam Ja^far as-Sadiq said: "He who claims that Allah is in something or on something or from something, commits ash-shirk. Because if He was in something, He would be contained, and if He was on something, He would be carried, and if He was from something, He would be a creature." Imam al-Qushairiy mentioned that in his book "Al-Risalah". Find it in page 6.

Imam Ahmad Ibn Salamah, Abu Ja^far at-Tahawiyy, who was born in the year 237 after Hijrah, and was one of the Heads of Great Salaf said in his book: "Allah is supremely clear of all boundaries, extremes, sides, organs and instruments. The six directions do not contain Him--these are attributed to all created things." Such is the saying of Imam Abu Ja^far who is among the heads of as-Salaf. He explicitly stated that Allah is clear of being contained by the six directions. The six directions are above, below, in front of, behind, right, and left.

Allah knows best.

[alsunna]

Also in the book of "al-Risallah" for Imam al-Qushairiy, he said
"Allah, Subhanahu, exists eternaly He does not resemble any of the creations, He is not a body(laysa bi jism), He is not an atom (jawhar), He is not a property of the bodies (^arad), His attributes are not properties either, and He is not pictured in delusions or imagined in the minds, He has not direction, he is in a place, time does not elapse on Allah".

Also add to that, Sheikh Abdul-Ghaniy al-Midaniy al-Hanafiy ad-Dimashqiy who died in 298H said in his explanation to "Al-^Aqeedah at-Tahawaiyya": "Allah is not a body. Seeing Allah is not like saying the bodies.. for the one who is in a place and a direction, would only be seen in a place and direction". That is because he is a creation. Where as Allah, he is the creator, he is seen unlike the creations are seen.


Subhanallah the almighty,
Allah knows best.

[alsunna]

طبعا هؤلاء قوم كذابون، بدليل أن السلف نفوا الجسمية وقد نص عليها نصا حرفيا أحد كبار أئمة السلف وهو الإمام الحافظ أبو بكر الإسماعيلي المعاصر للإمام الطحاوي في كتابه "اعتقاد أئمة الحديث" فقال فيه:

"ويعتقدون جواز الرؤية لله من غير تحديد له ولا تجسيم"

هذا اعتقاد السلف أئمة الحديث، وكذا نفاه الإمام أحمد رأس السلف كما نقله عنه أبو الفضل التميمي رئيس حنابلة بغداد وكبيرهم في كتابه "اعتقاد الإمام أحمد".

[alsunna]

والهيتمي والنابلسي والحصني صرحوا بلا تردد بكفره

 أمور العقيدة لا تحتاج إلى حافظ، القاعدة المجمع عليها أن الجرح مقدم على التعديل، نقله الإمام الخطيب البغداي في الكفاية في علم الرواية وكذا نقلها السيوطي في تدريب الراوي.

.هذا محل إجماع والسبب فيه أن الجارح اطلع على ما لم يطلع عليه المُعَدِّل