Bismillahi Ar-Rahmani Ar-Rahim,

In this post I will try to simply prove Allah (swt)’s highness over the Throne, in a way to refute the heretic of Al-Asha’irah in this matter, who deny Allah (swt)’s highness over the throne, and explain it as: “Power and Might”.

Even though Imam Al-Dhahabi (ra) composed a book titled: “Mukhtassar Al-Ulo” (i.e. the abridgement of the matter of highness), and gathered lots of the words of the Salaf about this matter, including Sahabah, and it was an enough guidance to those who want to follow the path of the pious Salaf; this post will simply refute their claim without the ability from their side to refute it, as it is very vivid and clear, Alhamdulillah.

When you present to them the evidence of Allah (swt)’s Highness over the Throne, such as verse [20:05]:

الرَّحْمَنُ عَلَى الْعَرْشِ اسْتَوَى

The Beneficent One, Who settled on the Throne

They say: the word “Istawa” (i.e. settle or subside) in the Arabic text can mean in Arabic “Istawla” (i.e. possess by force). and they prove their claim through using a poetic verse of an UNKNOWN poet who said:

قد استوى بشر على العراق .. من غير سيف ولا دم مهراق

And Bishr Istawa on Iraq, without using a sword or shedding blood

And the answer to this claim is very simple.

First of all: This poet is unknown, and no one knows who he is.

Secondly: if we suppose he is known, then his poem cannot be used as an evidence in the Arabic language, as the Arabic scholars agreed that only the poets of Jahiliyyah which were known that they did not associate with non-Arabs, their poems can be used as evidences in the Arabic language, and those who came after them need evidences from pure Arabs to prove their wordings.

Thirdly: if we assume it is true that Istawa means Istawla, then do we say that Allah (swt) had to fight to possess His Throne (Astaghfirullah)?

But they would go against the Arabic language and say: We do not agree that Istawla here means to possess with force, but we believe it only means to possess, and this possession occurred through creation. In other words, When Allah (swt) created the Throne, it became His, so He possessed it.

The answer is: Ok, I will assume what you said is true, then answer me: What was created first? The Throne or the heavens and earths?.. if you do not know the answer, then read the authentic Hadiths below:

كتب الله مقادير الخلائق قبل أن يخلق السماوات والأرض بخمسين ألف سنة . قال وعرشه على الماء

Book 33. Destiny.
Hadith 6416. (Sahih Muslim)

Abdullah b. ‘Amr b. al-’As reported: I heard Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: Allah ordained the measures (of quality) of the creation fifty thousand years before He created the heavens and the earth, as His throne was upon water.

This shows that the Throne was created before anything else.

Also this Hadith:

إني عند النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم إذ جاءه قوم من بني تميم ، فقال : ( اقبلوا البشرى يا بني تميم ) . قالوا : بشرتنا فأعطنا ، فدخل ناس من أهل اليمن ، فقال : ( اقبلوا البشرى يا أهل اليمن ، إذ لم يقبلها بنو تميم ) . قالوا : قبلنا ، جئناك لنتفقه في الدين ، ولنسألك عن أول هذا الأمر ما كان ، قال : ( كان الله ولم يكن شيء قبله ، وكان عرشه على الماء ، ثم خلق السماوات والأرض ، وكتب في الذكر كل شيء ) . ثم أتاني رجل فقال : يا عمران أدرك ناقتك فقد ذهبت ، فانطلقت أطلبها ، فإذا السراب ينقطع دونها ، وايم الله لوددت أنها قد ذهبت ولم أقم .

Vol 9, Book 93. Oneness, Uniqueness Of Allah
Hadith 514. (Sahih Bukhari)

Narrated By ‘Imran bin Hussain: While I was with the Prophet , some people from Bani Tamim came to him. The Prophet said, “O Bani Tamim! Accept the good news!” They said, “You have given us the good news; now give us (something).” (After a while) some Yemenites entered, and he said to them, “O the people of Yemen! Accept the good news, as Bani Tamim have refused it. ” They said, “We accept it, for we have come to you to learn the Religion. So we ask you what the beginning of this universe was.” The Prophet said “There was Allah and nothing else before Him and His throne was over the water, and He then created the Heavens and the Earth and wrote everything in the Book.” Then a man came to me and said, ‘O Imran! Follow your she-camel for it has run away!” So I set out seeking it, and behold, it was beyond the mirage! By Allah, I wished that it (my she-camel) had gone but that I had not left (the gathering).”

This proves the same.

So if this is already known and agreed on, then I ask another question:

Allah (swt) said in verse [25:59]:

الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ ثُمَّ اسْتَوَى عَلَى الْعَرْشِ الرَّحْمَنُ فَاسْأَلْ بِهِ خَبِيراً

 Who created the heavens and the earth and all that is between them in six Days, then He mounted (settled on) the Throne. The Beneficent! Ask any one informed concerning Him!

So the question is:

If Istawla means possess.. then according to the above evidences: Allah (Swt) did NOT possess the Throne until He created the heavens and earths.. which means: It was outside Allah (swt)’s possession till Allah (Swt) finished creating the universe, and who believes this is certainly a Kafir. And if they do not believe in this Kufr, then they must yeild to the truth and believe that Istawa here cannot mean possess, and it only can mean subside/settle.

After all, Allah knows best