Here are some verses on Allah’s Uluww (aboveness)

“The Most Merciful rose over the Throne” (Tā-Hā 20:5)

“He created the heavens and the earth in six days and then He rose upon the Throne.” (Al-A’rāf 7:54)

“Do you feel secure that the One who is above the heaven will not cause the earth to swallow you up as it quakes violently? Or do you feel secure that the One who is in the heaven will not send upon you a storm?” (Al-Mulk 67:16-17)

“(He is) Exalted (above) the degrees, Owner of the Throne. He sends down the revelation of His Command upon whomever He wants from His slaves.” (Ghāfir 40:15)

“I will verily take you and raise you to Me.” (Ālu ‘Imrān 3:55)

“Rather Allāh raised him (‘Īsā) to Himself.” (An-Nisā 4:158)

“They fear their Lord from above them.” (An-Nahl 16:50)

“Dhīl-Ma’ārij (The Owner of aboveness and abundant blessings).” (Al-Ma’ārij 70:3)

“Say: ‘The holy spirit (Jibrīl) brought it down from your Lord in truth. In order for those who believe to become firm.” (An-Nahl 16:102)

“And He is the Irresistible above His slaves.” (Al-An’ām 6:18)

“And He is the Most High the Great.” (Al-Baqarah 2:255)

“He sends down the angels with the revelation of His Command upon whomever He wants from His slaves.” (An-Nahl 16:2)

“The trustworthy spirit (Jibrīl) came down with it, upon your heart in order for you to be from the warners.” (Ash-Shu’arā 26:193-194)

“He who created the heavens and the earth and what is between them in six days and then rose over the Throne – the Most Merciful, so ask about Him one well informed [the Prophet (ﷺ)].” (Al-Furqān 25:59)

“Say: ‘The Holy Spirit brought it down from your Lord in truth, in order to make the believers firm, and (as) a guidance and glad tidings to the Muslims.’” (An-Nahl 16:102)

“To Him the good word ascends.” (Fātir 35:10)**

For those who deny that Allah ﷻ has a direction how do they explain the verses where allah ﷻ says the angels ascend to him, Isa عليه السلام ascends to him and the hadith of israa wal miraaj where the prophet ﷺ ascended to Allah.

Proof From the Ahadith And Sahabah Of Allah’s Uluww In Reality, not just by status

The Ascension of the Prophet ﷺ and the Refutation of the Claim That Allah’s Presence with Creation is Personal (Dhatiyah)

The ascension of the Prophet ﷺ from the earth to above the seven heavens and the honour Allah bestowed upon him by allowing him to come near is the strongest refutation against those who claim that Allah’s presence with His creation is personal. Likewise, in the Prophet’s repeated ascension between his Lord and Musa (peace be upon him) several times, when Musa would tell him, “Return to your Lord and ask Him to reduce it for your Ummah,” so Jibril would ascend with him to Allah, and he would ask for a reduction until the prayers were reduced to five. All of this shows the affirmation of Allah’s elevation and that He is distinct from His creation. It also serves as the strongest refutation against those who claim that Allah’s presence with His creation is personal, the heretics have no way of explaining how Allah has no direction yet the Prophet ascended to him, as it is incoherent to say the prophet went to where there is no place.

The Hadith of the Slave Girl and the Affirmation of Allah’s Elevation

Among the evidences that refute this claim is the statement of the Prophet ﷺ to the slave girl: “Where is Allah?” She replied, “In the sky.” He then asked, “Who am I?” She said, “You are the Messenger of Allah.” He then said, “Free her, for she is a believer.” This was reported by Malik, Ahmad, Muslim, Abu Dawud, and al-Nasai from the hadith of Mu‘awiyah ibn al-Hakam al-Sulami (may Allah be pleased with him). Abu Uthman al-Sabuni said: “The Prophet ruled upon her faith because she affirmed that her Lord is in the sky and recognised her Lord with the attribute of elevation and highness.”

The Hadith of Trustworthiness

Another proof against this claim is the saying of the Prophet ﷺ: “Do you not trust me, while I am the trustworthy one of the One in the sky?” This was reported by al-Bukhari and Muslim from the hadith of Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him).

The Hadith of Mercy

Another proof against this claim is the statement of the Prophet ﷺ: “The merciful ones will be shown mercy by the Most Merciful. Be merciful to those on earth, and the One in the sky will be merciful to you.” This was reported by Imam Ahmad, Abu Dawud, al-Tirmidhi, and al-Bukhari in al-Kuna, and al-Hakim in his Mustadrak from the hadith of Abdullah ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘As (may Allah be pleased with them both). Al-Tirmidhi said: “This is a good and authentic hadith,” and both al-Hakim and Ad-Dhahabi authenticated it.

The Hadith of Abu al-Darda on Supplication

Another proof against this claim is what has been reported from Abu al-Darda (may Allah be pleased with him), who heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: “Whoever suffers from something, let him say: ‘Our Lord Allah, Who is in the sky, hallowed be Your Name.'” This was reported by Abu Dawud.

Al-Bayhaqi said in his book al-Asma’ wa al-Sifat: “The meaning of ‘Who is in the sky’ in these narrations is that He is above the sky, upon the Throne, as the Book and the Sunnah have spoken.” He then concluded.

The Hadith of the Traveler and the Direction of Supplication

Another proof against this claim is what has been reported from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ mentioned “a man who is on a long journey, disheveled and dusty, raising his hands to the sky, saying: ‘O Lord, O Lord,’ while his food is unlawful, his drink is unlawful, his clothing is unlawful, and he has been nourished with the unlawful—so how can he be answered?” This was reported by Imam Ahmad, Muslim, and al-Tirmidhi, who said: “It is a good and strange hadith.”

The fact that the supplicant raises his hands specifically towards the sky, rather than in any other direction, is the strongest refutation against those who claim that Allah’s presence with His creation is personal. If the matter were as they claim—without knowledge—then the supplicant would raise his hands in all directions: above, in front, behind, to his right, and to his left. However, he exclusively directs them towards the sky, where Allah the Exalted is above.

The Hadith of the Farewell Sermon and the Prophet’s Gesturing to the Sky

Another proof against this claim is what has been reported in the long hadith of Jabir ibn Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with them both) regarding the Farewell Hajj. In it, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ addressed the people in the valley, and at the end of his sermon, he said: “You will be asked about me, so what will you say?” They replied, “We bear witness that you have conveyed, fulfilled, and advised.” So he raised his index finger to the sky and then pointed it towards the people, saying: “O Allah, bear witness! O Allah, bear witness! O Allah, bear witness!” This was reported by Muslim, Abu Dawud, and Ibn Majah.

The fact that the Prophet ﷺ raised his finger towards the sky, rather than any other direction, is the strongest refutation against those who claim that Allah’s presence with His creation is personal.

The Statements of the Companions (May Allah Be Pleased with Them) on the Affirmation of Allah’s Elevation

Among the statements of the Companions affirming Allah’s elevation is what was reported by Ibn Abi Hatim and al-Bayhaqi in Kitab al-Asma’ wa al-Sifat, from Jarir ibn Hazim, who said: “I heard Abu Yazid narrate that he met a woman named Khawlah bint Tha‘labah during the time of Umar (may Allah be pleased with him). Umar was walking with the people, and she stopped him. He stood still for her, came near, and lowered his head to listen to her until she had finished her need and left. A man then said to him: ‘O Commander of the Believers, you held back the men of Quraysh for this elderly woman?’

Umar replied: “Woe to you! Do you know who this is?” The man said: “No.” Umar said: “This is a woman whose complaint Allah heard from above the seven heavens. This is Khawlah bint Tha‘labah. By Allah, if she had not left me until nightfall, I would not have left her until she had fulfilled her need, except if it was time for prayer, in which case I would pray and then return to her until she finished her need.”

Abu ‘Umar Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr mentioned this narration in al-Isti‘ab, saying: “We have reported it from multiple chains.”

The Statement of Zaynab bint Jahsh (May Allah Be Pleased with Her)

Also among these reports is what was narrated by Imam Ahmad, al-Bukhari, al-Tirmidhi, and al-Nasai from Anas (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: “Zaynab used to boast to the wives of the Prophet ﷺ, saying: ‘Your families gave you in marriage, but Allah gave me in marriage from above the seven heavens!'”

Al-Tirmidhi said: “This is a good and authentic hadith.”

The Statement of Ibn Abbas (May Allah Be Pleased with Him) to Aisha (May Allah Be Pleased with Her)

Imam Ahmad narrated with an authentic chain from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said to Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her): “You were the most beloved of the wives of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to him, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ only loved that which is pure. And Allah revealed your innocence from above the seven heavens, brought down by the Trustworthy Spirit (Jibril).”

Ibn Sa‘d narrated it in al-Tabaqat with an authentic chain according to the conditions of Muslim.

The Statement of Ibn Mas‘ud (May Allah Be Pleased with Him) on Allah’s Elevation Above the Throne

Sunayd ibn Dawud reported, narrated by Hammad ibn Zayd, from Asim ibn Bahdalah, from Zir ibn Hubaysh, from Ibn Mas‘ud (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: “Allah is above the Throne, and nothing from the actions of His servants is hidden from Him.” Its chain is authentic.

Uthman ibn Sa‘id al-Darimi also narrated from Musa ibn Ismail, from Hammad ibn Salamah, from Asim, from Zir, from Ibn Mas‘ud (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: “Between the lowest heaven and the one above it is a distance of five hundred years. Between every two heavens is a distance of five hundred years. Between the seventh heaven and the Kursi is a distance of five hundred years. Between the Kursi and the water is a distance of five hundred years. The Throne is upon the water, and Allah, the Exalted, is above the Throne, and He knows what you are upon.”

Its chain is authentic.

Al-Bayhaqi narrated it in Kitab al-Asma’ wa al-Sifat through Abdul-Rahman ibn Mahdi from Hammad ibn Salamah with a similar wording. Ibn Abd al-Barr also reported it in al-Tamhid through Yazid ibn Harun, from Hammad ibn Salamah, from Asim ibn Bahdalah, from Zir, from Ibn Mas‘ud (may Allah be pleased with him), saying: “Between the heaven and the earth is a distance of five hundred years. Between each heaven and the one above it is a distance of five hundred years. Between the seventh heaven and the Kursi is a distance of five hundred years. The Throne is upon the water, and Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, is above the Throne, knowing the deeds of His creation.”

Al-Bayhaqi also narrated it from Abdul-Rahman ibn Abdullah ibn Utbah (known as al-Mas‘udi), from Asim ibn Bahdalah, from Abu Wa’il (whose name was Shaqiq ibn Salamah), from Ibn Mas‘ud (may Allah be pleased with him) with a similar wording.

The Interpretation of Ibn Abbas (May Allah Be Pleased with Him) Regarding the Direction of Iblis’ Attack

Ishaq ibn Rahwayh narrated from ‘Ikrimah regarding the verse in which Iblis says: “Then I will come to them from before them, and from behind them, and from their right, and from their left” (7:17), that Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “He did not say ‘from above them’ because he knew that Allah is above them.”

The Statement of Ibn Mas‘ud (May Allah Be Pleased with Him) on the Angels Carrying Supplications to Allah

Ibn Mas‘ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “Whoever says: ‘Subhan Allah, Alhamdulillah, La ilaha illa Allah, Allahu Akbar,’ an angel takes these words and ascends with them to Allah. He does not pass by any group of angels except that they seek forgiveness for the one who said them, until he reaches the presence of the Most Merciful.”

Ibn al-Qayyim mentioned this in Ijtima‘ al-Juyush al-Islamiyyah, citing al-‘Assal in Kitab al-Ma‘rifah with a chain of narrators all of whom are trustworthy.

The Famous Incident of Abdullah ibn Rawahah (May Allah Be Pleased with Him) and His Wife

Another well-known narration is the story of Abdullah ibn Rawahah (may Allah be pleased with him) with his wife when he was caught with a slave girl. Ibn Abd al-Barr reported it in al-Isti‘ab, saying: “We have narrated it through authentic chains.”

It is reported that one night, he went to his slave girl and engaged with her, and his wife noticed. She rebuked him, but he denied it. She had seen them together, so she said: “If you are truthful, then recite some Quran, for a person in a state of major impurity cannot recite it.”

He then said:

“I testify that the promise of Allah is true,
And that the Throne is above the water, true,
And that mighty angels bear it,
And that Hell is the abode of the disbelievers,
And above the Throne is the Lord of the worlds.”

His wife then said: “I believe in Allah and I disbelieve my own eyes.” She could not read or memorise the Quran, so she assumed he was truthful.

Al-Dhahabi reported it in Siyar A‘lam al-Nubala’ through a chain leading to Abdul-Aziz ibn the brother of al-Majishun.

The Poetic Testimony of Hassan ibn Thabit (May Allah Be Pleased with Him) to the Prophet ﷺ

Ibn Sa‘d narrated from Malik ibn Ismail al-Nahdi, from Umar ibn Ziyad, from Abdul-Malik ibn Umayr, who said: “Hassan ibn Thabit came to the Prophet ﷺ and said: ‘Shall I praise you, O Messenger of Allah?’ The Prophet ﷺ said: ‘Speak the truth.’

So Hassan said:

“I testify, by the permission of Allah, that Muhammad
Is the Messenger of the One above the heavens.”

The Prophet ﷺ responded: “And I bear witness.”

Ka‘b al-Ahbar the sahabi affirmed Allah manages affairs above his creation

Abu Safwan al-Umawi narrated with his chain from Ka‘b al-Ahbar that he said: “Allah, the Almighty, said in the Torah: ‘I am Allah above My servants, and My Throne is above all of My creation. I am upon My Throne, managing the affairs of My servants, and nothing in the heavens or the earth is hidden from Me.’

This was mentioned by al-Dhahabi in al-‘Uluw and Ibn al-Qayyim in Ijtima‘ al-Juyush al-Islamiyyah. Al-Dhahabi said: “Its narrators are trustworthy.” Ibn al-Qayyim also stated: “It was narrated by Abu al-Shaykh, Ibn Battah, and others with an authentic chain from Ka‘b.”

Abu al-Shaykh narrated in Kitab al-‘Azamah with his chain from Ka‘b al-Ahbar that he said: “Allah, the Almighty, created seven heavens and seven earths like them, and placed between each pair of heavens a distance like that between the lowest heaven and the earth. He made the thickness of each heaven the same, then He raised the Throne and established Himself upon it.”

This was mentioned by al-Dhahabi in al-‘Uluw and Ibn al-Qayyim in Ijtima‘ al-Juyush al-Islamiyyah, with al-Dhahabi commenting: “The chain is sahih.”

Ali ibn al-Aqmar narrated that Masruq said: “The truthful woman, daughter of the truthful man, the beloved of the beloved of Allah, whose innocence was declared from above the seven heavens, told me…”

This was cited by al-Dhahabi in al-‘Uluw and Ibn al-Qayyim in Ijtima‘ al-Juyush al-Islamiyyah. Al-Dhahabi said: “Its chain is authentic,” and Ibn al-Qayyim also authenticated it.

Qatadah ibn Di‘amah (d.118AH) the imam of the salaf, affirms Allah is above in reality

Uthman ibn Sa‘id al-Darimi narrated from Qatadah that he said:

“The Children of Israel said: ‘O Lord, You are in the heaven, and we are on the earth. How can we know Your pleasure and Your anger?’ Allah said: ‘When I am pleased with you, I place your best among you as rulers. And when I am angry with you, I place your worst among you as rulers.'”

This was mentioned by al-Dhahabi in al-‘Uluw and Ibn al-Qayyim in Ijtima‘ al-Juyush al-Islamiyyah. Al-Dhahabi said: “This is authentically reported from Qatadah, one of the great hadith preservers.”

Ibn Jarir al-Tabari narrated in his Tafsir from Qatadah regarding Allah’s statement:

“(And He is the One worshipped in the heaven and the One worshipped in the earth.)” (43:84)

Qatadah explained: “He is worshipped in the heaven and He is worshipped in the earth.”

This was also mentioned by al-Bukhari in Khalq Af‘al al-‘Ibad without a chain, and by al-Bayhaqi in Kitab al-Asma’ wa al-Sifat, who then stated:

“The meaning of this verse is explained by the verse: (And He is Allah in the heavens and in the earth. He knows your secrets and your public affairs, and He knows what you earn.)” (6:3)

Ad-Dahhak ibn Muzahim on Uluww

Abdullah ibn Imam Ahmad narrated in al-Sunnah, and Abu Dawud in al-Masa’il, with a good chain, from al-Dahhak regarding Allah’s statement:

“(There is no private conversation of three except that He is the fourth of them, nor of five except that He is the sixth of them.)” (58:7)

Al-Dahhak explained: “He is above the Throne, and His knowledge is with them.”

Ibn Jarir al-Tabari also narrated this in his Tafsir, saying: “He is above the Throne, and His knowledge is with them wherever they are.”

This was also narrated by al-Ajurri in al-Shari‘ah, al-Bayhaqi in al-Asma’ wa al-Sifat, and al-Qadi Abu al-Husayn in Tabaqat al-Hanabilah.

Abu al-Husayn stated after narrating this: “Abu Abdullah (meaning Ahmad ibn Hanbal) said: ‘This is the Sunnah.'”

Ibn Abd al-Barr cited it in al-Tamhid, narrating from Sunayd, from Muqatil ibn Hayyan, from al-Dahhak, regarding the verse:

“(There is no private conversation of three except that He is the fourth of them…)” (58:7)

Al-Dahhak explained: “He is above His Throne, and His knowledge is with them wherever they are.”

He then said: “I have also heard this from Sufyan al-Thawri.”

Al-Dhahabi recorded this in al-‘Uluw, stating: “In one narration, it says: ‘He is above the Throne, and His knowledge is with them wherever they are.'”

It was also narrated by Abu Ahmad al-‘Assal, Abu Abdullah Ibn Battah, and Abu ‘Umar Ibn Abd al-Barr with a sound chain.

This hadith in Sahih Muslim further proving Uluww, the beloved prophet ﷺ himself points up to the sky and says O Allah be witness

A hadith in Sahih Muslim further proving Uluww, the beloved prophet ﷺ himself points up to the sky and says O Allah be witness

Translation: Qays ibn Abi Hazim (d.85AH) said: When Umar ibn Al Khattab arrived in Ash-Sham, the people came out to receive him while he was on his camel. They said: “O Amir al-Mu’minen, if you had ridden a horse, the nobles and dignitaries of the people would have come to meet you.” Umar replied: “Do I not see you here? The affair is from here – and he pointed towards the sky with his hand – Let my camel proceed.

Ad-Dhahabi says: Isnad is like the sun (in strength) [Kitab Al-Uluw pg. 77]

Musannaf ibn Abi Shaybayh 19/301

The famous hadith of the prophet ﷺ asking a slave girl where is Allah ﷻ and she responds by saying he is above the heavens. Some asharis will try and tell you that she said Allah ﷻ is “fi samaa” as a way of saying Allah ﷻ is unique. The problem with this interpretation is that the belief of Allah ﷻ being unique is not something that the pagans (mushrikeen) denied and we see evidence of this from the Quran

Here we see the pagans affirming Allah ﷻ is the sole creator of the heavens and the earth proving they affirming his uniqueness in creating them

Surah Al-Ankabut (29:61):
“If you ask them, ‘Who created the heavens and the earth and subjected the sun and the moon?’ they would surely say, ‘Allah.’ So how are they deluded?”

Here we see the pagans affirming that Allah ﷻ has a higher position than the idols they associate with him and also affirming that he is the superior sole judge

Surah Az-Zumar (39:3):
“Unquestionably, for Allah is the pure religion. And those who take protectors besides Him [say], ‘We only worship them that they may bring us nearer to Allah in position.’ Truly, Allah will judge between them concerning that over which they differ.”

The ijmaa we have on Allah ﷻ being above the throne.

This consensus has been transmitted by several leading scholars, among them the Imam of Ahl al-Sunnah, Ahmad ibn Hanbal (may Allah have mercy on him).

Al-Qadi Abu al-Husayn narrated in Tabaqat al-Hanabilah with his chain from Abu al-‘Abbas Ahmad ibn Ja‘far ibn Ya‘qub ibn Abdullah al-Farisi al-Istakhri, who said: “Abu Abdullah Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Hanbal said: This is the belief of the people of knowledge, the followers of hadith, and Ahl al-Sunnah who adhere to its foundations, are known by it, and are followed in it from the time of the Companions of the Prophet ﷺ until today. I met the scholars of Hijaz, Sham, and others who were upon this belief. Whoever opposes any of these doctrines, criticizes them, or attacks those who hold them, is an innovator who has left the Jama‘ah and deviated from the path of the Sunnah and the way of truth.”

Ibn al-Qayyim also narrated in Ijtima‘ al-Juyush al-Islamiyyah from Harb ibn Isma‘il al-Karmani, a student of Ahmad ibn Hanbal and Ishaq ibn Rahwayh, who said: “Above the seventh heaven is water, the Throne is upon the water, and Allah is above the Throne.” Ibn al-Qayyim commented: “This is his wording in his treatise, and he transmitted it as the consensus of Ahl al-Sunnah from all regions.”

Ibn Abdul Barr in the statement of imam malik that Allah ﷻ is above the throne and his knowledge is everywhere

Translation: Malik ibn Anas said: “Allah, Glorified and Exalted, is fi al-sama’ (in the heaven), and His knowledge is in every place; no place is devoid of Him.” He also said: “It was said to Malik, ‘The Most Merciful (al-Rahman) rose over the Throne (istawa ‘ala al-‘Arsh). How did He rise?’ Malik replied: ‘His rising (istawa) is known (ma’qul), its modality (kayfiyyah) is unknown (majhul), asking about it is an innovation (bid’ah), and I see you as an evil person.” It has also been narrated from Rabi’ah ibn Abi ‘Abd al-Rahman that he said regarding the statement of Allah, Glorified and Exalted, al-Rahman ‘ala al-‘Arsh istawa: “The statement of Malik is the same as this.”

As for their argument based on the verse of Allah, Glorified and Exalted, “There is no private conversation of three but that He is the fourth of them, nor of five but that He is the sixth of them, nor of less than that nor more except that He is with them wherever they are” [Surah Al-Mujadilah: 7], There is no evidence for them in the apparent meaning of this verse, because the scholars, the sahabah and the Followers (al-Tabi’in, those who studied under the sahabah) from whom interpretation (of the Qur’an has been transmitted said regarding the interpretation of this verse: “He is upon the Throne (‘ala al-‘Arsh), and His knowledge is in everywhere.” No one who is relied upon in their statement opposed them in this.

Al-Tamhid (Sharh Al Muwatta by Imam Malik) by Al-Hafidh Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr (d.463AH) (7/138-139)

Next one is from Imam Abū ʿUmar Aṭ-Ṭalamanki

Translation: Al-Imām Abū Umar At-Talamanki Al Maliki (d.429H) transmitted a consensus Every Muslim from Ahl As-Sunnah wal Jamāah have agreed that the the meaning of His [Allah’s] saying: ‘And He is with you wherever you may be’ [Qur’an 58:4] and similar verses from the Qur’an is that it is His Knowledge. And that Allah is above the heavens with His essence, on His Throne however He wills. And Ahl As-Sunnah say in His saying ‘Ar-Rahman rose (Istawa) on the Throne’ (Qur’an 20:5) That Al-Istiwa’ of Allah on the Throne is in a real sense not a metaphor.”

Kitab Al- Uluw by Al-Imam Ad-Dhahabi Pg 246

Qutaybah Ibn Sa’eed also mentions an ijma that we know Allah ﷻ to be above the seven heavens

Translation: Qutaybah Ibn Sa’eed (d.240AH) transmitted a consensus saying: This is the saying of the Imams in Islam, and Ahlul Sunnah Jama’ah: We know our Lord to be above the seventh heaven, on His Throne, just as He said ta’ala: (Ar-Rahman ascended above the Throne) [Ta-Hā 20:5].

(Note: Qutaybah bin Sa’eed is the teacher of Imam Ahmad, Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi, and Nasa’i)

Siyar A’ lam Al-Nubala By Ad Dhahabi (11/20)

Imam Al Awzai mentions the belief of the tabi’een and how they all believed Allah ﷻ is above his throne. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah quoted Al-Awzai’s words in al-Fatwa al-Hamawiyyah al-Kubra, emphasizing that this belief was widespread among the Tabi‘in and their followers. Ibn al-Qayyim also cited this in Ijtima‘ al-Juyush al-Islamiyyah.

Translation: Al-Imam Al-Awzā’ī (d. 157 AH) said: We and all of the Tabi in used to say that Allah (l) is above His Throne and we believe in that which is present in the Sunnah regarding His attributes.

Kitab Asma Wa-Şifat By Al-Bayhaqi (1/304)

Imam Al Baghawi mentions that most of the mufasireen affirmed that istawa means Allah ﷻ rose above the throne, refuting their ta’wil of allah being over the throne and tafweed of the meaning since it was explained.

Translation: Imam Al Baghawi (d.516AH) said: Allah saying: ‘He is the One who created for you all that is in the earth’-so that you may reflect and derive evidence, and it has been said so that you may benefit. ‘Then He made istiwä toward the heaven.’ Ibn Abbas and the majority of the mufassirin from the Salaf said: it means that He rose (irtafa’a) to the heaven.

Tafsir Al Baghawi (1/78)

Imam Al Ajuree also affirms the consensus that Allah ﷻ is above the throne and his knowledge is everywhere

Translation:The position held by the scholars is that Allah is above the throne and above the heavens His knowledge encompasses everything, for His knowledge has encompassed all that He has created in the highest heavens, and all that is in the seven earths and what is between them, and what lies beneath the soil. He knows the secret and what is even more hidden, and He knows the treachery of the eyes and what the hearts conceal. He knows the fleeting thought and the inner intention, and He knows what the souls whisper to themselves. He hears and sees Not even the weight of an atom escapes Allah in the heavens and the earths and what lies between them, except that His knowledge (ilm) has encompassed it. He is above His Throne, the Most High, the Most Exalted. The deeds of the servants are raised up to Him, and He is more knowledgeable about them than the angels who raise them by night and by day.

Kitab ash-Shari’ah by Imam al-Ajuree (360AH) pg 1075

The salaf on Allah ﷻ being above the throne

The Statement of Abu ‘Ismah Nuh ibn Abi Maryam

Abdullah ibn Imam Ahmad narrated in al-Sunnah:

“Ahmad ibn Sa‘id al-Darimi reported that he heard Abu ‘Ismah being asked: ‘Is Allah in the heaven?’ He then narrated the hadith of the Prophet ﷺ when he asked the slave girl: ‘Where is Allah?’ She replied: ‘In the heaven.’ He then asked: ‘Who am I?’ She replied: ‘You are the Messenger of Allah.’ He said: ‘Free her, for she is a believer.'”

Abu ‘Ismah commented: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ called her a believer because she knew that Allah is in the heaven.”

The Statement of Ali ibn Asim, the Hadith Scholar of Wasit and the Teacher of Imam Ahmad

Ibn Abi Hatim narrated in al-Radd ‘ala al-Jahmiyyah from Yahya ibn Ali ibn Asim, who said:

“I was with my father when al-Marisi sought permission to enter. I said to him: ‘Father, does someone like this enter upon you?!’ He asked: ‘What about him?’ I replied: ‘He says that the Quran is created and claims that Allah is with us on earth.’ I have never seen my father angrier than when he heard those two statements: that the Quran is created and that Allah is with us on earth.”

Al-Dhahabi recorded this in al-‘Uluw, as did Ibn al-Qayyim in Ijtima‘ al-Juyush al-Islamiyyah.

Al-Dhahabi in al-‘Uluw and Ibn al-Qayyim in Ijtima‘ al-Juyush al-Islamiyyah mentioned that Abdullah ibn Maslamah al-Qa‘nabi said: “Whoever does not affirm with certainty that the Most Merciful is established upon the Throne, as it is naturally understood in the hearts of the common people, is a Jahmi.”

The well known athar of Ibn Al Mubarak on Allah ﷻ being above the throne and seperate from creation

Translation: Al-Imam Ibn Qayyim stated that it was authentically reported with almost tawatur that Imam Abdullah Ibn Al-Mubarak (d.181H) was asked: How do we know our Lord?’ He replied: ‘He is above His heavens on His Throne, separate from His creation.’ Ijtima Al-Juyūsh Al-Islāmiyyah Pg 324

Muḥammad bin Musʿab Al-Abid (d. 228H) says Allah ﷻ is above the throne, and above the seven heavens

Translation: Muhammad bin Mus’ab Al-Abid (d. 228H) said: Whoever claims that You (Allah) do not speak and that You are not seen in the Hereafter, then he is a disbeliever in Your Face, and he does not know You. I bear witness that You are above the Throne above the seven heavens, unlike what the enemies of Allah, al-Zanadiqah (heretics) say.

Kitab As-Sifat by Darquţni Pg 60-61

Sulayman al-Taymi (d.143AH) says if he was asked where is Allah ﷻ he would say he is above the heavens

Translation: 114-From Sadaqah: I heard Sulayman al-Taymi say: “If I were asked, ‘Where is Allah?’ I would say, ‘In the heavens (fi al-sama). “

Sulayman was one of the Imams of [Ahl] al-Basrah in knowledge and practice.
99-I said: This was reported by al-Lalakāt (2/92). This Sadaqah is Ibn al-Muntaşir Abū Shu’bah al-Shabani. Abū Zur’ah said: “There is no harm in him”, as mentioned in al-Jarh wa al-Ta’dil (1/2/434). All other narrators are thiqat (trustworthy). Al-Bukhārī also cited it as mu’allaq in Afäl al-Ibad (p. 71).

Mukhtasar Al Uluww by Imam Ad Dhahabi Pg 133

Bishr ibn Umar (d.206AH) says Istawa means irtifaa

Translation: Bishr ibn ‘Umar said: I heard more than one of the interpreters (mufasireen) say, ‘The Most Merciful ascended over the Throne’ [Ta-Ha: 5]. He said: ‘Ascended over the Throne’ means He rose above it. (Bishr ibn ‘Umar (d. 206): I heard more than one of the Mufassirin say: Irtafa’ (Elevated).}

Sharh usool Itiqad by Imam Al Lalaka’ee Page 327

Yazid bin Harun (d.206AH) says those who take istawa upon a meaning other than what our fitrah leads us to believe then he’s a jahmi, just like Saeed Foudah

Translation: Yazeed Ibn Harun (d.206AH) said: Whoever thinks that ‘al-Rahmaan istawa above the Throne’ is upon (a meaning) other than what comes to the heart of the general masses then he is a jahmi.

Khalq A’faal Al Ibaad Volume 2 Page 37

Imam Muḥammad Ibn Yusuf (d.212AH) says anyone who doesn’t believe Allah ﷻ isn’t above the throne is a kaffir

Translation: Imam Muhammad Ibn Yusuf (d.212AH) said: Whoever says that Allah Isn’t above His Throne is a Kafir, and whoever claims that Allah didn’t speak to Musa (peace be upon him) is a Kafir

Khalq A’faal Al Ibaad Volume 2 Pg 39

Saeed ibn Amr (d.208AH) says the Jahmis are even worse than the jews and christians for their denial of Allah ﷻ being above the throne. This also shows the seriousness of denying uluww and its kufr

Translation: Saʿid bin ʿAmir (d. 208 AH) (The Teacher of Imam Al Bukhari) said: The Jahmiyyah say worse words than the Yahud and the Nasara. The Yahud, the Nasara, and the people of other religions all agreed that Allah, the Blessed and Most High, is on the ʿArsh, but they (the Jahmiyyah) said that there is nothing on the ʿArsh.

ʿAli bin al-Madini (d. 234 AH) said: Beware of the Bishr Al Marisi and his followers, for their words bring out zandaqah. I spoke to their teacher, Jahm (d. 128 AH), and he did not prove to me that there is an Ilah in the sky.

Khalq Afaal Al Ibaad By Imam Al Bukhari (1/9)

ʾImām Abū Bakr al-Ḥumaydī (d.219AH) says the same thing

Translation: Imam Abü Bakr al-Humaydi (d.219AH) said: And we affirm ‘The Most Merciful Istawa Above the Throne,’ and whoever claims (explains) it in a way other than this, then this person is a Jahmi

Usool Al Sunnah Imam Abu Bakr Al Humaydi Page 42

Early Scholars and those after them who also affirmed Allah ﷻ is above the throne

Imām Al-Muzanī (d.264AH) the student of Imam Shafi’i says Allah ﷻ is distinct from his creation

Translation: Imam Al-Muzani (d.264AH) (the student of Al-Imam Ash-Shafi’i) said: His attributes are unlike the likeness of the attributes of the created beings. The perception of those who attempt to describe Him falls short. He is near in answering when supplicated, yet distant in His exaltation, beyond reach. He is exalted upon His Throne, distinct (bā’in) from His creation. He exists , neither non-existent nor absent.

Risalat Sharh As-Sunnah of Al-Imam Al-Muzani Pg 82

Translation: Abdullah ibn Ahmad said: I said to my father (Ahmad ibn Hanbal) (d.241) said; Our Lord, Blessed and exalted is he, is above the seven Heavens, over His Throne, separate from His creation, and His power and Knowledge is in every place?”

“He said: Yes, He is above His Throne, and nothing escapes His knowledge.”

Kitab As-Sunnah by Al-Khallal (2/296)

Translation: Imam Ibn Khuzaymah [d. 311 AH] said: Allah is above the heavens, as He informed us in His Clear Revelation and on the tongue of and as is understood in the, His Prophet fitrah of Muslims: whether they be their scholars, their ignorant, their free, their slaves their males, their females, their mature and their children. All who call upon Allah raised their heads towards the heavens and spread out their hands in supplication unto Allah

Kitab at Tawheed by Ibn Khuzaymah Pg 254

Ibn Abi Zayd Al Qayrawani (d.386AH) says Allah ﷻ is above the throne with his essence and his knowledge is everywhere, Qāḍī ʿAbd al-Wahhāb al-Baghdādī (d. 421 AH) affirms this too in his sharh of the risalah

Translation: Ibn Abi Zayd Al Qayrawani (d.386AH) said: He is above His Throne, the Majestic, by His Essence. And He is in every place by His Knowledge. He created mankind and knows what his soul whispers to him. He is closer to him than his jugular vein. And not a leaf falls, but He knows it; nor a grain in the darkness of the earth, nor anything moist or dry, but it is in a clear Book. He rose over the Throne and encompasses the dominion.

Footnote: Many of the commentators of the Risalah have elaborated on the interpretations of this phrase, and various explanations have been given. One notable explanation is by the scholar of the Maliki school of thought, the Imam and judge, Qadi ‘Abd al-Wahhab al-Baghdadi (d. 421 AH), in his commentary on the Aqeedah of al-Qayrawānī. He explained that the reference to ‘above’ in this context means ‘upon’, and what supports his statement is that the Throne is below all places.

This is evident from the texts that mention this, including verses and the Hadith about the slave girl who was asked, “Where is Allah?” She responded, “In the sky,” and the Prophet did not reject her answer, but affirmed her faith. Additionally, the consensus of the Ummah is that we are instructed in our supplications to raise our hands toward the direction of the sky, rather than downwards, to the right, to the left, or in any other direction. This implies that Allah is not restricted to any particular place but is in every place by His Knowledge.

It should be known that describing Allah with the attribute of “rising over the Throne” is an adherence to the texts, acceptance of the sacred law, and belief in what Allah has described Himself with. However, it is impermissible to assign a specific ‘how’ to this attribute because the sharia did not mention such a thing, nor did it provide any details about it.

Ar-Risalah li Ibn Abi Zayd al-Qayrawani Pg 18

Abu Nasr al-Jaziyy on the Belief of the Imams

The great hadith master, Abu Nasr ‘Ubaydullah ibn Sa‘id al-Wa’ili al-Jaziyy, stated in his book al-Ibanah, which he authored on the Sunnah:

“Our Imams—Sufyan al-Thawri, Malik, Hammad ibn Salamah, Hammad ibn Zayd, Sufyan ibn ‘Uyaynah, al-Fudayl, Ibn al-Mubarak, Ahmad, and Ishaq—are in unanimous agreement that Allah is above the Throne in His essence, and that His knowledge is in every place.”

This was cited by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah in al-Qa‘idah al-Marrakishiyyah, who also mentioned that this was affirmed by Shaykh al-Islam al-Ansari, Abu al-‘Abbas al-Turqi, Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qadir al-Jaylani, and countless other scholars of Islam.

Al-Dhahabi’s Commentary on the Statement of Al-Sijzi

Al-Dhahabi, after narrating the words of al-Sijzi in al-‘Uluw, commented: “What he transmitted from them is well-known and preserved, except for the phrase ‘in His essence’ (bi dhatihi), which he attributed to them based on interpretation, to distinguish between Allah being above the Throne and Him being in any other place.”

The Consensus of the Maliki Scholars on This Belief

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah also cited from the Maliki scholars that they narrated the consensus of Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama‘ah that Allah is above the Throne in His essence.

This, along with what was mentioned earlier, refutes al-Dhahabi’s objection to al-Sijzi. Al-Dhahabi himself clarified that the purpose of the scholars using this phrase was to distinguish between Allah’s elevation above the Throne and His knowledge being with creation.

Therefore, mentioning Allah’s essence (dhat) is not superfluous speech—as will be clarified in al-Dhahabi’s later critique of Ibn Abi Zayd al-Qayrawani’s words—but rather, it serves to clarify and differentiate between Allah being above the Throne in His essence and His knowledge being with His creation.

Ibn Qudamah on the agreement of the ulama on Allah’s highness and the fitrah we have of looking up to the sky with our hands up praying to Allah ﷻ is proof Allah’s aboveness is in reality not just by status and he says anyone who denies the fitrah of his uluww is a deviant

Translation: Imam Ibn Qudamah said: Indeed, Allah, the Exalted, described Himself with highness in the sky, and this was also described by Muhammad, the Seal of the Prophets All the scholars, including the sahabah and the Imams of Jurisprudence (Fuqaha’) have agreed upon this. Reports regarding this have been transmitted through multiple chains of narration, to the extent that certainty has been established. Allah, the Exalted, has united the hearts of the Muslims on this matter, and it has become ingrained in the nature of all creation. When a hardship befalls them, they look towards the sky with their eyes, raise their hands towards it in supplication, awaiting the relief from their Lord.

They speak this with their tongues, and only an innovator (Mubtadi’) who is extreme in his innovation or one who is misled by blind following (Taqlid) and follows his misguidance denies this. I am mentioning here some of the reports I have received about this from the Messenger of Allah, his Companions, and the Imams (of the followers)

Ithbat Sifat al-‘Uluww by Ibn Qudamah Pg 63

Even Ibn Arabi refutes the ta’wil of this hadith

Translation: Ibn ‘Arabī said Some scholars have reinterpreted her the slave girl’s pointing towards Heaven and the Prophet’s acceptance of that from her because the gods who used to be worshipped were on earth This is the Ta’wil of someone who is ignorant Jahil on the matter not a knower We know that the Arabs used to worship a star in Heaven called Sirius al-Shi’rā whom Abū Kabsha introduced to them and believed that it is the lord of lords this being the way they came to know how to call upon it That is why Allah Exalted is He said And He alone is the Lord of Sirius – 53:49 So had it not been the case that there is a star in Heaven which was worshipped this Ta’wil would have been valid for this reinterpreter

Al-Futuhat al-Makkiyya by Ibn Arabi (1/279)

Ibn al-Mubārak (d. 181 AH) said: “We do not say, as the Jahmiyyah said, that He is on the earth here; rather, ʿalā al-ʿarsh istawā, he also says we know allah ﷻ by him being above the seven heavens The imam also says anyone who says lā ilāha illā Allāh is created, then he is a kāfir

Translation: Ibn al-Mubarak (d. 181 AH) said: “We do not say, as the Jahmiyyah said, that He is on the earth here; rather, ‘alā al-‘arsh istawa (He established Himself over the Throne).” And it was said to him: “How do you know our Lord?”

He said: “Above His heavens, upon His Throne.” And one of them (from the Jahmiyyah) said: “Do you think you are empty of Him?” So the other was silenced. And he said: “Whoever says la ilaha illa Allah is created, then he is a kāfir (disbeliever). And indeed, we can narrate the words of the Jews and Christians, but we cannot narrate the words of the Jahmiyyah.”

Khalq Afaal Al Ibaad by Imam Al Bukhari (1/8-9)

Translation: If istilaa (dominion) is understood as a term denoting ghalabah (overpowering) and qahr (subjugation), it would not be permissible to attribute it to Allah as something occurring anew. This is because Allah, Glorified and Exalted, is inherently qahir (dominant) and ghalib (prevailing) from eternity. As for istiwa’ (ascending or establishing), it is permissible for it to occur after the creation of the Throne. Thus, His statement: “Then He established Himself upon the Throne” [Surah al-Araf: 54] indicates that istiwa’ took place after the creation of the heavens and the earth.

Nukat al-Quran by Al Qassab (d.360AH) (1/428-429)

Ibn Abd al-Barr argues that istiwa means settling in elevation and cannot mean “taking control” (istawla). He supports this with Quran and how in the arabic language, it would not make sense to say istiwa is taking control. He also uses Pharaoh’s statement about Musa’s Lord being above the heavens as proof of Musa affirming Allah’s elevation, which the heretics criticise us for using when many from the ulama did so. 

Ibn Abd al-Barr (463H) (Abu Umar) said: Istiwa means settling in elevation, and this is how Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, has addressed us. He said: ‘That you may mount upon their backs, and then remember the favour of your Lord when you have settled upon them’ (Surah al-Zukhruf verse 13). He also said: ‘And it settled on al-Judi’ (Surah Hud verse 44). And He said: ‘Then when you have settled on the ship, you and those with you’ (Surah al-Muminun verse 28). And the poet said:

This cannot be interpreted as ‘istawla’ (took control), because a star does not ‘take control’. Al-Nadhr ibn Shumayl, who was trustworthy, reliable, and great in knowledge of religion and language, mentioned this.

He said: ‘Al-Khalil narrated to me’—and al-Khalil is sufficient as a source—’that I once visited Aba Rabi‘ah al-A‘rabi, who was one of the most knowledgeable people I had ever seen. He was on a rooftop, so we greeted him, and he returned our greeting. Then he said to us: “Istawu!” We were bewildered and did not understand what he meant. Then a Bedouin next to him said: “He is commanding you to rise up.” (This word is from the speech of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic: ‘Then He rose to the heaven while it was smoke’ Surah Fussilat verse 11). So we ascended to him.

Then he said: “Do you want some thin bread, midday milk, and fresh water?” (Midday milk means warm milk, and fresh water means pure water). We said: “We just left eating.” Then, as we departed, he said: “Salaman.” We did not understand what he meant, so the Bedouin said: “He means that he has bid you farewell in a way that includes neither good nor harm.” (Al-Khalil said: “This is from the speech of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic: ‘And when the ignorant address them, they say, Salaman’ Surah al-Furqan verse 63).

As for those who cited a report narrated by Abdullah ibn Waqid al-Wasiti, from Ibrahim ibn Abd al-Samad, from Abd al-Wahhab ibn Mujahid, from his father, from Ibn Abbas regarding the verse ‘The Most Merciful rose over the Throne’ meaning ‘over all of His creation so that no place is empty of Him,’ the response to this is that this is a rejected narration from Ibn Abbas, transmitted by unknown and weak narrators. Abdullah ibn Dawud al-Wasiti and Abd al-Wahhab ibn Mujahid are both weak (Abd al-Wahhab ibn Mujahid was declared a liar by Sufyan al-Thawri, and Ibn al-Jawzi said that there was consensus on abandoning his hadith), and Ibrahim ibn Abd al-Samad is unknown, not recognized. These individuals do not even accept solitary reports from upright narrators, so how could they justify citing such a report if they had any understanding or integrity?

Have they not heard the words of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic: ‘And Pharaoh said: O Haman, build me a tower that I may reach the ways, the ways to the heavens, so that I may look at the God of Musa, but I surely think he is a liar’ (Surah Ghafir verse 36). This proves that Musa, peace be upon him, used to say: ‘My Lord is above the heavens,’ and Pharaoh thought he was lying.

Glory be to the One whom creation cannot estimate as He deserves,
The One who is above the Throne, One and Unique,
A King over the Throne of water, ever-dominant,
Before whose might faces bow and submit.

(This poem is by Umayyah ibn Abi al-Salt). In it, he describes the angels:

One who carries a leg of His Throne,
Were it not for the Lord of creation, he would falter and weaken.
Standing on their feet, humble beneath it,
Their limbs trembling out of sheer fear.

Umayyah ibn Abi al-Salt al-Thaqafi used to read the books of the Christians and meet with their monks in al-Sham. He hoped to be a prophet and wore wool for asceticism. But when the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, was sent, he envied him and did not believe in him, while his sister Atikah and his son al-Qasim embraced Islam. Ibn al-Sakan narrated from Ikrimah, from Ibn Abbas, that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, recited verses from Umayyah’s poetry.

Kitab At Tamheed By Ibn Abdul Barr (7/131-133)

Sa’d ibn Ali al-Zanjani (d. 471 AH) affirmed that Allah created the heavens and the earth while His Throne was already upon the water. After their creation, He rose over the Throne, as stated in the Quran. This is the correct view according to the people of truth.

The Imam of the Shafi’is in his time, Sa’d ibn Ali al-Zanjani (He was Shaykh al-Haram, Abu al-Qasim, a great imam, a knowledgeable scholar, an ascetic, of high status, well-versed in the Sunnah), said: “Hold firmly to the rope of Allah and follow the footsteps.”

He said in the explanation of this poem: “The correct view according to the people of truth is that Allah, the Exalted, created the heavens and the earth, and His Throne was upon the water, created before the creation of the heavens and the earth. Then He rose over the Throne after creating the heavens and the earth, as the text has stated and as the Quran has spoken.”

Its meaning is not that His rising (istiwa) means that He took possession of it or gained control over it, because He already had control over it before that, as He is the One who brought it into existence, since He is the Owner of all creation and the One who holds authority over them.

Nor does istiwa mean that He is touching the Throne (this is a refutation of those who say that istiwa means physical contact), or that He relies on it, or that He corresponds to it, for all of that is impossible regarding His description—exalted be His mention. Rather, He is established over His Throne by His essence, without asking how, just as He has informed about Himself.

The Muslims have unanimously agreed (this refers to the consensus of the scholars of Ahl al-Sunnah) that Allah is the Most High, the Exalted, and this is stated in the Quran where Allah says: “Glorify the name of your Lord, the Most High” (Surah al-A‘la verse 1). And Allah’s loftiness is one of dominance and also the highest in every way of loftiness (meaning both in might and actual elevation), because loftiness is an attribute of praise in the understanding of every rational person. Thus, it is established that Allah has the loftiness of essence, the loftiness of attributes, and the loftiness of dominance and authority.

The majority of Muslims and the followers of other religions have agreed on pointing towards Allah, exalted be He, in the direction of above when making supplication and asking from Him. Their unanimous agreement in pointing towards Allah from the direction of above is proof (meaning a natural and instinctive recognition of His Highness), and no one has ever permitted pointing towards Him from below, nor from any other direction except above.

Allah the Exalted says: “They fear their Lord from above them” (Surah al-Nahl verse 50). He also says: “To Him ascends good speech, and righteous work He raises” (Surah Fatir verse 10), and: “The angels and the Spirit ascend to Him” (Surah al-Ma‘arij verse 4).

And He has informed us about Pharaoh, who said: “O Haman, build for me a tower, that I may reach the ways, the ways of the heavens, so that I may look at the God of Musa, though I surely think he is a liar” (Surah Ghafir verses 36-37).

Pharaoh understood from Musa that he affirmed a God above the heavens, so he sought, by means of his tower, to ascend to Him and accused Musa of lying about that. And our opponent (meaning those who deny the highness of Allah) does not even know that Allah is above him by His very essence. Thus, his understanding is even weaker than that of Pharaoh.

Ijtima’ Al-Juyoosh Al-Islamiyyah by Ibn Al Qayyim Pg 298-300

Imam Abu Al-Ḥusayn Al-Imrani Ash-Shafi’ (d. 558 AH) says that Allah is above His creation and has risen over the Throne without direct contact, while His knowledge encompasses everything. The Salaf affirmed this without likening Him to creation or questioning how.

Some groups, like the Jahmiyyah, Mu‘tazilah, and Ash‘arites, denied Allah’s loftiness, claiming He is either everywhere or in no place. Others had mixed views. The deniers of istiwa reinterpreted it as dominion or command. The Salaf affirmed it as Allah rising over the Throne in a way that suits His majesty, while being separate from creation.

Translation: Imam Abu Al-Ḥusayn Al-Imrani Ash-Shafi’ said: According to the scholars of hadith and Sunnah, Allah, the Exalted, is by His essence separate from His creation, and He has risen over the Throne above the heavens, without being in direct contact with it, while His knowledge encompasses all things.

Footenote: The author begins in this chapter by explaining the attribute of loftiness and the rising over the Throne for Allah, the Mighty and Majestic. The attribute of loftiness is one of the attributes of Allah’s essence, which has been affirmed by the Quran, Sunnah, reason, and innate nature, as will become clear from the author’s words.

As for istiwa (rising over), it is one of the attributes of Allah’s actions, established in the Quran in seven places. The Salaf affirmed it without likening it to creation, denying it, or asking how. Those who deny it, in all their sects, have rejected the loftiness of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic. These include the Jahmiyyah, the Mu‘tazilah, and the Ash‘arites.

Some of them claim that He is in every place and that no place is devoid of Him. This was the belief of Bishr al-Marisi, the Tujariyyah among the Mu‘tazilah, and the Salimiyyah. Ibn Taymiyyah attributed this belief to some of the Sufis and the worshippers among the Jahmiyyah. Others claimed that He is in no place at all, so it cannot be said that He is above or below or in any direction. This is the view of the Jahmiyyah, the Mu‘tazilah, the Ash‘arites, and those who agree with them.

Among those who deviated in this matter were sects who claimed that Allah is above the Throne and at the same time in every place. Abu al-Hasan al-Ash‘ari attributed this view to Zuhayr al-Athari, and Ibn Taymiyyah attributed it to some of the Salimiyyah and the Sufis. Refer to al-Milal wa al-Nihal by al-Shahrastani (vol. 1, pp. 55, 113-114), Maqalat al-Islamiyyin (vol. 1, pp. 236, 286, 351), al-Mughni by ‘Abd al-Jabbar al-Mu‘tazili (vol. 5, pp. 215-216), al-Tamhid by al-Baqillani (p. 300), al-Iqtisad fi al-I‘tiqad by al-Ghazali (p. 164), al-Irshad by al-Juwayni (pp. 58-59), and al-Mawaqif by al-Iji (p. 270).

As for istiwa over the Throne, the deniers rejected and negated it and differed in their interpretations, distorting its meaning into different explanations:

The first interpretation: Explaining istiwa as meaning dominion, conquest, and subjugation. This is the view of most of the Jahmiyyah, the Mu‘tazilah, and the majority of the Ash‘arites, such as al-Ghazali, al-Juwayni, al-Iji, and al-Amidi.

The second interpretation: That istiwa means directing His command towards the Throne, as in the verse: ‘Then He directed Himself to the heaven while it was smoke’ (Surah Fussilat verse 11). This is one of the views of al-Juwayni in al-Irshad.

The Salaf and others affirmed istiwa. The Salaf held that Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, has described Himself as having risen over the Throne in a manner befitting His majesty and greatness, while being separate from His creation, as He is free of need from everything, and everything is in need of Him, the Exalted.

As for those who are not from the Salaf, they have various views on istiwa).

Kitab Al Insar by Ibn Duqmaq Pg 607