THE WAY OF THE SALAF REGARDING ALLAAH’S ATTRIBUTE
OF ‘ULUWW (BEING ABOVE HIS THRONE)
The correct belief in respect of Allaah’s Attribute
of ‘Uluww (being above His Throne) is exactly as described by Imaam Aboo
Haneefah:
Aboo Mutee’ al-Hakam ibn ‘Abdullah al-Balkee
said: "I asked Aboo Haneefah about the one who says: ‘I do not know
whether my Lord is in the sky or the earth.’" So he said: ‘He
is a kaafir, for Allaah, the Most High, says: "The Most Merciful has
ascended over the Throne" and His Throne is above the heavens.’ So I
said: "If he says: ‘I say that He ascended above the Throne but I do
not know whether the Throne is in the heavens or the earth.’" He
said: ‘If he denies that He is above the sky then he is a kaafir.’
(Sharh ‘Aqeedah at-Tahaweeyah p.288 of ibn Abil-’Izz al-Hanafee, and
Mukhtasar al-’Uluww no.118 of adh-Dhahabee)
This narration also explains the statement of Aboo
Haneefah given by Kabbani:
"He said in his al-Fiqh al-akbar: ‘Allah has
no limits, nor any rivals... He who says: ‘I do not know if my Lord is in
the heavens or on earth’ is a disbeliever, and he who says: ‘He is
on the Throne, and I do not know whether the Throne is in the heaven or on the
earth,’ he is also a disbeliever.’ Imam Abu Mansur al-Maturidi
explained this to mean: ‘The reason is that by such words he suggests a
place for Allah and this is idolatry.’" (Kabbani, p.136)
Why did Aboo Haneefah impute with kufr one who does not
know whether Allaah is in the heavens or on earth? According to al-Maturidee it
is because this suggests a place for Allaah but this ignores Aboo
Haneefah’s words from the first quote: "If he denies that He is above
the sky then he is a kaafir." Additionally, al-Maturidee’s own
conclusion would only stand if the individual had actually affirmed that Allaah
was in a particular place - heaven or earth - but this is not the case since the
individual says: ‘I do not know if my Lord is
in the heavens or on earth’.
Again, Imaam Aboo Haneefah’s declaration of kufr is
clear from the first quotation. The one who does not know whether Allaah or His
Throne is above the heavens or earth is disregarding the verse cited as proof by
Aboo Haneefah: "The Most Merciful has ascended over the Throne" since
this, as Aboo Haneefah concluded, clarifies that Allaah is above His Throne,
above the heavens. Just as one of the teachers of al-Bukhaaree, Muhammad ibn
Yusuf, said in continuation of the creed of the Salaf: "The one who says
that Allaah is not over His Throne is a kaafir..." (Khalq
Af’aalul-’Ibaad no.66 of al-Bukhaaree)
Ibn Abil-’Izz writes:
"Do not pay any attention to those who reject this
narration from those who ascribe themselves to the Madhab of Aboo Haneefah, for
a group of the Mu’tazilah and other than them attribute themselves to him
but differ with him in a large number of his beliefs. And those who oppose some
of the beliefs of Maalik, ash-Shaafi’ee and Ahmad also attribute
themselves to them. And the story of Aboo Yusuf asking Bishr al-Mareesee to
repent when he denied that Allaah is above His Throne is well known, reported by
‘Abdur-Rahmaan ibn Abee Haatim and others."
(Sharh ‘Aqeedah at-Tahaawiyyah, p.288)
Why should this not be the position of Aboo Haneefah when
it is in full conformity with the verses of the Qur’aan, the hadeeth of
the Prophet sallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam and the sayings of the Salaf of this
Ummah (of which he is undoubtedly one).
Allaah, the Most High, says:
"Behold! Allaah said: O ‘Eesa, I will take you
and raise you up to Myself." (Soorah Aali-’Imraan 3:55)
"They fear their Lord who is above (fawq)
them." (Soorah an-Nahl 16:50)
The Messenger of Allaah sallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam
said: "Do you not trust me and I am the trustworthy servant of Him Who is
above the sky. The news of heaven comes to me in the morning and the
evening."
(al-Bukhaaree and Muslim from Aboo Sa’eed
al-Khudree)
He sallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam also said: "Those
who are merciful will be shown mercy by the Most High. Have mercy upon those on
the earth, then He who is in the sky will have mercy upon you."
(Ahmad, Aboo Dawood, al-Bukhaaree in at-Tareekh
al-Kabeer, al-Haakim who authenticated it and adh-Dhahabee agreed. At-Tirmidhee
graded it as hasan saheeh in his Sunan)
Exposing Kabbani 16 : Allaah's Uluww in the Light of the Way of the Salaf