He Then Established Himself Over the Throne1 alImm al-Qurtub

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Regarding Gods statement (may He be exalted): He then established Himself over the

Throne 2 Throne
This is the theological issue of establishment (al-istiw). The scholars have spoken at length regarding this issue. We have shown the various positions of the scholars in the book

The Radiant Explanation of Gods Most Beautiful Names and Lofty Attributes 3, where we
made mention of fourteen opinions. Most of both the early and latter-day scholars have held that if it is obligatory to affirm the transcendence (tanzh) of the Originator (tala) from the limitations of direction (jiha) and spatial confinement (ta ayyuz), then - according to the generality of early scholars and the foremost latter-day scholars - the need to affirm His transcendency (may He be blessed and exalted) of direction (jiha) necessarily follows as a corollary; for according to these scholars, He is not attributed with moving in an upwards direction, since, in their view, specifying for

Extracted from al-Imm al-Qurtubs Tafsr : 7:54.

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Qurn: Chapter 7, Verse 54

al- Asn f shar asm Allh al- usn wa iftihi al-ul

Him a direction logically necessitates that He be situated in a place (makn)4 or within spatial confines ( ayyiz), both of which logically necessitate that that which is spatially confined be capable of movement and stillness as well as change (taghayyur) and occurrence in time ( udth). This is the opinion of the scholastic theologians (al-mutakallimn). And the early salaf (May Allah be pleased with them all) did not speak in negation of a direction for Allah nor did they affirm it [a direction]. Rather, what they and the rest did was to affirm it [al-istiw] in the manner that it was affirmed in Allahs book and in the manner in which His Messengers informed of it.5 Nor did any of the pious predecessors ever deny that He established Himself over the Throne in reality. He specifically mentioned the Throne because of its stature as the greatest of his creations. Rather, they did not know the modality (kayfiyya) of His establishment (al-istiw), for its reality ( aqqa) cannot be known. Mlik (may God be merciful towards him) said: The establishment (al-istiw) is known, -meaning, lexically -- and the how (kayf) is unknown (majhl), and inquiring about it [al-

istiw] is a blameworthy innovation (bidah)6. And thus spoke Umm Salama (may God be
pleased with her). In sum, this amount of discussion suffices. Whoever wishes to go further in this matter should have recourse to the relevant sections in the works of the specialized scholars.

Elsewhere Imam al-Qurtub says: al-Tabar narrated from some people that they said: He is al-Al (the High)

over His creation by way of elevation of His place over their place. Ibn Atiyah said: And this is the view of the ignorant anthropomorphists.
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Elsewhere Imm al-Qurtub describes the methodology of the salaf with respect to the allegorical verses

saying: it is known that the madhhab of the Salaf (pious predecessors) was to leave the undertaking of interpreting them while being certain that the literal meaning ( awhir) was impossible. So they would say, Let it pass as it came! And some of them (the Salaf) took the madhhab of manifesting its interpretations by interpreting it with meanings consistent with the (Arabic) tongue without definitively confirming a specific possible meaning. [see: http://www.marifah.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=183&Itemid=47]
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The authentic report related to us from Imm Mlik via Ibn Wahb is actually as follows: We were with Mlik

when a man asked him: O Ab Abd Allah! The Merciful is established over the Throne (20:5): how is His establishment? Mlik lowered his head and began to sweat profusely. Then he lifted up his head and said: The Merciful is established over the Throne just as He described Himself. One cannot ask how. How does not apply to Him. And you are an evil man, a man of innovation. Take him out! The man was led out. (Narrated by al-Bayhaq with a sound chain in al-Asm wa al- ift (2:304-305 #866), al-Dhahab in the Siyr (7:416), and Ibn Hajar in Fath al-Br (1959 ed. 13:406-407; 1989 ed. 13:501).)

Establishment (al-istiw) in the language of the Arabs means rising above (uluww) and settlement (istiqrr). Al-Jawhar says, It was beyond having any crookedness; and he established himself upon the back of his riding animal, meaning settled himself thereupon; and he rose up to the sky, meaning aspired; and he became established, meaning he overpowered and conquered. He said: Bishr became established over Iraq without recourse to sword or the spilling of blood, and the man became established, meaning the days of his youth ended. A thing is established if it is straight, symmetrical or well-balanced (itadala). Ab Umar b. Abd al-Barr reports from Ab Ubayda that the latter commented upon God

AllMost Highs statement, The All-Merciful became established on the throne 7 saying was became throne
elevated above (al). And, as a poet said, For you granted them water in the desolate desert, as the star of Canopus circled around and then settled, meaning ascended and rose high. Therefore, I say: the elevation (uluww) of God Most High and His being raised high (irtif) is an expression of the exaltedness (uluww) of His Glory (majd), His Attributes, and His Sovereignty; meaning, there is none that is above Him or vies with him in His Majesty, nor is there anyone who shares with Him His Highness (uluww); rather, He is the Most High without any qualification, may He be most praised.

In the chapter of H, verse no. 5