Dars e Imam-Arsh Istawa

“Bismillahir Rahmannir Raheem””Al-Hamdu Lillaahi Rabbil ‘Aalameen was Salaatu was- Salaamu ‘Alaa Sayidinaa Muhammadin wa Aalihi wa Asabihi Ajma ‘een (tauheed- risalat- ahkirat and islam-iman-ihsan)

Sufyan al-Thawri (d. 161) interpreted istiwa’ in the verse { The Merciful established Himself over the Throne } (20/5) as “a command concerning the Throne” (amrun fi al-`arsh)
as related by Imam al-Haramayn al-Juwayni and quoted by al-Yafi`i in the latter’s book Marham al-`Ilal al-Mu`dila fi Daf` al-Shubah wa al-Radd `ala al-Mu`tazila (“Book of the Resolution of Difficult Problems for the Removal of Doubts and the Refutation of the Mu`tazila”):
The understanding of istiwa’ as the turning of Allah – Most High – to a particular command concerning the Throne is not far-fetched, and this is the ta’wil of Imam Sufyan al-Thawri, who took as corroborating evidence for it the verse: { Then turned He (thumma istawa) to the heaven when it was smoke](41/11), meaning: “He proceeded to it” (qasada ilayha)[ al-Yafi`i, Marham al-`Ilal (p. 245) and Abu al-Ma`ali Ibn al-Juwayni, al-Irshad (p. 59-60)]

Imam Al Tabari (rah) on Istiwa in Quran
Al-Tabari said, in his commentary on the verse { Then turned He (thumma istawa) to the heaven, and fashioned it as seven heavens } (2/29):The meaning of istiwa’ in this verse is height (`uluw) and elevation… but if one claims that this means displacement for Allah, tell him: He is high and elevated over the heaven with the height of sovereignty and power, not the height of displacement and movement to and fro.
The above position is exactly that of the Ash`ari school, as shown by Abu Bakr ibn al-`Arabi’s and Ibn Hajar’s numerous comments[Respectively in `Arida al-Ahwadhi (2:234-237) and Fath al-Bari (3:37-38, 6:136 [Jihad], also Tawhid ch. 23 last par.) to that effect directed against those who attribute altitude to Allah in their interpretation of His `uluw such as Ibn Taymiyya.Ibn Taymiyya stated and Refuted by several classical scholars

“The Creator, Glorified and Exalted is He, is above the world and His being above is literal, not in the sense of dignity or rank.”[In al-Ta’sis al-Radd `ala Asas al-Taqdis (= Talbis al-Jahmiyya 1:111)]
This doctrine was comprehensively refuted by Ibn Jahbal al-Kilabi (d. 733) in his Radd `ala Man Qala bi al-Jiha(“Refutation of Ibn Taymiyya Who Attributes A Direction to Allah – Most High -“) (ref)Its text is quoted in full in Ibn al-Subki’s Tabaqat (9:35-91) and its translation is forthcoming insha Allah.
And Refuted by Shaykh Yusuf al-Nabahani (1265-1350) in his Raf` al-Ishtibah fi Istihala al-Jiha `ala Allah (“The Removal of Doubt Concerning the Impossibility of Direction for Allah”), (ref for above) Reproduced in full in al-Nabahani’s Shawahid al-Haqq
Ibn Battal and Abu Mansur al-Baghdadi quoted by Imam Ibn e Hajar (Rah)
attribute the interpretation as istila’ chiefly to the Mu`tazila. Ibn Hajar said:The Mu`tazila said its meaning is “establishing dominion through subjugation and overpowering” (al-istila’ bi al-qahr wa al-ghalaba), citing as a proof the saying of the poet:Bishr established mastery over Iraq without sword and without shedding blood.

The anthropomorphists (al-jismiyya) said: “Its meaning is settledness (al-istiqrar).”,
he explanation of istawa as istaqarra in the verse {Then He established Himself over the Throne} (32:4) is actuallyreported from al-Kalbi and Muqatil by al-Baghawi – in his commentary entitled Ma`alim al-Tanzil (al-Manar ed. 3:488) – who adds that the philologist Abu `Ubayda [Ma`mar ibn al-Muthanna al-Taymi (d. ~210)] said “He mounted” (sa`ida). Pickthall followed the latter in his translation of the verse as {Then He mounted the Throne}. It is a foundational position of the “–s” as stated by Imam Muhammad Abu Zahra: “The `–s’ and Ibn Taymiyya assert that settledness takes place over the Throne… Ibn Taymiyya strenuously asserts that Allah descends, and can be above (fawq) and below (taht) `without how’ (naoozbila)…. and that the school of the Salaf is the affirmation of everything that the Qur’an stated concerning aboveness (fawqiyya), belowness (tahtiyya), and establishment over the Throne.” reference Abu Zahra, al-Madhahib al-Islamiyya (p. 320-322)
Some of Ahl al-Sunna said: “Its meaning is He elevated Himself (irtafa`a)” and others of them said: “Its meaning is sovereignty (al-mulk) and power (al-qudra).”Ibn Hajar, Fath al-Bari (1959 ed. 13:409)

Ibn Battal and Ibn al-Jawzi on Istawa
As Ibn Battal alluded, “establishing dominion and sovereignty,” “subduing,” and “conquering” no more suppose prior opposition in the face of the Creator than do His Attributes of “All-Victorious” (Zahir) “All-Compelling” (Qahhar), “Prevailer” (Ghalib), or “Omnipotent” (Qahir) presuppose resistance or power on anyone’s part. This is confirmed by the verses: { He is the Omnipotent (al-qahir) over His slaves } (6/18, 6/61) and { Allah prevails (ghalib) in His purpose } (12/21). Al-Raghib said: “It means that everything is alike in relation to him” and he did not say: “became alike.”
Ibn al-Jawzi mentions another reason for permitting this interpretation: “Whoever interprets { and He is with you } (57/4) as meaning `He is with you in knowledge,’ permits his opponent to interpret istiwa’ as ‘subduing’ (al-qahr)
reference ,In Daf` Shubah al-Tashbih (1998 al-Kawthari repr. p. 23

Ibn Taymiyyah said: The establishment of Allah over the Throne is real, and the servant’s establishment over the ship is real [Majmua al Fatawa Volume 5 Page No. 199]
Imam Ibn Hajr al Asqalani (rah) said (Ibn Taymiyyah) was attributed with anthropomorphism because of what he wrote in his books like Aqeedah Hamvia, Al-Waastiya and others that Allah’s Face and Hand and Shin are “REAL” attributes, and Allah is sitting on the Arsh (Throne) “In person”. (Naoozubila Min Zalik)
[Imam Ibn Hajr al Asqalani in Al-Durar al Kameena, Volume No. 1, Page Nos. 49-50] Istiwa alal-Arsh means Subjugating al-Arsh not sitting or resting.

Ahkam/orders of sharia=to discipline yourself

Itaat/ibadat=purification of self.

When I want to talk to allah I say prayers and when I want that he talk to me I recite quran- Hazrath Ali(ra)

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