The Throne (Al-`Arsh) and the Footstool (Al-Kursee) are true – Aqeedah Tahawiyyah – Dawud Burbank [Audio|En]

Aqeedah Tahaawiyyah : Lesson 29

            والعرشُ والكرسيُّ حقٌّ.

[Point 117]   And the Throne (Al-`Arsh) and the Footstool (Al-Kursee) are true.

—

The Explanation – Point [117]

Allaah, the Perfect and Most High, created the heavens and He created the earth, and He created the Footstool (Kursee) and He created the `Arsh (Throne), all of these are things created by Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic. The heavens are above the earth, and above the heavens is al-bahr (البحر – the ocean) and above the ocean is the Footstool, and above the Footstool is the `Arsh (Throne). So that is the highest of all of the created things; and that is as occurs in the hadeeth,

That the seven heavens compared to the Kursee (Footstool) are just like seven dirhams (small silver coins) thrown in a shield. [1]

Meaning: the seven heavens and their greatness, and whatever is within them, compared to the Kursee (Footstool) are just like seven dirhams (small silver coins) thrown in the like of a large circle of metal which the fighter uses as a shield. So what are seven dirhams compared to the large circular shield? In comparison, they are very little. In that regard, there is His saying, He the Most High,

His (Allaah’s) Kursee (Footstool) extends over the heavens and the earth.
 (Sooratul-Baqarah (2), aayah 255)

And the `Arsh (Throne) is even greater than the Kursee (Footstool). So the Kursee (Footstool) compared to the `Arsh (Throne) is just like a ring thrown in a desert, as occurs in the hadeeth. So if you were to throw a little ring into a broad, expansive piece of land, what would the size of the ring be compared to the size of that whole desert? Nothing!

These created things are tremendous and extremely vast, (so vast) as is known to none except Allaah, the Perfect and Most High.

So, the `Arsh (Throne) is the highest of all the created things. And Allaah, the Perfect, is High and Exalted above His `Arsh (Throne), above His creation.

So therefore, the Kursee (Footstool) is beneath the `Arsh (Throne). And there occurs in a narration that it (the Kursee – Footstool) is the place of the two Feet.[2] So, the Kursee (Footstool) is something created and it does not mean al-`Ilm (العلم – Knowledge) as has been attributed to Ibn `Abbaas radiyAllaahu `anhumaa, that he said with regard to the saying of Allaah, the Most High,

His Kursee extends over …

That he (Ibn `Abbaas) said it means: “His Knowledge;”[3] meaning that His Knowledge extends over the heavens and the earth. This meaning is correct; however, that is not what is meant by the aayah. So, the Kursee (Footstool) is something created whereas al-`Ilm (Allaah’s Knowledge) is an Attribute from the Attributes of Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic; it is not from that which He has created. So therefore, it is obligatory to have eemaan (truly believe) in the `Arsh (Throne) and in the Kursee (Footstool); this being something true upon its true reality. And the `Arsh (Throne) is not as the Ash`arees say, and whoever proceeds along their way, that the `Arsh (Throne) means Al-Mulk (الملك – Kingship or Sovereignty). So they say, with regard to His saying, He the Most High,

(Allaah) ascended over the Throne
 (Sooratul-A`raaf (7), aayah 54)

They (the Ash`arees) say it means: “He gained control over Sovereignty or Kingship.” And this is misguidance. So the Throne (`Arsh) is something created.

And His Throne was above the water
 (Soorah-Hood (11), aayah 7)

So, beneath the Throne (`Arsh) is the Kursee (Footstool), and beneath the Kursee (Footstool) is the heavens, and the earth is beneath the heavens. And there occurs in the hadeeth (the saying of Allaah’s Messenger sallAllaahu `alayhi wa sallam),

“So if you ask Allaah for Paradise (Jannah), then ask Him for the highest Firdaws because it is the middle part of Paradise and the highest part of Paradise, and above it is the Throne (`Arsh) of the Most Merciful.” [4]

So, Al-Firdaws is the highest of the Gardens of Paradise and above it is the Throne (`Arsh) of the Most Merciful.

So, His Throne (`Arsh) is something created and it has carriers/bearers (حملة – hamalah) and they are groups from the Angels.

And on that Day (the Day of Resurrection), eight carriers will carry the Throne of your Lord  (Sooratul-Haaqqah (69), aayah 17)

So before the Day of Resurrection, it will be carried by four (Angels) but when the Day of Resurrection comes they will be doubled and they will become eight. And each one of the Angels (who will carry the Throne) is such that his created form, his tremendous size and his strength cannot be imagined.

And could it be said: if someone says that the Throne means ‘Sovereignty’, could it be said that Sovereignty will be carried by the Angels?

End of explanation of point [117][5]

Footnotes:

[1] Translator’s Note: Reported as a hadeeth by Ibn Jareer At-Tabaree in his Tafseer, and by others; and verifiers make it clear that its chain of narrations is weak – it is not authentic. Its chain of narrations contains a weak narrator called `Abdur-Rahmaan ibn Zayd ibn Aslam; and its chain of narration is also broken after that. This is pointed out by the verifiers of Kitaab At-Tawheed such as Shaykh Jaasim ad-Dawsaree in his book An-Nahaj As-Sadeed (النهج السديد) his checking of Kitaab At-Tawheed. And this point is also made by Shaykh Al-Albaanee rahimahullaah in Silsilah Al-Ahaadeeth As–Saheehah (سلسلة الأحاديث الصحيحة) no. 109. So this hadeeth with this wording is not authentic. An authentic wording will follow inshaa· Allaah.

[2] Translator’s Side Point: As for this narration, then it is declared Saheeh (Authentic) by Shaykh Al-Albaanee and others as a saying of Ibn `Abbaas radiyAllaahu `anhumaa with an authentic chain of narration reported by Al-Haakim and Ibn Abee Shaybah in his book and Sifatul-Jannah (صفة الجنة) that Ibn `Abbaas radiyAllaahu `anhumaa stated this.

[3] Translator’s Side Point: The verifiers, amongst them Shaykh Muqbil rahimahullaah, in his checking of Ibn Katheer, and other verifiers as well, they make clear that this report from Ibn `Abbaas is not authentic. The reason being, that the narrator from Ibn `Abbaas is quoted as being his student Sa`eed ibn Jubayr, and the narrator from Sa`eed ibn Jubayr is Ja`far ibn Abil-Mugheerah, and the verifiers such as Ibn Mandah, they mention this narrator (Ja`far ibn Abil-Mugheerah) is weak in his narrations from Sa`eed ibn Jubayr.

[4] This hadeeth is reported by Al-Bukhaaree as hadeeth 2790 and 7423; and it is from a hadeeth of Aboo Hurayrah radiyAllaahu `anh.

[5] Translator’s Side Point: Shaykh Al-Albaanee rahimahullaah, he said in his notes:

“Know that the `Arsh (Throne) is a very great creation as is proven in the aayaat of the Qur·aan and in the ahaadeeth of the Prophet sallAllaahu `alayhi wa sallam. And this is why He, the Most High, attributed it to Himself in His saying,

Allaah described Himself as being “the Possessor or the Owner of the Throne”, and you will find other aayaat (about the Throne) in the explanation (of Ibn Abil-`Izz).

And in the language, it (`Arsh) means: the throne (seat) of the king. And from its characteristics mentioned in the Qur·aan is:

And eight (Angels) will bear the Throne of your Lord on the Day of Resurrection
(Sooratul-Haaqqah (69), aayah 17)

And that it is upon the water. And in the Sunnah there is mentioned that from the Angels who bear the Throne, there is one Angel who, from his earlobe to his shoulder is a distance of seven hundred (700) years (he authenticates it in As–Saheehah (no. 151) – a hadeeth of Aboo Daawood from Jaabir radiyAllaahu `anh). And also that it (the `Arsh) has supports, and also that it is the ceiling of Jannatul-Firdaws. That occurs in authentic ahaadeeth which are mentioned in the explanation (of Ibn Abil-`Izz). And all of this nullifies the false interpretation that the `Arsh means Al-Mulk (Kingship) and extensive Sovereignty!

And as for the Kursee (Footstool) then regarding that is His saying, He the Most High,

His Footstool extends over the heavens and the earth
 (Sooratul-Baqarah (2), aayah 255)

And the Kursee (Footstool) is in front of the Throne, and it is authentic from Ibn `Abbaas radiyAllaahu `anhumaa, as his saying, that he said, “The Kursee (Footstool) is the place of the two Feet, and the Throne – no one knows its size except Allaah, the Most High.” (Reported by Al-Haakim and Ibn Abee Shaybah in his book Sifatul-Jannah, and Shaykh Al-Albaanee said that it is authentic.)”

Shaykh Al-Albaanee then mentions that he has verified this narration in his book Mukhtasar Al-`Uloo of Adh–Dhahabee (مختصر العلو للذهبي), and he said,

“There is nothing authentic from the Prophet sallAllaahu `alayhi wa sallam as his saying, except for his saying `alayhis–salaatu was-salaam, (with regard to the Kursee (Footstool)),

“The seven heavens compared to the Footstool are just like a ring thrown into a desert, and the size of the `Arsh compared to the Footstool is like the size of that desert compared to the size of that ring.”

So that nullifies also, the misinterpretation of the Footstool to mean al-`Ilm (Knowledge) and this interpretation is not authentic from Ibn `Abbaas radiyAllaahu `anhumaa, as I have verified in my book As–Saheehah (no. 109).”

At-Ta`leeqaat Al-Mukhtasarah `alaa Matn Al-`Aqeedah At-Tahaawiyyah
By Shaykh Saalih ibn Fawzaan al-Fawzaan hafizahullaah
Pages 121-125 (Points 111-117)
Translated by Aboo Talhah Daawood Burbank, rahimahullaah, in 1426AH
Transcribed by Sideeqa Ali

Posted with kind permission from Dawud Burbank rahimahullaah

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