(Ibnu Abd'il Barr Rahimahullâh said in continuation,)
"As for those who incline (to misguidance) with the Hadîth narrated by Abdullâh bin Dâwûd al-Wâsitî, on the authority of Ibrâhîm bin Abd'is Samad, who narrated on the authority of Abdullâh bin Mujâhid, who narrated on the authority of his father, and who in turn narrated on the authority of Ibnu Abbâs that he said regarding Allâh's following statement,﴿الرَّحْمَنُ عَلَى الْعَرْشِ اسْتَوَى﴾
"Ar-Rahmân did Istiwâ above the Throne." (Tâ-Hâ, 20/5)
"He conquered all of His creation; thus, no place is devoid of Him."
The answer is that this Hadîth is denounced and was transmitted by the unknown and weak. As for Abdullâh bin Dâwûd al-Wâsitî and Ibnu Mujâhid, then they are weak. As for Ibrâhîm bin Abd'is Samad, he is an unknown and anonymous person. While these people do not accept the narrations by one just narrator, then how can use such Hadîths as evidence, if only they would use their intellect!
Have they not heard the statement of Allâhu Taâlâ,﴿وَقَالَ فِرْعَوْنُ يَاهَامَانُ ابْنِ لِي صَرْحًا لَعَلِّي أَبْلُغُ الْأَسْبَابَ ۞ أَسْبَابَ السَّمَاوَاتِ فَأَطَّلِعَ إِلَى إِلَهِ مُوسَى وَإِنِّي لَأَظُنُّهُ كَاذِبًا﴾
"And Pharaoh said: O Hâmân! Construct for me a tower that I might reach the ways -the ways into the heavens- so that I may look at the deity of Mûsa; but indeed, I think he is a liar." (Ghâfir, 40/36-37)
This statement by Allâh denotes that Mûsâ Alayh'is Salâm would say, "My Deity is in the heavens!" and that Pharaoh would deem him a liar.
If they use the following statement by Allâhu Taâlâ as evidence,﴿وَهُوَ الَّذِي فِي السَّمَاءِ إِلَهٌ وَفِي الْأَرْضِ إِلَهٌ﴾
"It is He who is the only Ilâh in the heaven and the only Ilâh on the earth." (az-Zukhruf, 43/84)
And if they use the following statement by Allâhu Taâlâ as evidence,﴿وَهُوَ اللَّهُ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَفِي الْأَرْضِ﴾
"And He is Allâh in the heavens and on the earth." (al-An'âm, 6/3)
And if they use the following statement by Allâhu Taâlâ as evidence,﴿مَا يَكُونُ مِنْ نَجْوَى ثَلَاثَةٍ إِلَّا هُوَ رَابِعُهُمْ﴾
"There are not three in a private conversation but that He is the fourth of them." (al-Mujâdalah, 58/7)
They deemed that Allâh, whose name is blessed and whose glory is exalted, is everywhere with his soul and essence.
It is said to them: There is no dispute among us, you, and the Ummah regarding the fact that Allâh is not on the earth and under the sky with His essence. Thus, it is necessary to construe these verses in accordance with the correct meaning upon which is consensus. This correct meaning is that Allâh is the Ilâh of the heavens, meaning the worshipped deity of the inhabitants of the heavens and the Ilâh of the earth, meaning the worshipped deity of the inhabitants of the earth. The people of knowledge regarding Tafsîr also said this. The apparent of the revelation (Qur'ân) bears witness that Allâh is upon the Arsh. Thus, the dispute regarding this became null. Those who are happy with the apparent are the happiest of people.
As for Allâhu Taâlâ's statement in another verse,﴿وَفِي الْأَرْضِ إِلَهٌ﴾
"It is He who is the only Ilâh on the earth." (az-Zukhruf, 43/84)
This was explained by the consensus and agreement that what is intended is that He is worshipped by the inhabitants of the earth. Ponder over this, as it is certain [In Shâ Allâh].
Again, one of the evidences regarding the presence of Allâh Azza wa Jalla above the seven heavens and above the Arsh is that all Muwahhids, whether Arab or non-Arab, when they are saddened by something and are afflicted with something, they raise their faces towards the heavens and raise their hands towards the sky and ask help from Allâh their Lord Tabâraka wa Taâlâ. This is very famous and well-known among the common masses and elite such that there is no need for frequent narration.
Rasûlullâh Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam said to the black concubine, "Where is Allâh?" The concubine pointed to the sky. Then Rasûlullâh said to her, "Who am I?" She said, "You are the Messenger of Allâh!" Then Rasûlullâh, "Emancipate her, as she is a believer."263 Rasûlullâh Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam deemed sufficient her raising her head to the heavens."264
263- With similar wording in Muslim, Hadîth no. 537; Abû Dâwûd, Hadîth no. 930; an-Nasâ'î, Hadîth no. 1218.
264- With similar wording in Ibnu Abd'il Barr, at-Tamhîd, Mu'assasat'ul Furqân, 5/143-145.
