➡️ CLASS: 15 ⬅️

EXPLANATION OF THE LĀMIYYAH OF IBN TAYMIYYAH (https://t.me/madrasatuna) 1. In our last class, we explained the first half of line 10. Today, we are going to complete the other half of this line by Allāh's permission. 2. The second matter of belief mentioned in this line is to affirm that Allāh descends during the last third of the night in a manner befitting His Majesty, as is authentically established in the Sunnah and confirmed by ijmā'. Ibnul Qayyim states: «وتواترت الرواية عن رسول الله ﷺ بنزول الرب تبارك وتعالى كل ليلة إلى سماء الدنيا» "The narrations from Allāh's Messenger ﷺ are mutawātir in that the Lord Blessed is He, Most High, descends to the lowest heaven every night." [Mukhtaṣar Aṣ-Ṣawā'iq pg. 420] And one of the most common narrations in this regard is the ḥadīth of Abū Hurayrah, may Allāh be pleased with him, that the prophet (ﷺ) said: ((يَنْزِلُ رَبُّنَا تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى كُلَّ لَيْلَةٍ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ الدُّنْيَا حِينَ يَبْقَى ثُلُثُ اللَّيْلِ الآخِرُ، يَقُولُ: مَنْ يَدْعُونِي فَأَسْتَجِيبَ لَهُ، مَنْ يَسْأَلُنِي فَأُعْطِيَهُ، مَنْ يَسْتَغْفِرُنِي فَأَغْفِرَ لَهُ)) "Our Lord, Blessed is He, the Most High, comes down every night to the lowest Heaven when the last third of the night remains, and He says: Who calls upon Me, so that I may answer him? Who asks of Me, so that I may give him? Who seeks My forgiveness, so that I may forgive him?’ [Reported by Bukhārī and Muslim] As for the ijmā': Ibn 'Abdil Hādī [D. 744H] states: «واعلم أن السلف الصالح ومن سلك سبيلهم من الخلف متفقون على إثبات نزول الرب تبارك وتعالى كل ليلة إلى السماء الدنيا» "Know that the righteous predecessors and those who followed their way from the later generations were all in agreement in affirming that the Lord Blessed is He, Most High, descends to the lowest heaven every night." [Aṣ-Ṣārimul Mankī pg. 229] NOTE: By affirming the attribute of descension (Nuzūl), a person unavoidably affirms the Attribute of Highness ('Uluww) for Allāh; because descending occurs from a higher to a lower place. BENEFIT: One of the scholars of misguidance who negated the Attribute of Highness for Allāh was asked concerning the meaning of descension; what does it refer to - if not Allāh? He said, it refers to Allāh's command. So someone asked, who sends down the command (bearing in mind that he doesn't believe Allāh is above His creation)? Does it descend from nothing? So he was left dumbstruck. [Majmū' Al-Fatāwā 5/369] 3. Some of the people of innovation distort this attribute from its apparent meaning without any evidence. And this is the way of the innovators; they use any means possible to weaken and then reject the evidences that expose their misguidance, and if they cannot do that, they resort to distorting and misinterpreting their meanings. Hence, some of them said, it is Allāh's command that descends - not Allāh Himself. And some of them said, it is Allāh's mercy that descends, while others said it is an angel who descends. However, these are all false and baseless misinterpretations of the texts. 3.1: How do we respond to their claim? Firstly: we ask them, is it Allāh's command, His mercy or His angel that calls out: "who calls upon Me, so that I may answer him? Who asks of Me, so that I may give him? Who seeks My forgiveness, so that I may forgive him?" No two Muslims will disagree that only Allāh is capable of responding to supplications, fulfilling requests, and forgiving sins. Secondly: we ask them, does Allāh's command, mercy and angel - only descend in the last third of the night? The answer -as evidences suggest- is, OF COURSE NOT! 4. So it is incumbent upon us to affirm this attribute for Allāh. As for how? Then we have no knowledge of this, just like all other Attributes of Allāh. We have no knowledge of the 'how', but we must still affirm each and every one of them. This is why the author said: وإلى السماء بغير كيف ينزل And to the (lowest) heaven does He (Allāh) descend without designating a how