Salafi Research Institute SRI
Itihaf ul-Basim Fi Tahqiq Muwatta al-Imam Malik [Talkhis al-Qabisi] Riwayah Abdur Rahman ibn al-Qasim
Tahqiq, Takhrij, Sharh
Muhadith Zubair Ali Zai
Translated Abu Ubaydah
Translated, Checked & Additional Notes
Abu Hibban & Abu Khuzaimah Ansaari
Allah the Most High is Established Above the Throne and The Importance of Dua
Abu Abdullah al-Agharu and Abu Salamah Ibn Abdurahman: One Hadith
[26] From Malik from Ibn Shihab from Abu Abdullah al-Aghar and from Abu Salama from Abu Hurayra that the Messenger of Allah, (Sallalahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) said, “Our Rab (Nourisher, Cherisher, Guide, Administrator), the Blessed and Exalted, descends every night to the heaven of this world when the last third of the night is still to come and says, ‘Who will call on Me so that I may answer him? Who will ask Me so that I may give him? Who will ask forgiveness from Me so that I may forgive him?’ ”
[GRADING] – [SAHIH]
Ibn Shihab az-Zuhri clarified hearing (this hadith from Abu Abdullah al-Agharu) in Darimi ((1/347) hadith (no.1487)
[REFERENCES] – [AGREED UPON]
Al-Muwatta (Yahya’s narration 1/214 hadith no.499, book 15, chapter 8, hadith no.30) at-Tamhid (7/128), al-Istidhkar: (no.468)
Transmitted by Bukhari (no.1145) and Muslim (no.758) from the hadith of Malik. And in the original from Yahya’s narration: Yad’oni (compared to Yad’uni as said above)
[UNDERSTANDING FROM THE HADITH]
1) This hadith is mutawatir. at-Tamhid (7/128) and Nazmul al-Mutanasir (no.206)
2) It is compulsory to have Iman that Allah the most High descends to the world in the last part of every night in a manner that befits His Majesty. Taking this to mean the mercy of Allah descending and performing ta’wil (false interpretation) of Allah descending is false.
3) Allah the most High is above his Arsh in terms of His Essence, His Knowledge and Power covers everything.
4) The Jahmiyah (a severely misguided sect) described Allah all Glory be to Him the most High, to be everywhere in his essence. See Talbis Iblis (pg.30), this necessitates and leads to the heretical belief of incarnation. See Hafidh Ibn Taymiyaah’s book “Ibtal Wahdatul Wujud” expounding the belief of incarnation being futile and Mulla Ali Qari Hanafi’s book “Ar Rad Alal Qa’ilin Bi Wahdatul Wujud”
5) Imam Malik said, “Allah the most High is in the heavens and His Knowledge encompasses every place. No place is free from His Knowledge. (Kitab al-Shar’iah of al-Ajuri (pg.289) hadith (no.652) and its chain is [Hasan] good)
6) Imam Aw’zai, Malik, Sufyan Ath-Thawri and Layth Ibn Sa’d said about the Ahadith of the attributes (of Allah) that: they have been narrated without explaining how (the attributes are). (Aqidatus Salaf Wa Ashabul Hadith of As-Sabuni (pg.56) hadith (no.90) and its chain is [Hasan] good, another edition (pg.248, 249)
7) Imam Abdullah Ibn al-Mubarak said, “We recognise our Rab, He is above the heavens above his Arsh, He is separate from His creation and we do not say as the Jahmiyyah say that He is here (on the Earth) and he (Imam Abdullah Ibn al-Mubarak) pointed towards the Earth. (Aqidatus Salaf Wa Ashabul Hadith of As-Sabuni (pg.186) hadith (no.28) and its chain is authentic, Ar Rad Alal Jahmiyah of al-Darimi: (no.67, no.162), Al Asma Wa Sifat of Al-Bayhaqi (pg.427) another edition (pg.538), As Sunnah of Abdullah Ibn Ahmad: (no.216))
8) Imam Zuhri said, “Salvation lies in clinging to the Sunnah” (Hilyatul Awliya of Abu Na’im Al-Isbahani (3/369) and its chain is authentic)
9) This hadith establishes the permissibility for making Dua, it does not negate tawakul i.e. reliance in Allah but rather there is more need for it.
