Affirming Jihah (Direction) for Allāh
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Affirming Jihah (Direction) for Allāh
By Ibn Paul al-Malik
In the name of God, al-Raḥmān, al-Raḥeem. All praise belongs to Allāh, Lord of the worlds, and may prayers and peace be upon our Prophet Muḥammad, his family, his companions, and all those who follow them in goodness until the Day of Judgement.
Jihah
We will start by clarifying some important details regarding Jihah.
Such as:
- Its meaning
- Its use in the Qurʾān and Sunnah
- Testing people’s ʿAqīdah with it
- Affirmation of Jihah
Then we will bring Quotes and Proofs.
Meaning of ‘Jihah’ (direction)
Shaykh Taqī ad-Dīn (Ibn Taymiyyah) says in al-Tadmuriyyah:
وَمَا تَنَازَعَ فِيهِ الْمُتَأَخِّرُونَ نَفْيًا وَإِثْبَاتًا فَلَيْسَ عَلَى أَحَدٍ بَلْ وَلَا لَهُ أَنْ يُوَافِقَ أَحَدًا عَلَى إِثْبَاتِ لَفْظِهِ أَوْ نَفْيِهِ حَتَّى يَعْرِفَ مُرَادَهُ... بَلْ يُوقَفُ اللَّفْظُ وَيُفَسَّرُ الْمَعْنَى، كَمَا تَنَازَعَ النَّاسُ فِي الْجِهَةِ وَالتَّحَيُّزِ وَغَيْرِ ذَلِكَ.
“As for matters concerning which the later people disputed in affirmation and negation, no one should affirm or deny another's terminology until its intended meaning is known… Rather, the wording is withheld and the meaning explained, as with the dispute concerning jihah, taḥayyuz, and other such terms.”
Then he explains jihah specifically:
فَلَفْظُ الْجِهَةِ قَدْ يُرَادُ بِهِ شَيْءٌ مَوْجُودٌ غَيْرُ اللَّهِ فَيَكُونُ مَخْلُوقًا، كَمَا إِذَا أُرِيدَ بِالْجِهَةِ نَفْسُ الْعَرْشِ أَوْ نَفْسُ السَّمَاوَاتِ، وَقَدْ يُرَادُ بِهِ مَا لَيْسَ بِمَوْجُودٍ غَيْرِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى، كَمَا إِذَا أُرِيدَ بِالْجِهَةِ مَا فَوْقَ الْعَالَمِ.
“The expression jihah may mean an existing thing other than Allāh, in which case it is created, such as if by ‘direction’ one means the Throne itself or the heavens themselves. And it may mean that which is not an existing thing other than Allāh, such as when by ‘direction’ one means what is above the world.”
He says regarding the one who denies it:
فَيُقَالُ لِمَنْ نَفَى الْجِهَةَ: أَتُرِيدُ بِالْجِهَةِ أَنَّهَا شَيْءٌ مَوْجُودٌ مَخْلُوقٌ؟ فَاللَّهُ لَيْسَ دَاخِلًا فِي الْمَخْلُوقَاتِ. أَمْ تُرِيدُ بِالْجِهَةِ مَا وَرَاءَ الْعَالَمِ؟ فَلَا رَيْبَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ فَوْقَ الْعَالَمِ مُبَايِنٌ لِلْمَخْلُوقَاتِ.
“It is said to the one who negates direction: Do you mean by direction an existing created thing? Then Allāh is not inside the created things. Or do you mean by direction what is beyond the world? Then there is no doubt that Allāh is above the world (fawqa al-ʿālam), distinct from the creation.”
And to the affirmer:
أَتُرِيدُ بِذَلِكَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ فَوْقَ الْعَالَمِ؟ أَوْ تُرِيدُ بِهِ أَنَّ اللَّهَ دَاخِلٌ فِي شَيْءٍ مِنَ الْمَخْلُوقَاتِ؟ فَإِنْ أَرَدْتَ الْأَوَّلَ فَهُوَ حَقٌّ، وَإِنْ أَرَدْتَ الثَّانِيَ فَهُوَ بَاطِلٌ.
“Do you mean thereby that Allāh is above the world (fawqa al-ʿālam)? Or do you mean that Allāh is inside something created? If you mean the first, it is true, if you mean the second, it is false.”
Is ‘jihah’ explicitly in the Qurʾān and Sunnah?
Ibn Taymiyyah clarifies:
وَمَعْلُومٌ أَنَّهُ لَيْسَ فِي النَّصِّ إِثْبَاتُ لَفْظِ الْجِهَةِ وَلَا نَفْيُهُ، كَمَا فِيهِ إِثْبَاتُ الْعُلُوِّ وَالِاسْتِوَاءِ وَالْفَوْقِيَّةِ وَالْعُرُوجِ إِلَيْهِ وَنَحْوِ ذَلِكَ.
“It is known that the revealed texts contain neither affirmation nor negation of the word jihah, whereas they do contain affirmation of ʿulūw, istiwāʾ, fawqiyyah, ascending to Him, and the like.”
[same link as previous quotes]
We don't test people’s ʿAqīdah with it
In al-Tisʿīniyyah, while discussing negation of Jihah and Ḥayyiz, he says:
فَإِنْ كَانُوا عَنَوْا مَعْنًى آخَرَ كَانَ عَلَيْهِمْ بَيَانُهُ، إِذِ اللَّفْظُ لَا يَدُلُّ عَلَيْهِ؛ وَلَيْسَ لِأَحَدٍ أَنْ يَمْتَحِنَ النَّاسَ بِلَفْظٍ مُجْمَلٍ، ابْتَدَعَهُ هُوَ مِنْ غَيْرِ بَيَانٍ لِمَعْنَاهُ.
“If they intend another meaning, they must explain it, since the wording itself does not indicate it. No one has the right to test people using an ambiguous expression which he himself introduced, without explaining its meaning.”
[https://shamela.ws/book/17581/185]
This is a general principle concerning ambiguous terminology (Ibn Taymiyyah here applies it to terms such as jihah). Even if the term itself was already known before the person trying to test with it, they should not test with it without first explaining exactly what they mean by it.
Affirming Jihah
Al-Qāḍī Abū Yaʿlā said in his Ibṭāl al-Taʾwīlāt:
فإذا أَثبَتَ أنَّه على العَرش، والعرش في جهةٍ، وهو على عرشه، وقد منعنا في كتابنا هذا في غير موضع إطلاقُ الجهة عليه، والصَّواب جواز القول بذلك، لأنَّ أحمد قد أثبَتَ هذه الصِّفة التي هي الاستواء على العرش، وأَثبتَ أنَّه في السَّماء، وكُلُّ منْ أثْبَتَ هذا أثْبَتَ الجهة.
“So if it is affirmed that He is over the Throne (ʿalā al-ʿArsh), and the Throne is in a direction, and He is over His Throne, and although we have prohibited in more than one place in this book the unrestricted use of the term jihah concerning Him, the correct position is that it is permissible to say this, because Aḥmad affirmed this attribute, namely istiwāʾ over the Throne, and affirmed that He is fīs-Samāʾ. Everyone who affirms this has affirmed jihah.”
[https://shamela.ws/book/730/580]
So simply:
Anyone who affirms Allāh’s fawqiyyah, i.e. that He is above the world (fawqa al-ʿālam), such as Him being over the Throne (ʿalā al-ʿArsh), fīs-Samāʾ, His ʿulūw, and the like, has, according to our view, affirmed jihah.
However, the term jihah should not be affirmed absolutely, unrestrictedly, without clarification, because it is an ambiguous expression.
Salaf affirming Jihah
Al-Qurṭubī's testimony about the Salaf
وَقَدْ كَانَ السَّلَفُ الْأَوَّلُ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ لَا يَقُولُونَ بِنَفْيِ الْجِهَةِ وَلَا يَنْطِقُونَ بِذَلِكَ، بَلْ نَطَقُوا هُمْ وَالْكَافَّةُ بِإِثْبَاتِهَا لِلَّهِ تَعَالَى كَمَا نَطَقَ كِتَابُهُ وَأَخْبَرَتْ رُسُلُهُ.
“The earliest Salaf, may Allāh be pleased with them, did not speak of negating direction (jihah), nor did they utter that. Rather, they, and all of them, spoke of affirming it for Allāh Most High, just as His Book spoke and His Messengers informed.”
[https://shamela.ws/book/7318/283]
Al-Awzāʿī
كُنَّا ـ وَالتَّابِعُونَ مُتَوَافِرُونَ ـ نَقُولُ: إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى فَوْقَ عَرْشِهِ، وَنُؤْمِنُ بِمَا وَرَدَتْ بِهِ السُّنَّةُ مِنْ صِفَاتِهِ.
“We used to say, while the Tābiʿūn were numerous and present, that Allāh, Most High, is above His Throne (fawqa ʿArshihi), and we believe in the Attributes transmitted by the Sunnah.”
Al-Dhahabī, after giving the chain, says:
هَذَا إِسْنَادٌ صَحِيحٌ
“This is a Ṣaḥīḥ chain.”
[https://shamela.ws/book/1583/131]
ʿAbd Allāh ibn al-Mubārak
نَعْرِفُ رَبَّنَا بِأَنَّهُ فَوْقَ سَبْعِ سَمَاوَاتٍ، عَلَى الْعَرْشِ اسْتَوَى، بَائِنٌ مِنْ خَلْقِهِ، وَلَا نَقُولُ كَمَا قَالَتِ الْجَهْمِيَّةُ.
“We know our Lord as being above (fawq) the seven heavens, over the Throne istawā, distinct from His creation, and we do not say as the Jahmiyyah say.”
Another wording:
كَيْفَ نَعْرِفُ رَبَّنَا؟ قَالَ: بِأَنَّهُ فَوْقَ السَّمَاءِ السَّابِعَةِ عَلَى الْعَرْشِ بَائِنٌ مِنْ خَلْقِهِ.
“How do we know our Lord? He said: That He is above (fawq) the seventh heaven, over the Throne (ʿalā al-ʿArsh), distinct from His creation.”
Ibn al-Qayyim says this is transmitted through al-Dārimī, al-Ḥākim, al-Bayhaqī and others “with the most authentic chain.” (bi-aṣaḥḥi isnād)
[https://www.islamweb.net/ar/library/content/116/46/ذكر-قول-عبد-الله-بن-المبارك-رحمه-الله]
Isḥāq ibn Rāhawayh brings ijmāʿ
Al-Khallāl transmitted from Isḥāq ibn Rāhawayh (d. 238 AH):
قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: ﴿الرَّحْمَنُ عَلَى الْعَرْشِ اسْتَوَى﴾. إِجْمَاعُ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ أَنَّهُ فَوْقَ الْعَرْشِ اسْتَوَى، وَيَعْلَمُ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ أَسْفَلَ الْأَرْضِ السَّابِعَةِ...
“Allāh Almighty said: {The Most Merciful rose over the Throne.} (ar-Raḥmānu ʿalā al-ʿArsh istawā) It is the consensus of the people of knowledge that He rose above the Throne (fawqa al-ʿArsh), and He knows everything beneath the seventh earth…”
[https://www.islamweb.net/ar/library/content/116/46/ذكر-قول-عبد-الله-بن-المبارك-رحمه-الله]
Ḥanābilah
Imām Aḥmad
Yūsuf ibn Mūsā said:
قيل لأبى عبد الله: والله تعالى فوق السماء السابعة على عرشه. بائن من خلقه. وقدرته وعلمه بكل مكان؟
“It was said to Abū ʿAbdillāh: ‘And Allāh, exalted is He, is above (fawq) the seventh heaven, over His Throne (ʿalā ʿArshihi), distinct from His creation, while His power and knowledge are in every place?’”
قال: نعم، على عرشه، لا يخلو شئ من علمه
“He said: Yes, over His Throne (ʿalā ʿArshihi), and nothing is devoid of His knowledge.”
[https://shamela.ws/book/9543/423]
ʿAbd al-Qādir al-Jīlānī
وَهُوَ بِجِهَةِ الْعُلُوِّ مُسْتَوٍ عَلَى الْعَرْشِ، مُحْتَوٍ عَلَى الْمُلْكِ، مُحِيطٌ عِلْمُهُ بِالْأَشْيَاءِ.
“He is in the direction of elevation (jihat al-ʿulūw), risen over the Throne, encompassing the dominion, His knowledge encompassing all things.”
[https://shamela.ws/book/9543/423]
ʿAbd al-Ghanī al-Maqdisī
وَمُنْكِرُ أَنْ يَكُونَ اللَّهُ فِي جِهَةِ الْعُلُوِّ بَعْدَ هَذِهِ الْآيَاتِ وَالْأَحَادِيثِ مُخَالِفٌ لِكِتَابِ اللَّهِ، مُنْكِرٌ لِسُنَّةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ.
“Whoever denies that Allāh is in the direction of elevation (jihat al-ʿulūw), after these verses and aḥādīth, is opposing the Book of Allāh and denying the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allāh.”
[https://shamela.ws/book/7546/88]
Proofs brought by ʿAbd al-Ghanī
Mentioned in his book Al-Iqtiṣād fī al-Iʿtiqād.
Under the chapter “Ṣifat al-Istiwāʾ”, he cites all seven Qurʾānic occurrences of istiwāʾ over the Throne:
﴿ثُمَّ اسْتَوَى عَلَى الْعَرْشِ﴾ [al-Aʿrāf 7:54]
﴿ثُمَّ اسْتَوَى عَلَى الْعَرْشِ﴾ [Yūnus 10:3]
﴿ثُمَّ اسْتَوَى عَلَى الْعَرْشِ﴾ [al-Raʿd 13:2]
﴿الرَّحْمَنُ عَلَى الْعَرْشِ اسْتَوَى﴾ [Ṭā Hā 20:5]
﴿ثُمَّ اسْتَوَى عَلَى الْعَرْشِ الرَّحْمَنُ﴾ [al-Furqān 25:59]
﴿ثُمَّ اسْتَوَى عَلَى الْعَرْشِ﴾ [al-Sajdah 32:4]
﴿ثُمَّ اسْتَوَى عَلَى الْعَرْشِ﴾ [al-Ḥadīd 57:4]
[https://shamela.ws/book/7546/75]
He then says:
فَهَذِهِ سَبْعَةُ مَوَاضِعَ أَخْبَرَ اللَّهُ فِيهَا سُبْحَانَهُ أَنَّهُ عَلَى الْعَرْشِ
“These are seven places in which Allāh, glorified is He, informed [us] that He is over the Throne (ʿalā al-ʿArsh).”
[https://shamela.ws/book/7546/76]
Then he brings aḥādīth, of varying authenticity.
(The general idea is independently established by authentic aḥādīth, and the weaker reports provide additional support.)
Narrated by Abū Hurayrah
That the Prophet ﷺ said:
إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ كَتَبَ كِتَابًا قَبْلَ أَنْ يَخْلُقَ الْخَلْقَ: إِنَّ رَحْمَتِي سَبَقَتْ غَضَبِي، فَهُوَ عِنْدَهُ فَوْقَ الْعَرْشِ
“Allāh wrote a Book before He created creation: ‘My mercy has preceded My anger,’ and it is with Him above the Throne (fawqa al-ʿArsh).”
This Ḥadīth is muttafaq ʿalayh, meaning it is in both al-Bukhārī and Muslim.
Narrated by Al-ʿAbbās ibn ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib
That the Prophet ﷺ said, after mentioning the seven heavens, the sea, the eight bearers, and the Throne:
ثُمَّ فَوْقَ ظُهُورِهِمُ الْعَرْشُ... وَاللَّهُ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى فَوْقَ ذَلِكَ
“Then above their backs is the Throne … and Allāh, blessed and exalted, is above that.”
[Narrated in Abū Dāwūd, al-Tirmidhī and Ibn Mājah. Although the narrator ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿUmayrah has been criticised.]
Finally he finishes the chapter on Istiwāʾ by bringing the report from Umm Salamah (although the route is not dependable), and this wording is also traced to Imām Mālik:
الِاسْتِوَاءُ غَيْرُ مَجْهُولٍ، وَالْكَيْفُ غَيْرُ مَعْقُولٍ، وَالْإِقْرَارُ بِهِ إِيمَانٌ، وَالْجُحُودُ بِهِ كُفْرٌ
“Istiwāʾ is not unknown, the kayf is beyond comprehension, affirming it is faith (īmān), and rejecting it is disbelief (kufr).”
Then he moves into the chapter “Ṣifat al-ʿUluww”.
Narrated by Abū Hurayrah
That the Prophet ﷺ said:
...إِلَّا كَانَ الَّذِي فِي السَّمَاءِ سَاخِطًا عَلَيْهَا حَتَّى يَرْضَى
“…except that the One in the heaven (fīs-Samāʾ) is angry with her until he is pleased with her.”
This is also muttafaq ʿalayh.
Narrated by Abū Saʿīd al-Khudrī
That the Prophet ﷺ said:
أَلَا تَأْمَنُونِي وَأَنَا أَمِينُ مَنْ فِي السَّمَاءِ، يَأْتِينِي خَبَرُ السَّمَاءِ صَبَاحًا وَمَسَاءً
“Will you not trust me, while I am the trusted one of Him who is in the heaven (fīs-Samāʾ)? News from heaven comes to me morning and evening.”
Again muttafaq ʿalayh.
Muʿāwiyah ibn al-Ḥakam
He said:
النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال لجاريته: " أين الله؟ قالت: في السماء، قال: من أنا؟ قالت: أنت رسول الله. قال: اعتقها فإنها مؤمنة "
“The Prophet ﷺ said to his slave-girl: ‘Where is Allāh?’ She said: ‘Above the heaven (fīs-Samāʾ).’ He said: ‘Who am I?’ She said: ‘You are the Messenger of Allāh.’ He said: ‘Free her, for she is a believer.’”
[Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim]
ʿAbd al-Ghanī then immediately addresses those who say it is impermissible to ask “Where is Allāh?” after the Prophet ﷺ himself used this wording.
He mentioned many more, which are excessive to mention here, and ʿAbd al-Ghanī himself said this as well, but I did not even bring everything he mentioned himself!