All praise be to Allah Alone! May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family and Companions!
There are repeated questions about some who claim that Allah is incarnate among His creation and mingles with them. They claim that this is the meaning of the general Ma`iyyah (association or being with). They take as evidence the Ayah (Qur'anic verse): And you (O Muhammad ﺻﻠﻰ ﺍﷲ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺳﻠﻢ) were not on the western side (of the Mount) and: You were not with them, when they cast lots with their pens as to which of them should be charged with the care of Maryam (Mary); nor were you with them when they disputed.
There is nothing like Him; and He is the AllHearer, the AllSeer.
To Him ascend (all) the goodly words, and the righteous deeds exalt it (i.e. the goodly words are not accepted by Allâh unless and until they are followed by good deeds)
Our Lord is Allah Who is in the heaven; Holy is Your Name, Your command reigns supreme in the heaven and the earth
Where is Allah?" She replied: "In the heaven." He (peace be upon him) asked her: "Who am I?" She replied: "You are the Messenger of Allah." Then he (peace be upon him) said to her master: "Release her for she is a believer."
Haven't I conveyed Allah's message to you, haven't I conveyed Allah's message to you." They said: "Yes." Then He (peace be upon him) raised his finger to the sky and pointed at the people and said: "O Allah! Bear witness to this."
This was also discussed by ShaykhulIslam Ibn Taymiyyah and others who were wellversed in such matters (see AlFatawa, v., p. 14).
Truly, Allâh is with those who fear Him (keep their duty unto Him), and those who are Muhsinûn (gooddoers. See the footenote of V.9:120).
My slave keeps on coming closer to Me through performing Nawafil (praying or doing extra deeds besides what is obligatory) until I love him, so I become his sense of hearing with which he hears; his sense of sight with which he sees; his hand with which he grips; and his leg with which he walks.
There is no Najwâ (secret counsel) of three but He is their fourth (with His Knowledge, while He Himself is over the Throne, over the seventh heaven), nor of five but He is their sixth (with His Knowledge), nor of less than that or more but He is with them (with His Knowledge) wheresoever they may be.
Great scholars from among the Salaf fought such falsehoods such as Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, `Abdullah Ibn AlMubarak, Ishaq Ibn Rahawayh, Abu Hanifah AlNu`man and others. Similarly, scholars from among the Imams of Guidance did the same such as ShaykhulIslam Ibn Taymiyyah, the great scholar Ibn AlQayyim, AlHafiz Ibn Kathir and others.
above the heavens. Also, great scholars and Imams from among the Salaf were of the opinion that Allah is established on His Throne above the heavens. Abu Nasr AlSijzy said our great Imams, such as Sufyan AlThawriy, Malik, Hammad Ibn Salamah, Hammad Ibn Zayd, Sufyan Ibn `Uyaynah, AlFudayl, Ibn AlMubarak, Ahmad, and Ishaq unanimously agree that Allah (Glorified be He) is established on His Throne by His SelfEntity and everywhere by His Knowledge.
Abu `Umar Ibn `AbdulBar said: "Great scholars from among Sahabah (Prophet's Companions) and Tabi`un (Followers, the generation after the Companions of the Prophet) known for Ta'wil (allegorical interpretation) were of the opinion that the Ta'wil of the Ayah: There is no Najwâ (secret counsel) of three but He is their fourth (with His Knowledge, while He Himself is over the Throne, over the seventh heaven) is that Allah is seated on His Throne above the heavens in His SelfEntity and that He exists everywhere by His Knowledge.
And He is with you (by His Knowledge) wheresoever you may be. And Allâh is the AllSeer of what you do.
No doubt! They did fold up their breasts, that they may hide from Him. Surely, even when they cover themselves with their garments, He knows what they conceal and what they reveal. Verily, He is the AllKnower of the (innermost secrets) of the breasts.
It is the same (to Him) whether any of you conceal his speech or declares it openly, whether he be hid by night or goes forth freely by day.
There is no Najwâ (secret counsel) of three but He is their fourth (with His Knowledge, while He Himself is over the Throne, over the seventh heaven), nor of five but He is their sixth (with His Knowledge), nor of less than that or more but He is with them (with His Knowledge) wheresoever they may be.
Know they not that Allâh knows their secret ideas, and their Najwa (secret counsels), and that Allâh is the AllKnower of things unseen.
Or do they think that We hear not their secrets and their private counsel? (Yes We do) and Our messengers (appointed angels in charge of mankind) are by them, to record.
Consequently, it becomes clear that those who say that Allah is incarnate among His creation and those who follow them are not right at all. Rather, they ascribe to Allah what does not suit His Majesty. In addition, they give the Ayahs on Ma`iyyah explanations that are different from those given by great scholars. May Allah protect us from disgrace and from ascribing to Allah that which does not suit Him, out of ignorance! We ask Allah (Glorified be He) to make us adhere to the right path, as only He is Able to do all things! May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family and Companions!