The Great Throne, Chair, Intercession, and Seeing Allah in the Last Day
Among the creeds that every muslim must believe in are the followings:
1- الإيمان بما صح الدليل عليه من الغيبات كالعرش والكرسي والجنة والنار ونعيم القبر وعذابه والصراط والميزان وغيرها دون تأويل شيء من ذلك.
2- الإيمان بشفاعة النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم, وشفاعة الأنبياء والملائكة والصالحين وغيرهم يوم القيامة كما جاء تفصيله فى الأدلة الصحيحة.
2- رؤية المؤمنين لربهم يوم القيامة فى الجنة وفى المحشر حق ومن أنكرها أو أولها فهو زائغ ضال وهي لن تقع لأحد فى الدنيا
1. Believe in every thing mentioned in valid indications about the unseen, such as the Great Throne, the Chair, Paradise, Hell, pleasure and torment in the grave, the Bridge, the Scale, and others without twisting it’s meaning.
2. Believe in the intercession of the Prophet -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- , intercession of the prophets, angels, pious men, and other than them on the Last Day, as mentioned in details in valid indications.
3. Believe that the believers will see their Lord in the Last Day in Paradise and in the field of Mahsyar. Whoever disbelieve in it, or twisting it’s meaning, then he is indeed deviating and going astray, and that thing (seeing Allah) can’t be happened to anyone in this world. (See: “Mujmal Ushul Ahlissunah” by Dr. Nashir al-‘Aql)
Explanations:
The Great Throne and the Chair
No.1: The Great Throne (Arsy) is Allah’s throne. It has pillars that are borne by the angels. The Messenger of Allah -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- said, “ When all mankind are already dead, I will be the first man to conscious. But in fact I see Moses has clung onto a pillar of the Great Throne. I don’t know, whether he was conscious before me, or it is enough for him his fainting on the mount of Thur.” (muttafaq ‘alaih)
Angels who bear the Throne are the great angels. The Messenger of Allah -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- said, :
أُذِنَ لِيْ أَنْ أُحَدِّثَ عَنْ مَلَكٍ مِنْ مَلَائِكَةِ اللهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ مِنْ حَمَلَةِ الْعَرْشِ ، إِنَّ مَا بَيْنَ [شَحْمَةِ] أُذُنِهِ إِلىَ عَاتِقِهِ مَسِيْرَةَ سَبْعَمِائَةِ عَامٍ
“I have been given permission to speak of one of the angels of Allah, one of the bearers of the Throne. The distance between his earlobe and his shoulder is like the distance of seven hundred year’s travel.” (Narrated by Abu Daud and others; see: “Ash Shahihah”: 151)
The Great Throne is the biggest and the highest of Allah’s creature. It resembles a dome for the universe and it’s roof. Allah the Holy and Exalted settles on His throne (Chapter Ta-ha:5). His throne is on the water (chapter Hud:7)
Ibn Mas’ud -may Allah be pleased with him- said, “ Between the world’s sky and the next sky is 500 years distance, between each sky the distance is 500 years, between the seventh sky and the Chair the distance is 500 years, between the Chair and the sea (water) the distance is 500 years, and the Throne is on the sea (water) and Allah is on the throne. and nothing of your deeds is unclear for Him.” (Narrated by Ibn Mahdy from Hammad Ibn Salama from ‘Ashim from Zirr from Abdullah, also narrated by Al Mas’uudiy from ‘Aashim from Abu Waa’il from Ibn Mas’ud. It’s chain of narration is good, and it is also narrated by Ibn Khuzaima, Adz Dzahabi and Baihaqi).
As for the Chair, according to Ibn Abbas, it is the place where Allah put His feet. About the Chair, the Messenger of Allah -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- said,
مَاالْكُرْسِيُّ فِى الْعَرْشِ اِلَّا كَحَلْقَةٍ مِنْ حَدِيْدٍ اُلْقِيَتْ بَيْنَ ظَهْرَيْ فَلَاةٍ مِنَ اْلاَرْضِ
“The Chair compared to the Throne, is like an iron bracelet put on a vast desert on earth.” (Valid, narrated by Ibn Abi Syaiba in book, “al ‘Arsy”)
Imam Ath Thahawi said, “(Nevertheless) Allah the Holy and Exalted does not need the throne and whatever below it. He overspreads everything and on it, and no creature that can overspread Him.”
He also explained, “That Allah created the throne and settles on it, doesn’t mean that Allah needs the throne, but Allah has His own wisdom regarding this matter.”
As for the Paradise and Hell, both are already discussed previously. And about the pleasure and torment inside the grave, it is enough for us the order of Allah’s messenger -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- to his companions, to seek protection from the torments of the grave when they prayed before the salam. Also based on a hadith from al Barra’ Ibn ‘Azib about the trials in the grave.
For believers, there will be a calling from the sky, saying, “My slave is right, spread for him rugs and clothes from Paradise, and open him the door to Paradise. Then a wind from Paradise and it’s fragrance will come to him, and his grave will be expanded as far as the eye can see. Whereas for disbeliever, a voice will call from the sky, “My slave lies, bring to him rugs from the Hell, and open for him a door to Hell, then the heat and hot wind from it will come to him. His grave will be confined until his ribs get overlapping one another.” (as narrated by Ahmad, Abu Daud, etc. It is classed valid/sahih by Sheikh Al Albani).
Pearl of wisdom:
Is the torment or pleasure of the grave happened to one’s soul or body?
Sheikh al Islam Ibn Taimiyya said, “The belief of the predecessors and their imams is that the torment and pleasure of the grave may happened to the soul of the deceased and his body, and that the soul may still feel pleasure or torment after it parted with the body, and that sometimes the soul unites with the body hence it feels the pleasure or torment together with the body.”
Intercession
No. 2: Intercession means asking for goods for other people. There are 8 kinds of intercession, among those there are special intercessions of the Prophet -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him-, and some are not only special for him, but others may also give it too.
First, is syafaat (intercession) ‘uzhma, (the commendable position), that is the intercession of the Prophet -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- so that Allah the Holy and Exalted gives the decision for His slaves after their lengthy stay at the field of mahsyar.
Second, intercession of the Prophet -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- for the dwellers of Paradise to enter the Paradise after they’ve been through the counting of deeds (hisab).
Third, intercession of The Prophet -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- for his uncle, Abu Thalib, so that his torments will be lightened.
These three kind of intercessions are special for the Prophet only -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him-.
Fourth, intercession of the Prophet -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- for the believers of tawheed who deserve to get into the Hell, to avoid it.
Fifth, intercession of the Prophet -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- for those who already enter the Hell, from the believers, to be taken out from it.
Sixth, intercession of the Prophet -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- for some of the Paradise dwellers to get their level increased.
Seventh, intercession of the Prophet -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- for those whose righteous deeds and sins are equal to be able to enter the Paradise. According to some scholars, they are the inhabitant of the A’raf (The high place between the Paradise and Hell).
Eighth, intercession of the Prophet -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- for some of the believers to enter the Paradise without counting process and torments.
These five kinds of intercession are able to be given by the prophets, angels, those who confirmed the truth, and the martyrs.
An intercession will not be established but by two requirements:
– The Permission from Allah for the giver. See: chapter Al Baqarah/The Cow: 255 and Yunus/Jonah: 3.
– The pleasure of Allah to those who are given intercession. See: chapter Al Anbiyaa’/The Prophets: 28.
Both requirements are also mentioned in chapter An Najm/The Star:26
Indication showing that other than the Prophet -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- are allowed to give intercession is a hadith below:
فَيَقُولُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ شَفَعَتِ الْمَلاَئِكَةُ وَشَفَعَ النَّبِيُّونَ وَشَفَعَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَلَمْ يَبْقَ إِلاَّ أَرْحَمُ الرَّاحِمِينَ فَيَقْبِضُ قَبْضَةً مِنَ النَّارِ فَيُخْرِجُ مِنْهَا قَوْمًا لَمْ يَعْمَلُوا خَيْرًا قَطُّ .
“Allah The Great and Almighty decreed: “The angels gave intercession, the prophets gave intercession, and the believers gave intercession, and only Allah the Most Gracious and Merciful left. He grab with a grab from the Hell, and He takes out from it several people who never do any goodness at all.” (Narrated by Muslim).
Seeing Allah on the Last Day
No. 3: The indication that believers may look onto Allah on the Last Day is Allah’s decree, “Some faces on that Day will be fresh and resplendent, and will be looking towards their Lord;” (QS. Al Qiyamah/The Last Day: 22-23)
Imam Muslim narrated from Abu Sa’id al Khudri, that people of the time of Messenger of Allah -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- asked, “ O Messenger of Allah, will we see our Lord on the Last Day?” Allah’s messenger -peace and payer of Allah be upon him- replied, “Yes.”
As for the infidels will be screened from seeing Allah. (Chapter Al Muthaffifin: 15)
And the sight will not only happened in Paradise, but also in the field of mahsyar. The Messenger of Allah -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- said,
“do you have any difficulty in seeing the sun at midday when it is bright and there is no cloud in the sky?” They replied, “No.” He said, “Do you have any difficulty in seeing the moon on a full moon night when it is bright and there is no cloud in the sky?” They replied, “No.” The Prophet -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- said, “(Similarly) you will have no difficulty in seeing Allah The Great and Almighty on the Day of Resurrection as you have no difficulty in seeing either of them. On the Day of Resurrection, a call-maker will announce, `Let every nation follow that which they used to worship.’ Then none of those who used to worship anything other than Allah, like idols and other deities, but will fall in Hell (Fire), till there will remain none but those who used to worship Allah, both those who were righteous pious ones, and the mischievous evil ones – Ibrahim (the narrator) was doubt about the precise text-. And then Allah comes them and said, “I am your Lord.” Then they replied “This is the place where we stay, until our Lord come to us. If our Lord came to us, we will surely recognize Him.”Allah then come to them with a shape that they recognize, and Allah said, “I am your Lord.” Then they replied, “You are indeed our Lord.” Then they follow Him. A bridge then established between the two brinks of The Hell, me and my follower are the first to cross it…and so on.” (Narrated by Bukhari).
Also in a narration of Bukhari it is mentioned that, “ So Allah the Almighty came to them and said, “I am your Lord.” They said, “You are our Lord.” At that time, no one speak but the prophets. Allah decreed, “Do you know any sign to recognize Him?” They answered, “The thigh.” Then Allah uncover His thigh, and every believer prostrated, and one who prostrated to Him due to riya’ and sum’ah (popularity) was being left, he went to prostrate but his back came into a fold.” In the narration of Muslim it is said, “When he wanted to prostrate, he fell on his nape.”
So, Allah shows their hypocrisy.
Author: Marwan Ibn Musa
Article of www.whatisquran.com
References:
“Mujmal Ushul Ahlissunnah wal Jamaa’ah fil ‘Aqiidah” by (Dr. Nashir Al ‘Aql)
“Syarh Ath Thahaawiyyah” by (Imam Ath Thahaawiy)
“Ta’liq Mukhtashar ‘ala kitab Lum’atil I’tiqad” by (Sheikh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen),
“Syarh ‘Aqidah Wasithiyyah” by (Sheikh Shalih Al fauzan),
“Syarah ‘Aqidah Ahlussunnah” by (Ust. Yazid)
etc.