Al-Istiqama - Ibn Taimiya - (1/189)

He said: “Al-Shiblī was asked about His saying, ‘The Most Merciful rose over the Throne.’ He replied: ‘The Most Merciful has always existed, whereas the Throne came into being; and the Throne rose by the Most Merciful.’”

I say: These words likewise have no chain of transmission from al-Shiblī, and they contain falsehood that amounts to a distortion of the Quran.

His statement, “The Most Merciful has always existed, whereas the Throne came into being,” is true. But his statement, “The Throne rose by the Most Merciful,” first contradicts the Quran: Allah declares that He is the One who rose over the Throne. How, then, can it be said that it is only the Throne that rose?

Second, saying that the Throne rose by Him is no more emphatic than saying that He rose over the Throne. Thus, in the hadith of Ibn ʿUmar, the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, began reciting the talbiyah when his mount rose with him upon it. This would entail that the Throne rose with Allah upon it, supported Him, and carried Him. If, however, he did not intend this meaning, but merely meant that the Throne became level

قَالَ وَسُئِلَ الشبلي عَن قَوْله الرَّحْمَن على الْعَرْش اسْتَوَى فَقَالَ الرَّحْمَن لم يزل وَالْعرش مُحدث وَالْعرش بالرحمن اسْتَوَى قلت هَذَا الْكَلَام أَيْضا لَيْسَ لَهُ إِسْنَاد عَن الشبلي وَهُوَ يتَضَمَّن من الْبَاطِل مَا هُوَ تَحْرِيف لِلْقُرْآنِ أما قَوْله الرَّحْمَن لم يزل وَالْعرش مُحدث فَحق وَأما قَوْله الْعَرْش بالرحمن اسْتَوَى فَهُوَ أَولا خلاف الْقُرْآن فَإِن الله أخبر أَنه هُوَ الَّذِي اسْتَوَى على الْعَرْش فَكيف يُقَال إِن المستوى إِنَّمَا هُوَ الْعَرْش وَأما ثَانِيًا فَإِنَّهُ إِذا قَالَ الْعَرْش اسْتَوَى بِهِ فَهَذَا لَيْسَ أبلغ من قَوْله إِنَّه اسْتَوَى على الْعَرْش كَمَا فِي حَدِيث ابْن عمر أَن رَسُول الله صلى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسلم أهل حِين اسْتَوَت بِهِ رَاحِلَته وَذَلِكَ يَقْتَضِي أَن يكون الْعَرْش اسْتَوَى بِاللَّه واستقل بِهِ وَحمله وَإِن لم يرد هَذَا الْمَعْنى وَإِنَّمَا أَرَادَ أَن الْعَرْش اعتدل