Section

With this established, the questioner’s words, “How does He descend?” are like asking, “How did He rise over the Throne?” or “How does He hear? How does He see? How does He know and decree? How does He create and provide?”

The answer given by the imams of Islam to such questions has already been mentioned, including that of Mālik ibn Anas and his teacher, Rabī‘ah ibn Abī ‘Abd al-Rahmān. It has been related through several routes that someone asked Mālik about His saying:

“The Most Merciful rose over the Throne.”

“How did He rise over it?” Mālik lowered his head until he was covered in perspiration, then said: “Rising over the Throne is known; its manner is unknown. Belief in it is obligatory, and asking about it is an innovation. I consider you nothing but an evil man.” He then ordered that the man be removed.

A similar answer is reliably established from Rabī‘ah, Mālik’s teacher. This answer has also been narrated from Umm Salamah, may Allah be pleased with her, both as her own statement and as a statement traced back to the Prophet, but its chain of transmission is not reliable.

The statements of all the other imams likewise agree with Mālik’s: we do not know the manner of His rising over the Throne, just as we do not know the manner of His essence. We do, however, know the meaning conveyed by the revealed words. Thus, we know the meaning of rising over the Throne, but not its manner. Likewise, we know the meaning of descent, but not its manner. We know the meanings of hearing, sight, knowledge, and power, but not their manner. We know the meanings of mercy, anger, pleasure, joy, and laughter, but not their manner.