ALLAH SITS ON THE THRONE

ALLAH SITS ON THE THRONE

The Holy Qur'an also mentions a particular item of Allah's entourage, namely throne. There are many verses which explain that Allah has a Throne on which He sits, surrounded by angels etc. Unless one has a form and is located in a particular place, he can neither sit on a throne nor be surrounded by anyone. Since Allah does sit on a throne and is surrounded by angels, no sane man will deny that Allah has a form. Needless to say, such form is spiritual and invisible to the common eye.

Thus the Holy Qur'an says:

إِنَّ رَبَّكُمُ اللَّهُ الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ ثُمَّ اسْتَوَى عَلَى الْعَرْشِ

Inna Rabba-kumulla-hullazi khalaqas-samawati wal-'arza fi sitati 'ayamin sumas-tawa 'alal 'Arsh: "Your Guardian Lord is Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth in six Days, then He settled Himself on the Throne." (7.54)

إِنَّ رَبَّكُمُ اللَّهُ الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ ثُمَّ اسْتَوَى عَلَى الْعَرْشِ يُدَبِّرُ الْأَمْرَ

Inna Rabba-kumulla-hullazi khalaqas-samawati wal-'arza fi sitati 'ayamin sumas-tawa 'alal 'Arshi yudab-birul-'amr: "Verily your Lord is Allah, who created the heavens and the earth in six Days, then He established Himself upon the Throne, directing all things." (10.3)

Here and in (7.54) word "istawa" with the preposition 'ala after it means "to sit firm and unshaken", "to be firmly established", or "to mount". So Allah firmly sitting on His Throne and directing all things.

Furthermore it is stated in the Holy Qur'an:

وَهُوَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ وَكَانَ عَرْشُهُ عَلَى الْمَاءِ

Wa huwal-lazi khala-qasamawati wal-'arza fi sitati 'aya - minwa kana 'Arshuhu 'alal-ma-'i: "He (Allah) it is Who created the heavens and the earth in six Days and His Throne was upon the water." (11.7)

Ar- Rahmanu 'alal 'Arshistawa: "The Beneficent One is firmly established on the Throne." (20.5)

Fa - subhanallahi Rabbil 'Arshi: "Glorified be Allah, the Lord of the Throne." (21.22)

Wa taral- mala -'ikata hafina min hawlil-'Arshi yusabihuna bi-hamdu Rabbihim: "And you (O Muhammad) will see the angels surrounding the Throne on all sides, singing the praises of their Lord." (39.75)

Huwallazi khalaqas-samawati wal-'arza fi sitati 'ayamin sumas-tawa 'alal 'Arsh: "He it is who created the heavens and the earth in six Days; then He mounted the Throne." (57.4)

Wal-malaku 'ala 'arja-'iha / wa yahmilu 'Arsha Rabbika fawqahum yawma-'izin-samaniya: "And the angels will be on its sides, and eight will bear the Throne of their Lord above them, that Day." (69.17)

Abdullah Yusuf Ali comments:

"The angels will be on all sides, arrayed in ranks upon ranks, and the Throne of the Lord on high will be borne by eight angels. . . . The number eight has perhaps no special significance, unless it be with reference to the shape of the Throne or the number of the angels. The Oriental Throne is often octagonal, and its bearers would be one at each corner." (9, p. 1807)

This verse and commentary indicates that Allah's Throne has a particular shape and on the Day of Judgment the angels will be able to carry Allah on His Throne.

Thus from these ayats we can understand that Allah has Arsh, or the Throne, He sits on His Throne, angels surround Him and on the Last Day they will be carrying Him on His Throne. Therefore Allah is not merely an abstract energy or power, He is the supreme living One who is the Proprietor of energy and power but He Himself has form. Otherwise how can Allah be in a particular place and sit on the Throne? His form, throne and paraphernalia are all spiritual.