If someone asks, Where did Allah come from? We will answer his question in the light of the statements of the Imams. We will say that Allah has always been and always will be. He came from nowhere.
Imam Abu Hanifa was asked, Where is Allah? He said:
كان الله تعالى ولا مكان، كان قبل أن يخلق الخلق، كان ولم يكن أين ولا خلق ولا شىء، وهو خالق كل شىء
When there was no space, God was still there. He was before creation and He was still, when there was no place to tell, no creation and no matter. He is the creator of everything.
Imam Abu Hanifa. Also said:
نقر بأن الله على العرش استوى من غير أن يكون له حاجة إليه واستقرار عليه وهو الحافظ للعرش وغير العرش، فلو كان محتاجا لما قدر على إيجاد العالم وتدبيره كالمخلوق ولو كان محتاجا إلى الجلوس والقرار فقبل خلق العرش أين كان الله تعالى! تعالى الله عن ذلك علوا كبيرا.
We acknowledge that Allah Ta’ala has bestowed upon the Arsh. He bequeathed it to the throne without any need or any need for it. He is the preserver of the Arsh and all creations other than the Arsh without any preconditions. If he were a seer, he would not have been able to create and manage the universe like a creature. If he was looking forward to being seated and settled on the throne, where was he before the throne was created? he is completely above these things.
Where did Allah come from? The opinion of the Imams
Imam Ibnu Abdus Salam. Imam Abu Hanifa quotes:
Those who said, “I do not know Allah is in the sky or on the ground are disbelievers, because this saying is false, and those who believe that there is a place for the truth are dubious.”
Whoever says, I do not know whether Allah is in the sky or on earth, he will become a disbeliever. Because this statement creates doubt that there is any place for Allah Ta’ala. A person who thinks that there is a place for Allah is a Mushabiha.
Imam Maturidi. writes:
Disagreement has arisen among Muslims regarding the position of Allah Ta’ala.
First opinion
Some of them think that Allah Ta’ala is sitting on the Throne. Arash is a throne to them; which the angels carry and circumambulate around it. Because, he says in the Qur’an, “Eight angels will carry the throne of your Lord on that day.”
They have presented evidence through the verses of the Holy Quran. Surah Tahar verse 5 of the Holy Qur’an says, ‘The Merciful has rested upon the Throne.’
In addition to this, their document is that people raise their hands upwards during Dua and expect their welfare from above. Their statement is that Allah Ta’ala was not on the throne before. Later he occupied the throne. Because, he said, ‘Then he ascended the throne.’
Second opinion
Some believe that Allah is everywhere. They are evidenced by some verses of the Holy Quran. Allah Almighty says in the Qur’an, ‘If three persons converse, Allah Almighty is the fourth.’ nearby But you do not see.'[10] In another verse he says, ‘But He is Allah, the Lord of the heavens and the Lord of the earth.
Refute their opinion
They think that if Allah Ta’ala is not said to be omnipresent, then Allah Ta’ala is limited by this. Every finite thing is smaller than a larger thing. It is considered a fault for him.
In this vain statement of theirs, Allah Ta’ala has been considered as the guardian of the place. Also, the limit has been set for Allah. Because, if something is actually located at a place, then it is not possible for the object to grow from that place. Because, if it is bigger than the place, then its position in that place is not possible. For one to remain in a certain place, yet grow out of that place, is a ridiculous matter. So those who say that Allah is omnipresent, they have also limited Allah to all places. According to them, the limit of the universe and the limit of Allah must be the same. And he is completely above them.
Where did Allah come from? Another opinion
The statement of the third group is that Allah Ta’ala is free and pure from all places and places. Even if Allah Ta’ala is associated with a place in a metaphorical sense, it means that Allah Ta’ala is the preserver and nurturer of that place.
Imam Abu Mansur Maturidi. Also writes:
The principle of Ahlus Sunnah wal Jama’at regarding the position of Allah Ta’ala is that when there was no place, Allah Ta’ala was still there. God’s existence is possible even if no place exists. Allah Ta’ala has existed since time immemorial.
As though no place exists, he remains immortal. The Being or Attributes of Almighty Allah are completely free from change-enhancement, addition-subtraction, decrease-increase and extinction.
Imam Abul Lais Samarkandi Rah. said:
Some people have disagreed about the position of Allah. Karramiyyah and Mushabihad say that Allah Ta’ala is spatially on the Arsh. For them, the mortal throne is the place of God’s residence. In terms of location, they have made a descent, movement, etc. from here for the sake of Allah Ta’ala.
They say, Allah has a body. But he is not like other body types. Almighty Allah is completely above their false beliefs. They use Surah Taha verse 5 of the Quran to prove their doctrine. In it, Allah Ta’ala has given istiwa to Arsh.
Refutation of this view
We refute their doctrine thus, Arash was not at one time. It came into existence through the creation of Allah Ta’ala. Now maybe Allah Ta’ala will reveal His power, greatness and authority on the mortal throne or take a seat there when He needs to sit. The irrefutably proven fact is that no one can ever be a creator in the face of others.
He is at the door of others for his own needs. How can he have power over others? A person at the door of others is not fit to be a leader. How can he be a shepherd?
When the possibility of sitting on the throne or taking a position on it is proved wrong, the first possibility is correct. That is, Arsh is insignificant in front of God’s power and authority because it is created by God. Allah Ta’ala has revealed His authority and greatness without any need for it.
Fatwa of Deoband
Ulamae Deoband’s following figure is the famous tafsir and hadith-expert Allama Abdul Haq Dehlabi. writes:
‘Allah Ta’ala does not need any place for existence and location. Because physical and spatial objects only need a location. he is completely free from the body and pure. So he does not live in the sky.
He does not even reside on the ground. He does not live anywhere in East-West. Rather, the entire universe is close to him. So why would he stay in this tiny creation? But everything in creation is fully revealed before him. Nothing is latent or unknown to Him. All places and places are equal to Allah.
