The Prophet ﷺ sitting on the throne of Allah

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the Name of Allah Most Merciful Most Kind

Short Answer

There is certainly no verse of the Holy Quran explicitly supporting the belief some people have regarding the Prophet ﷺ sitting on the throne. And to my knowledge there is no authentic Prophetic Hadith either. Therefore, it is unacceptable to pressure others to believe it. Rather such people should feel obliged to provide evidence from Quran and Prophetic Sunnah.

Explanation

وَمَا كَانَ اللَّهُ لِيُطْلِعَكُمْ عَلَى الْغَيْبِ وَلَكِنَّ اللَّهَ يَجْتَبِي مِنْ رُسُلِهِ مَنْ يَشَاءُ فَآمِنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَإِنْ تُؤْمِنُوا وَتَتَّقُوا فَلَكُمْ أَجْرٌ عَظِيمٌ

And Allah does not reveal the unseen to you, rather Allah selects from his Messengers whomsoever he wills. And if you believe and have Taqwa (piety) then you will have abundant reward. (Surah Ali Imran, 179).

Knowledge of the unseen is restricted to the Prophets. Anyone else claiming knowledge of the unseen will be refuted. The belief regarding the Prophet ﷺ sitting on the throne is from the matters of the Ghayb (unseen). Thus, those making such claims require clear evidence from the Holy Quran or Prophetic Sunnah. Otherwise, they will be rebuked for speaking without knowledge.

Ilm al-Ghayb

As well as the Holy verse above, there are many other Quranic verses prohibiting speaking about the unseen without proof. That is why many of the greatest scholars in our history warned against claiming such knowledge.

قالت عائشة: من قال إن أحدا يعلم الغيب إلا الله فقد كذب، وأعظم الفرية على الله (تفسير الطبري)

(Sayidah) Aishahsaid, whoever says that someone besides Allah (Most High) knows the unseen has lied and invented a great falsehood against Allah (Most High). (Imam al-Tabari, Tafseer al-Tabari Vol. 20, p160).

 

وقد أكذب الشرع من ادعى علم الغيب (إِكمَالُ المُعْلِمِ بفَوَائِدِ مُسْلِم)

Whoever claims knowledge of the unseen has rejected the Sharia. (Qadi Iyaad, Sharh Muslim Vol. 7, p153).

Believing in the Prophet ﷺ sitting on the throne without evidence from Quran and Sunnah means one is accepting another source of Ilm al-Ghayb. Which in itself is sufficiently problematic. However, when we consider the fact that there are numerous Sahih Hadith that would oppose this assertion makes it even worse.

The claim

Those who insist on believing in the Prophet ﷺ sitting on the throne cite a Tafseer of Imam Mujahid as evidence. They completely overlook the fact that his Tafseer contains Ilm al-Ghayb and thus requires evidence from Quran and Sunnah. In doing so, they resemble the Sufis they so often mock and ridicule.

Many misguided Sufis claim their Shaykhs and Pirs have knowledge of the unseen. This is rightly opposed by mainstream Sunni Muslims. However, some of those who oppose the Sufi claims have fallen into the same error with Imam Mujahid’s Tafseer.

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بِشْرٍ، قَالَ: ثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ شَرِيكٍ يَعْنِي عَمَّهُ، قَالَ: ثَنَا أَبِي، قَالَ: ثَنَا عَطَاءُ بْنُ السَّائِبِ، وَلَيْثُ بْنُ أَبِي سُلَيْمٍ، وَجَابِرُ بْنُ يَزِيدَ، كُلُّهُمْ يَقُولُ: سَمِعْتُ مُجَاهِدًا، قَالَ عَطَاءٌ فِي حَدِيثِهِ: وَسُئِلَ عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ، عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: {عَسَى أَنْ يَبْعَثَكَ رَبُّكَ مَقَامًا مَحْمُودًا} [الإسراء: 79] قَالَ: يُقْعِدُهُ عَلَى الْعَرْشِ

Muhammad bin Bishr said we were informed by Abd al-Rahman bin Sharik, meaning his uncle, who said: My father narrated to us saying: Ata bin al-Sa’ib, Layth bin Abi Sulaym, and Jabir bin Yazid all informed us saying: I heard Mujahid. Ata said in his narration: He was asked about the words of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), It may be that your Lord will raise you to a station of praise. (Al-Isra: 79). He said: He will seat him on the throne. (Kitab al-Sunnah of Abu Bakr al-Khallal, 297).

Authenticity

Most of the narrations of the above narration from Imam Mujahid have Layth bin Abi Sulaym in the chain of narrators (Sanad). He is considered to be a problematic narrator according to many Imams of Hadith. However, the above narration does include chains without him. Yet, those other chains are also questionable.

In any case, this discussion should not focus on the authenticity of the narration from Imam Mujahid. Since, it would not serve as proof even if it were authentic. As Imam Mujahid does not receive revelation. Thus, he has no right to make claims regarding matters of the unseen.

The correct Tafseer

Not only does Imam Mujahid’s Tafseer have major intrinsic issues, but it is also further weakened by the fact that it does not align with the Tafseer of the blessed Prophet ﷺ. Regarding the same verse, the Mubarak Prophet ﷺ provided a completely different Tafseer. Imam Mujahid does not have the right to move away from that blessed Tafseer without clear evidence.

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي قَوْلِهِ: {عَسَى أَنْ يَبْعَثَكَ رَبُّكَ مَقَامًا مَحْمُودًا} [الإسراء: 79] وَسُئِلَ عَنْهَا قَالَ: «هِيَ الشَّفَاعَةُ»: ” هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ

Abu Hurairah narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, when he was asked about it, said regarding the verse: It may be that your Lord will raise you to a station of praise. (Al-Isra: 79). He said: It is the intercession (Shafa’ah). This is a Hasan Hadith. (Sunan al-Tirmidhi, 3137).

Imam al-Bukhari has a chapter heading of the very same verse. And thereafter has a Hadith about intersession. Indicating that he also believed that the correct Tafseer of the verse is the Shafa’ah or intercession of the Mubarak Prophet ﷺ.

بَابُقَوْلِهِ: {عَسَى أَنْ يَبْعَثَكَ رَبُّكَ مَقَامًا مَحْمُودًا} [الإسراء: 79]

The chapter on His saying: It may be that your Lord will raise you to a station of praise. (Al-Isra: 79).

Tafseer of a Sahabi

When we look at the same verse and check the commentary of the great Sahabi Hudhayfah bin al-Yaman, we find that it completely aligns with the Mubarak Prophet ﷺ. Why would a Muslim overlook such blessed Tafseer and go to a Tafseer that depicts the Prophet ﷺ sitting on the throne.

عَنْ صِلَةَ بْنِ زُفَرَ، عَنْ حُذَيْفَةَ بْنِ الْيَمَانِ، سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ فِي قَوْلِهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: عَسَى أَنْ يَبْعَثَكَ رَبُّكَ مَقَامًا مَحْمُودًا. [الإسراء: 79] قَالَ: يُجْمَعُ النَّاسُ فِي صَعِيدٍ وَاحِدٍ يُسْمِعُهُمُ الدَّاعِي وَيَنْفُذُهُمُ الْبَصَرُ حُفَاةً عُرَاةً كَمَا خُلِقُوا سُكُوتًا لَا تَتَكَلَّمُ نَفْسٌ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِ، قَالَ: فَيُنَادَى مُحَمَّدٌ فَيَقُولُ: لَبَّيْكَ وَسَعْدَيْكَ وَالْخَيْرُ فِي يَدَيْكَ وَالشَّرُّ لَيْسَ إِلَيْكَ الْمَهْدِيُّ مَنْ هَدَيْتَ وَعَبْدُكَ بَيْنَ يَدَيْكَ وَلَكَ وَإِلَيْكَ لَا مَلْجَأَ وَلَا مَنْجَا مِنْكَ إِلَّا إِلَيْكَ تَبَارَكْتَ وَتَعَالَيْتَ سُبْحَانَ رَبِّ الْبَيْتِ. فَذَلِكَ الْمَقَامُ الْمَحْمُودُ الَّذِي قَالَ اللَّهُ {عَسَى أَنْ يَبْعَثَكَ رَبُّكَ مَقَامًا مَحْمُودًا} [الإسراء: 79]

Silah bin Zufar narrated from Hudhayfah bin al-Yaman, I heard him say regarding the words of the Almighty and Majestic: It may be that your Lord will raise you to a station of praise. (Al-Isra: 79). He said: The people will be gathered in one place, where the caller will have them hear him and the sight will reach them, barefoot and naked as they were created, silent, with no soul speaking except by His permission. He said: Then Muhammad ﷺ will be called out and he will say: At Your service and at Your pleasure. All good is in Your hands. And evil is not attributed to You. The guided one is he whom You have guided. Your servant is before You, and to You and for You. There is no refuge or escape from You except to You. Blessed and Exalted are You. Glory be to the Lord of the House. That is the praiseworthy station which Allah said regarding: It may be that your Lord will raise you to a station of praise. (Al-Isra: 79). (Mustadrak al-Hakim 3384, confirmed Sahih by Imam al-Dhahabi).

Although the above narration would suffice, since it is confirmed authentic by Imam al-Dhahabi, other narrations are available too. For example, there is a very similar narration in al-Sunan al-Kubra of Imam al-Nasai (11230).

The Salaf

Some people argue that the Salaf accepted the narration which asserts the Prophet ﷺ sitting on the throne. This is a flawed argument for many reasons. Firstly, there is not an Ijma (consensus) amongst the Salaf regarding the issue. Therefore, nobody should give the impression that all of the Salaf held such a belief.

Secondly, the Salaf do not have a right to overlook the Prophetic Hadith and focus on the Tafseer of a Tabi instead. As explained above. Thirdly, the Sahabah are the greatest of the Salaf. And there is no authentic narration confirming that they had such a belief.

Fourthly, there is a difference between a scholar narrating something in a book of Riwayah and him accepting it. Just because such a scholar has conveyed something, it does not give us the right to assume it was accepted by him.

Fifthly, the Salaf do not have Ilm al-Ghayb. So, if they speak about matters of the unseen they must prove it from Quran and Sunnah. Not only is attributing knowledge of the unseen to the Salaf a corrupt belief in itself. But it also opens up the floodgates to all kinds of problematic statements about the Ghayb that existed in that era.    

ورفعه بعضهم من حديث ابن عمر وإسناده واه لا يثبت، وأما عن مجاهد فلا شك في ثبوته. (العرش)

Some of them raised it (to the Prophet ﷺ) from the narration of Ibn Umar. And its chain of transmission is weak and not established. As for Mujahid, there is no doubt about its authenticity. (Imam Shams al-Deen al-Dhahabi 748H, al-Arsh).

 

وفيها أشياء عن بعض السلف رواها بعض الناس مرفوعة، كحديث قعود الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم على العرش، رواه بعض الناس من طرق كثيرة مرفوعة، وهي كلها موضوعة، وإنما الثابت أنه عن مجاهد وغيره من السلف، وكان السلف والأئمة يروونه ولا ينكرونه، ويتلقونه بالقبول. (درء تعارض العقل والنقل)

It contains things from some of the Salaf. Some people narrated it as a Prophetic narration, such as the Hadith about the Prophet ﷺ sitting on the Throne. Which some people narrated through many chains of transmission as a Prophetic narration, but all of them are fabricated. It is established from Mujahid and others among the Salaf. The Imams and the Salaf used to narrate it without rejecting it. And they met it with acceptance. (Abu al-Abbas Ibn Taymiyah 728H,Daru al-Ta’arud)

Opposing the Tafseer

Many scholars, from the Salaf and thereafter, presented the Prophetic Tafseer of Surah Isra verse 79. However, they did not comment on the Tafseer asserting Prophet ﷺ sitting on the throne. But there were scholars who did take that extra step and strongly refute the Tafseer attributed to Imam Mujahid.

وقول مجاهد: معه، قولٌ موحش فظيع، ونص الكتاب ينادي بفساد هذا التفسير؛ وهو قوله: {يَبْعَثُكُمْ} والبعث لا يكون بمعنى الإجلاس، ومن فَسَّر البعث بالإجلاس فقد فَسَّره بضد ما وُضع له. (التَّفْسِيرُ البَسِيْط)

Mujahid’s statement, “with him,” is a dismal and outrageous statement, and the text of the Book itself proclaims the corruption of this interpretation. It is His saying: He will resurrect you. And resurrection does not mean seating. Whoever interprets resurrection as seating has interpreted it contrary to its linguistic meaning. (Imam Abu al-Hasan al-Wahidi 468H, al-Tafsir al-Basit).

 

وقول مجاهد هو أن يجلسه معه على العرش أطال الواحدي في رده لغة إذ البعث لا يطلق حقيقة على القعود، بل هو ضده سيما وقد أكد ب “مقاما” على أنه يوهم ما تعالى الله عنه علوا كبيرا. (تحفة المحتاج بشرح المنهاج)

Mujahid’s statement that he would seat him with Him on the Throne was refuted at length by al-Wahidi from a linguistic perspective. Since resurrection is not truly synonymous with sitting. Rather it is the opposite. Especially since it was emphasised by “station.” Implying something far removed from Allah’s transcendence. (Imam Ibn Hajr al-Haytami 974H, Tuhfatu al-Muhtaaj).

 

وَمَا فسر بِهِ مُجَاهِد الْآيَة كَمَا ذَكرْنَاهُ فقد أنكر بعض أهل الْكَلَام فَقَامَ الْمَرْوذِيّ وَقعد وَبَالغ فِي الِانْتِصَار لذَلِك. (العلو للعلي الغفار في إيضاح صحيح الأخبار وسقيمها)

And what Mujahid interpreted the verse with, as we mentioned, was rejected by some theologians. So, al-Marwazi took to it and went to great lengths to defend that interpretation. (Imam al-Dhahabi 748H, al-Ulu li al-Aliyy al-Ghaffar).

Conclusion

There is no proof from the Holy Quran or Prophetic authentic Sunnah to substantiate the belief about the Prophet ﷺ sitting on the throne of Allah (Most High). As for the Tafseer of a Tabi, that is not equal to Quran and Sunnah. Nor does such a person have Ilm al-Ghayb. Thus, promoting such beliefs seems to be baseless. Rather contrary to the fundamental principles of Islam.

It is strange to see that the people promoting this belief are often those who call themselves Salafi. The same people who claim to be vigilant regarding Shirk. So why have they let this spread amongst their students. The baseless depiction of the Prophet ﷺ sitting beside Allah Most High on the throne seems to raise no concerns. But a person using a Subhah (prayer beads) or saying Ya Rasul Allah is Shirk?

This is a clear demonstration of the hypocrisy and confusion caused by sectarianism. People who attempt to practice Islam in the context of sectarianism, be that Sufi or Salafi sects, will repeatedly fall into grave error. Since, they are not seeking the objective truth. Rather they side with their sect in a tribal manner. Such behaviour is devastating to one’s sincerity. It completely prohibits one from understanding and practicing Islam correctly.

And Allah Most High Knows Best.

–Answered by Shaykh Noorud-deen Rashid (30.01.26)