Aqida Tahawiyya, Lesson 7: Where Is Allah, the Miʿrāj and the Pool
Section 12 of 25 · Aqeedah · Mufti Abdul Rahman Mangera
The Meanings of Istiwāʾ
وَقِيلَ يَـٰٓأَرْضُ ٱبْلَعِى مَآءَكِ وَيَـٰسَمَآءُ أَقْلِعِى وَغِيضَ ٱلْمَآءُ وَقُضِىَ ٱلْأَمْرُ وَٱسْتَوَتْ عَلَى ٱلْجُودِىِّ ۖ وَقِيلَ بُعْدًا لِّلْقَوْمِ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ
“It was said (by Allah), “O earth, suck in your water, and O heaven, stop.” And water subsided, and the matter was over. It (the Ark) came to rest on the Jūdī, and it was said, “Away with the wrongdoers.”” (11:44)
The word istiwāʾ, then, can be used to mean a number of different things. Number one: istiwāʾ could mean resting, or becoming settled. Basically, in Arabic, another synonym for that would be istiqrār: to become settled, to rest. As in the words of Allah: the Ark rested on Mount Jūdī, istawat ʿalā al-Jūdiyy. So the word istawā is used there, but in the meaning of istaqarra: that it came to rest on Mount Jūdī.
مُّحَمَّدٌ رَّسُولُ ٱللَّهِ ۚ وَٱلَّذِينَ مَعَهُۥٓ أَشِدَّآءُ عَلَى ٱلْكُفَّارِ رُحَمَآءُ بَيْنَهُمْ ۖ تَرَىٰهُمْ رُكَّعًا سُجَّدًا يَبْتَغُونَ فَضْلًا مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَرِضْوَٰنًا ۖ سِيمَاهُمْ فِى وُجُوهِهِم مِّنْ أَثَرِ ٱلسُّجُودِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ مَثَلُهُمْ فِى ٱلتَّوْرَىٰةِ ۚ وَمَثَلُهُمْ فِى ٱلْإِنجِيلِ كَزَرْعٍ أَخْرَجَ شَطْـَٔهُۥ فَـَٔازَرَهُۥ فَٱسْتَغْلَظَ فَٱسْتَوَىٰ عَلَىٰ سُوقِهِۦ يُعْجِبُ ٱلزُّرَّاعَ لِيَغِيظَ بِهِمُ ٱلْكُفَّارَ ۗ وَعَدَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ مِنْهُم مَّغْفِرَةً وَأَجْرًا عَظِيمًۢا
“Muhammad(ﷺ) is the messenger of Allah, and those who are with him are hard on the disbelievers, compassionate among themselves; you will see them bowing down in Rukū‘, prostrating themselves in Sajdah, seeking grace from Allah, and (His) good pleasure; their distinguishing feature is on their faces from the effect of Sajdah (prostration). This is their description in Torah; and their description in Injīl is: like a sown crop that brings forth its shoot, then makes it strong, then it grows thick and stands straight on its stem, looking good to the farmers, so that He may enrage the disbelievers through them. Allah has promised forgiveness and a huge reward to those of them who believe and do good deeds.” (48:29)
It is also used to mean to straighten, or stand up, as opposed to becoming crooked: to be straight. As in the words of Allah: then it stands on its own stem. Thumma stawā ʿalā sūqihi yuʿjibu al-zurrāʿ, Sūrat al-Ḥashr**. That is talking about the stem.
وَلَمَّا بَلَغَ أَشُدَّهُۥ وَٱسْتَوَىٰٓ ءَاتَيْنَـٰهُ حُكْمًا وَعِلْمًا ۚ وَكَذَٰلِكَ نَجْزِى ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ
“And when he reached his maturity and became perfect, We gave him wisdom and knowledge. This is how We reward those who are good in their deeds.” (28:14)
It is also used to mean completeness, as Allah Most High says: when he reached his full age, and was firmly established. The verse about Yūsuf is: Fa-lammā balagha ashuddahu wa-stawā***. Fa-lammā balagha ashuddahu: when he reached his full age, and was firmly established. Wa-stawā: simply firmly established, in terms of settled and so on. That is, he had achieved his full body strength.