Aqida Tahawiyya, Lesson 7: Where Is Allah, the Miʿrāj and the Pool
Section 17 of 25 · Aqeedah · Mufti Abdul Rahman Mangera
Where Is Allah? He Is With You Wherever You Are
So finally, to conclude this discussion: where is Allah? This is a question that comes about, and has confused a lot of people. Number one: the first answer to this question is that this question should not apply to Allah at all. We only apply it because of the way we see things, and the way we relate to things, because everything is in a relative position to where we are, and we relate to it that way. We cannot deal with our Creator that way. Because ayna, as in ayna Allāh, where is Allah?, means fī ayyi makān: which place is He in? That means that Allah is taking up a place, and that is problematic. That is the first answer to this.
هُوَ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ فِى سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ ثُمَّ ٱسْتَوَىٰ عَلَى ٱلْعَرْشِ ۚ يَعْلَمُ مَا يَلِجُ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَمَا يَخْرُجُ مِنْهَا وَمَا يَنزِلُ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَمَا يَعْرُجُ فِيهَا ۖ وَهُوَ مَعَكُمْ أَيْنَ مَا كُنتُمْ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ
“He is the One who created the heavens and the earth in six days, then He positioned Himself on the Throne. He knows whatever goes into the earth and whatever comes out from it, and whatever descends from the sky, and whatever ascends thereto. He is with you wherever you are, and Allah is watchful of whatever you do.” (57:4)
Another answer to this is a very simple one. Suppose there is somebody who is very insistent about no taʾwīl, and about asking where Allah is. He says: “Where is Allah?” The answer is: huwa maʿakum aynamā kuntum, He is with you wherever you are. “No, no, brother, you need to tell me exactly where He is.” Huwa maʿakum aynamā kuntum. “No, no, no, I need to really understand where. Where is that, exactly?” Allah says in the Qur'an: huwa maʿakum aynamā kuntum. We leave it at that. That is what Allah said, and that is what we go with. It is easy to see where this is going.
وَلَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ وَنَعْلَمُ مَا تُوَسْوِسُ بِهِۦ نَفْسُهُۥ ۖ وَنَحْنُ أَقْرَبُ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ حَبْلِ ٱلْوَرِيدِ
“Indeed We have created man, and We know whatever thoughts his inner self develops, and We are closer to him than (his) jugular vein,” (50:16)
Or the answer is: aqrabu ilaykum min ḥabli al-warīd****, He is closer to you than your jugular vein. “No, no, no, but tell me more than that.” Aqrabu ilaykum min ḥabli al-warīd. Finish.
إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ مَعَ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّقَوا۟ وَّٱلَّذِينَ هُم مُّحْسِنُونَ
“Surely, Allah is with those who fear Him and those who are good in their deeds” (16:128)
Another answer: wallāhu maʿa al-ṣābirīn. Wallāhu maʿa al-ṣābirīn. Inna Allāha maʿa alladhīna ttaqaw wa alladhīna hum muʾminūn*****. There it is; and leave it to Allah. Just consign the meaning to Allah, and that is the response.