Sunday, October 21, 2012

Brief Comments on Riyaadh al-Saaliheen #44

What does "The Shade of Allaah" mean?

بـسـم الله والحـمـد لله والـصلاة والـسـلام عــلى رسـول الله، وبـعـد

[Sharh Riyaadh al-Saaliheen (1/467-468) of Shaikh al-`Uthaymeen رحمه الله]

Narrated Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه: The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “Allaah will give shade, to seven, on the Day when there will be no shade but His. (These seven persons are) a just ruler, a youth who has been brought up in the worship of Allaah (i.e. worships Allaah sincerely from childhood), a man whose heart is attached to the mosques (i.e. to pray the compulsory prayers in the mosque in congregation), two persons who love each other only for Allaah's sake and they meet and part in Allaah's cause only, a man who refuses the call of a charming woman of noble birth for illicit intercourse with her and says: I am afraid of Allaah, a man who gives charitable gifts so secretly that his left hand does not know what his right hand has given (i.e. nobody knows how much he has given in charity), and a person who remembers Allaah in seclusion and his eyes are then flooded with tears.” [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (660, 1423, 6806) and Saheeh Muslim (1031)]


Shaikh al-`Uthaymeen رحمه الله commented:

There is an important issue which needs to be addressed and warned about, and it is that some of the seekers of knowledge think that by “shade” in the Hadeeth means the shadow of Allaah عز وجل; and this meaning is extremely wrong, nobody thinks about it this way except for an ignorant person. For it is understood that the people are on earth and that their shadows are caused by the Sun. So if by shade it means the shadow of Allaah سبحانه وتعالى, then it would automatically imply that the Sun is above Allaah and that Allaah is between the Sun and the people – and this something impossible and cannot happen. Because it is proven that Allaah سبحانه وتعالى is above His creation with absolute Highness. Therefore, the meaning of the shade is that Allaah تعالى will create the shade on that Day for those who deserve to be shaded by Allaah.

Allaah تعالى has attributed it towards Himself because on that Day no one can be covered with the shadow of the other creation – as there will be no buildings nor any other thing which can go over people’s head – except for the shade which Allaah will create for His slaves on that Day. Therefore, Allaah تعالى has attributed it towards Himself so that He may choose whomsoever He Wills to be permitted under His shade.


On (3/346-349) he رحمه الله said:

What is meant by the “shade” here is: the shade which Allaah تعالى will create on the Day of Judgment with which He will shade whomsoever of His slaves He Wills. And it does not mean His جل وعلا own shade; because (firstly) Allaah is the Noor of the heavens and the earth; and (secondly) nor is it possible for Allaah to have a shadow due to the Sun, as this would mean that the Sun will have to be above Him, and that He is between the Sun and the creation. So anyone who has this understanding is more ignorant than a donkey; for it is not possible that Allaah عز وجل is under a thing which He has created. He is the Most High and moreover He is the Noor of the heavens and the earth.

The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

حجابه النور، لو كشفه لأحرقت سبحات وجهه ما انتهى إليه بصره من خلقه
“His (Allaah تعالى) veil is the light. If He withdraws it (the veil); the splendor of His Countenance would consume His creation so far as His sight reaches.” [Saheeh Muslim (343)]

Meaning, if He تعالى removes this veil – and the veil is also Noor, but this Noor is other than the Noor of Allaah تعالى. So, if He تعالى were to reveal this Noor, the splendor of His Countenance - His Majesty, His Noor - will burn everything of His creation as far as His sight reaches; and His تعالى sight reaches everything.

So, if (the radiance of His Noor is so
 bright) that it will burn up everything, then how is it possible that the shade means the Shadow of Allaah عز وجل? (i.e. How can Noor have a shadow?) However as I said: some people are more ignorant than a donkey; who do not know the consequences of their statement which they utter in trying to interpret the Words of Allaah or the words of the Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم. It is not possible that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم meant this (that Allaah has a shadow).

Even those narrations which mention the shadow of the Throne, (there authenticity) is debatable. As it is well known, the Throne is greater than the Heavens, the Earth, the Sun, the Moon and the Stars. The seven heavens and the seven earths in comparison to al-Kursee (the footstool) are like a (finger) ring which is thrown in one of the deserts of the earth. And the greatness of al-`Arsh (Throne) over al-Kursee is like greatness of the desert over this ring. So how can the Throne be under the Sun, shading the people?!

Even if we say the Hadeeth was authentic, then it would mean the edge of the Throne for example, and Allaah has power over everything. But the authenticity of these wordings is doubtful. The correct (understanding) is that it is the shade which Allaah تعالى will create on that Day; it could either be a cloud or other than that, and Allaah knows best. But it is going to be a shade with which Allaah will shade anyone whom He Wills from His slaves from the heat of the Sun.

Rather he صلى الله عليه وسلم said:
يوم لا ظل إلا ظله
“on the Day when there will be no shade but His”; as we in this Dunya can shade ourselves by going under the shade of the buildings that we construct or the shades of the tree or the shades of the mountains and hills or the walls or other than that; we can either go under the shade of the things that we construct with our own hands or the things that Allaah تعالى has created.

As for the Aakhirah (the Last Day), there will be no shade, as Allaah تعالى said:

{And they ask you concerning the mountains, say: “My Lord will blast them and scatter them as particles of dust.} [Surah Taahaa (20): 105]

Every mountain will be scattered as particle of dust no matter how great it is. The greatest of mountain will be scattered and it will become gravels and pebbles and floating particles of dust, floating in the air:

{And you will see the mountains and think them solid, but they shall pass away as the passing away of the clouds. The Work of Allaah, Who perfected all things.} [Surah al-Naml (27):88]

The mountains will float in the air even though you think that they are fixed and immovable.

Anyway, the important thing is the saying of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم:

يوم لا ظل إلا ظله
“on the Day when there will be no shade but His.”

Meaning, there will be no shade except that which Allaah عز وجل will create, shading from His slaves, whomever He تعالى Wills. And this is what is evident.

On (2/90) he رحمه الله said:

I ask Allaah, the Lord of the Worlds, to shade me and you with it.


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