Mufti Taqi Usmani: It is Best to Leave Istiwa Untranslated
Mar 26, 2015 4:27:51 GMT
StudentOfTheDeen likes this
Post by Zameel on Mar 26, 2015 4:27:51 GMT
Mufti Taqi Usmani writes in the footnotes to his Urdu translation of the Qur'an:
(Āsān Tarjama e Qur’ān, Maktabah Ma‘ārif al-Qur’ān, Karāchī, 1:460)
Istiwā’ is an Arabic word, the meaning of which is “to become straight”, “to become established” and “to gain authority”. At times, its meaning is also “to sit”.
Since Allāh (Exalted is He) is pure from body and place, this is why it is incorrect to understand from this the meaning that: in the manner that a person sits on a throne, in this way (protection is from Allāh!), Allāh (Exalted is He) too sits on the ‘arsh.
Istiwā’ is an attribute of Allāh (Exalted is He). According to the majority of Ahlus Sunnah, no one knows its exact reality (kayfiyyat) besides Allāh (Exalted is He). It has been included amongst the mutashābihāt which to fall into search and investigation about has been forbidden in the Noble Qur’ān itself at the beginning of Sūrah Āl ‘Imrān.
Thus, making any translation of it may create misunderstanding. Based on this, I have not translated it here. Nor is any practical ruling dependent on it. Having this much faith is sufficient, that Allāh (Exalted is He) performed istiwā’ in accordance with His nature, the reality (haqīqat) of which is outside our limited intellect.
Since Allāh (Exalted is He) is pure from body and place, this is why it is incorrect to understand from this the meaning that: in the manner that a person sits on a throne, in this way (protection is from Allāh!), Allāh (Exalted is He) too sits on the ‘arsh.
Istiwā’ is an attribute of Allāh (Exalted is He). According to the majority of Ahlus Sunnah, no one knows its exact reality (kayfiyyat) besides Allāh (Exalted is He). It has been included amongst the mutashābihāt which to fall into search and investigation about has been forbidden in the Noble Qur’ān itself at the beginning of Sūrah Āl ‘Imrān.
Thus, making any translation of it may create misunderstanding. Based on this, I have not translated it here. Nor is any practical ruling dependent on it. Having this much faith is sufficient, that Allāh (Exalted is He) performed istiwā’ in accordance with His nature, the reality (haqīqat) of which is outside our limited intellect.
