al-Qayyum (The Self-Sustaining), he said: “Because the Self-Sustaining acts as He wills, moves when He wills, descends and ascends when He wills, contracts and expands, and stands and sits when He wills.”
“Do not deny that He is sitting,
Nor deny that He seats him [the Prophet].”
[The chain of transmission (isnad) for this poem is authentic from al-Daraqutni, as will be seen under No. 56].
“Istiwa’ in the Arabic language conveys the meaning of: ‘settling’ (al-istiqrar)... and the meaning of ‘sitting’ (al-julus), such as the Prophet (peace be upon him) being settled (astawa) upon the pulpit in a linguistic sense. It also conveys the meaning of ‘ascending to,’ as in: {Then He turned (astawa) to the heaven} [Al-Baqarah: 29]. Istiwa’ [there] means: He turned towards and ascended. As for istiwa’ in the sense of ‘seizure’ (al-istila’), this is disbelief (kufr) and misguidance.”
16 and 17. Abu al-Qasim Isma‘il ibn Muhammad al-Taymi (d. 535 AH) and Abu Musa al-Madini (d. 581 AH) (may Allah have mercy upon both of them).
Abu Musa said: “I once asked Isma‘il: ‘Has it not been narrated from Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) regarding the word {He rose (astawa)} that he said: “He sat (qa‘ada)”?’ He replied: ‘Yes.’” [Siyar A‘lam al-Nubala’ (20/87)].
[See: al-Riwayatayn wa-al-Wajhayn: Masa’il min Usul al-Diyanat by Abu Ya‘la (p. 52)].
