He replied: "By [knowing] that He is upon the Throne, distinct from His creation."
It was asked: "With a limit (bi-haddin)?" He replied: "With a limit."
It was narrated to us by al-Hasan bin al-Sabah al-Bazzar, on the authority of ‘Ali bin al-Hasan bin Shaqiq, on the authority of Ibn al-Mubarak.
Thus, whoever claims that Allah has no limit has rejected the Quran and claimed that He is nothing; because Allah the Exalted described the limit of His place in many locations of His Book, for He said: {The Most Merciful rose over the Throne} [Ta-Ha: 5], {Do you feel secure that He who is in heaven} [Al-Mulk: 16], {They fear their Lord above them} [An-Nahl: 50], {Indeed, I will take you and raise you to Myself} [Al-Imran: 55], and {To Him ascends good speech} [Fatir: 10].
All of this and its like are evidences and proofs for the limit. Whoever does not acknowledge it has disbelieved in what Allah the Exalted has revealed and has denied the verses of Allah the Exalted.
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Indeed, Allah is above His Throne, above His heavens.”
And he said to the black slave girl: “Where is Allah?”
She replied: “In the heaven.”
He said: “Free her, for she is a believer” (1).
The statement of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), “She is a believer,” is proof that had she not believed that Allah is in the heaven, she would not have been a believer, and that it is not permissible [to be considered] for the requirement of a believing slave except one who defines [the limit of]
(1) Its documentation (takhrij) was previously mentioned in the treatise of al-Dashti, paragraph (7).
قال: بأنه على العرش، بائنٌ من خَلْقِهِ.
قيل: بحدٍّ؟ قال: بحدٍّ.
حَدَّثَناه الحَسَنُ بن الصَّباح البزار، عن علي بن الحسن بن شقيق، عن ابن المبارك.
فمن ادَّعى أنه ليس لله حدٌّ فقد رَدَّ القرآن، وادعى أنه لا شيء؛ لأن الله تعالى وصف حدَّ مكانه في مواضع كثيرة من كتابه، فقال: ﴿ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنُ عَلَى ٱلۡعَرۡشِ ٱسۡتَوَىٰ﴾ [طه: ٥]، ﴿ءَأَمِنتُم مَّن فِی ٱلسَّمَاۤءِ﴾ [الملك: ١٦]، ﴿يَخَافُونَ رَبَّهُم مِّن فَوْقِهِمْ﴾ [النحل: ٥٠]،
﴿إِنِّي مُتَوفِّيكَ وَرَافِعُكَ إِلَيَّ﴾ [آل عمران: ٥٥]،
﴿إِلَيْهِ يَصْعَدُ الْكَلِمُ الطَّيِّبُ﴾ [فاطر: ١٠].
فهذا كله وما أشبهه شواهد ودلائل على الحدِّ.
ومَن لم يعترف به فقد كفر بتنزيل الله تعالى، وجحدَ آيات الله تعالى.
وقال رسول الله ﷺ: «إن اللهَ فوق عرشه، فوق سماواته».
وقال للأَمَة السَّوداء: «أين الله؟».
قالت: في السَّماء.
قال: «أعتقها، فإنَّها مؤمنة» (١).
فقولُ رسول الله ﷺ: «إنها مؤمنة»؛ دليلٌ على أنها لو لم تؤمن بأن اللهَ في السَّماء لم تكن مؤمنة، وأنه لا يجوز في الرقبة المؤمنة إلَّا مَن يحدُّ
(١) تقدم تخريجه في رسالة الدشتي فقرة (٧).
