تَفْسيرُ آيَةِ الكُرْسِيِّ

Tafseeru Aayatil Kursi

Explanation of

Aayat al-Kursi

لفضيلة الشيخ محمد بن صالح العثيمين

By

Shaykh

Muhammad bin Saalih Al-’Uthaymeen

مع فوائد من كتاب "شرح العقيدة الواسطية"

With Related Points of Benefit

From the Shaykh’s Commentary on

Imaam ibn Taymeeyah’s

Sharhul ’Aqeedatil-Waasitiyyah

أعدها

د. صالح الصالح

Prepared by

Dr. Saleh As-Saleh

Table of Contents

Introduction_______________________________________________________________

The Words of Allaah in Aayatul-Kursi and the Translation of Their Meanings.___________

Author’s Prelude__________________________________________________________

The Explanation of Aayatul-Kursi_____________________________________________

Appendix A: Specific Terminology_____________________________________________

Appendix B: The Khaarijites (Khawaarij)________________________________________ 71

Appendix C: The Mu’tazilites_________________________________________________ 75

Appendix D: The Call for the Unity of Religions (Wahdatul-

Adyaan), a False and Dangerous Call___________________________________________ 78

Index (Including index of hadeeths used in the text)________________________________ 95

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Åنَّ الحمْدَ للهِ نَحْمَدُهُ ونستعينُ بهِ ونَستَغْفِرُهُ، ونعوذُ باللهِ من شرورِ أنفُسِنا وسيِّئاتِ أعمالِنا من يهْدِهِ اللهُ فلا مضل له ، ومن يُضْلِلْ فلا هاديَ له. وأشهد أن لا إلهَ إلاّ اللهُ وحدَهُ لا شريكَ له. وأشهَدُ أنَّ مُحمَّداً عبْدُهُ ورَسولُهُ، صلَّى اللهُ عَلَيهِ وعلى آلهِ وَصَحْبِهِ وسَلَّم.

All Praise is due to Allaah. We praise Him, and seek His help and forgiveness. We seek refuge in Allaah, Most High, from the evils of our own selves and from our wicked deeds. Whomever Allaah guides cannot be misguided, and whomever He leads astray cannot be guided. I testify that there is no true God worthy of being worshipped except Allaah, alone, without partner or associate. I further testify that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger (r). [1] May Allaah’s salaah and salaam also be granted to the Prophet’s pure family and to all of his noble companions.

O you who believe! Fear Allaah [by doing all that He ordered and abstaining from all that He forbade] as He should be feared [obey Him, be thankful to Him, and remember Him always] and die not except in a state of Islaam. [Qur’aan, Soorat Aal-’Imraan (3:102)].

O mankind! Be dutiful to your Rabb [2] [Allaah], Who created you from a single person [Adam] and from him [Adam] He created his wife [Eve], and from them both He created many men and women. And fear Allaah through Whom you demand your mutual [rights] and [do not cut the relations of] the wombs [kinship]. Surely, Allaah is ever an All-Watcher over you. [Qur’aan, Soorat An-Nisaa’ (4:1)].

O you who believe! Keep your duty to Allaah and fear Him, and speak [always] the truth. He will direct you to do righteous good deeds and will forgive you your sins. And whosoever obeys Allaah and His Messenger has indeed achieved a great success. [Qur’aan, Soorat Al-Ahzaab (33:70-71)].

أما بعد/

فإنَّ أصدَقَ الحَديثِ كِتَابُ اللهِ تعالى، وخَيرَ الهَدْيِ هَدْيُ مُحَمدٍ صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وصَحْبِهِ وسلَّمَ، وشَّرَّ الأمورِ محدثاتُها، وكُلَّ مُحْدَثَةٍ بِدْعَه وكُلَّ بدعةٍ ضلالةٌ، وكُلَّ ضلالَةٍ في النار.

It proceeds that the most truthful speech is that of Allaah's Book [the Qur’aan] and that the best of guidance is that of Muhammad (r). The worst of evils are the muhdathaat (newly-invented matters [in the deen ] [3] ), and every innovated matter (in the deen) is a bid’ah ; every bid’ah is a dalaalah (misguidance), and every dalaalah is in the Fire of Hell.

INTRODUCTION

Know, O Muslims, may Allaah bestow upon us from His Mercy, that knowledge is the basis for the understanding and application of Islaamic principles and laws. This is in accordance with the sayings of Allaah, the Exalted:

So know [O! Muhammad r] that la ilaaha illaallaah [none has the right to be worshipped but Allaah]. [Qur’aan, Soorat Muhammad (47:19)].

In a related context, the Prophet (r) affirmed that:

وَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: "مَنْ يُرِدِ اللَّهُ بِهِ خَيْرًا يُفَقِّهْهُ فِي الدِّينِ وَإِنَّمَا الْعِلْمُ بِالتَّعَلُّمِ".

"He upon whom Allaah intends goodness, He confers upon him a true understanding and keen insight into the deen ," and [in the narration by Imaam Al-Bukhaari ], he (r) said: "Truly knowledge is attained by learning." [4]

Imaam Al-Bukhaari (رحمه الله) commented: “So Allaah stated that one should acquire knowledge first, and scholars are the inheritors of the Prophets (i.e. they inherit knowledge).” He added: “It is essential to know a thing first before saying or acting upon it.” [5]

Imaam ibnul Qayyim (رحمه الله) said: “The salaf did not generalize the name “fiqh” except on the knowledge which is associated with action.” He further added: “al-’ilm imaamul-'amal (Knowledge is the Imaam of actions) and its leader, and al-’amal is adherent to knowledge and is led by it. Every action which is not led by knowledge is of no benefit for the one who initiates it. On the contrary, it inflicts harm upon him, just as some of the salaf said “Whoever worships Allaah without knowledge, the mischief he causes is more than the goodness he may bring about.” He also stressed that: “Deeds vary with respect to their acceptance or rejection respectively depending upon their adherence or opposition to knowledge. Action which is in accordance with ‘ilm is an approved thing, and what opposes al-’ilm is repudiated. Knowledge, therefore, is the measure and is the test. Allaah تعالى said:

[Blessed be Allaah] Who has created death that He may test you as to which of you is best in deeds, and He is al-’Azeez [Who subdues everthing by His Might; the Mighty in His Revenge; the Unapproachable, none will prevail against Him; none is like unto Him], al-Ghafoor [The One Who is Oft-Forgiving]. [Qur’aan, Soorat Al-Mulk (67:2)].

Al-Fudail bin ‘Iyaad (رحمه الله) explained that, “The best of deeds are those which are done with sincerity [seeking Allaah’s Face] and are upright.” They said, “What is considered sincere and right of the deeds?” He replied, “Deeds which are sincere but not correct are not accepted, and if they are correct but not sincere then they are also not accepted, until they are sincere and right. In order to be sincere, they must be done for Allaah alone, and for them to be correct, they must comply with the [authentic] sunnah . Indeed Allaah, Most High, says:

Whoever hopes for the meeting of his Rabb let him work righteousness and associate none as a partner in the worship of his Rabb [Allaah]. [Qur’aan, Soorat Al-Kahf (18:110)].

The doer will not be able to act in a way which comprises both qualities (sincerity and rightness) except by the way of knowledge. For if he does not know what the Messenger (r) brought, he will not be able to follow him in the straight way. On the other hand, if he does not know of the One Who deserves to worshipped alone [Allaah], he will be unable to seek Him solely.” [6]

In the absolute sense, what is meant by al-’ilm (knowledge) is the Islaamic knowledge, based upon kitaabullaah [the Book of Allaah, the Qur’aan], and the authentic sunnah in accordance with the understanding and methodology (manhaj ) of as-salaf as-saalih (رحمهم الله). Shaykh ‘Abdul ‘Azeez bin Baaz (hafithahullaah: May Allaah preserve him) explained: “When generalized, al-’ilm, pertains to the intended knowledge in the Book of Allaah and the sunnah of His Messenger (r). It is knowledge of Allaah, His Names and Attributes, knowledge of His rights over His creation, and what He I (subhaanahu wata’aala: Far is He removed from every imperfection, the Most High) has prescribed for them. And it is the detailed knowledge of the path that leads to Allaah; knowledge of the purpose of our creation, and the final outcome, in the Hereafter, which the ‘ibaad [7] will ultimately wind up in...It is of the duty of taalib al-’ilm (the student seeking knowledge) to understand and study the deen , to learn and reflect upon what Allaah has prescribed, to know the authentic salafi ‘aqeedah which the Prophet (r) was upon, his companions, and their follower in righteousness...” [8]

The greatest, most excellent “and most honorable knowledge is that of Allaah, Most High, His Names, Attributes, and Actions, the knowledge of His deen and of His Messenger (r) with love and magnification, being pleased with it all.” [9]

The ranks of people with respect to this knowledge varies to a great extent. “Some people know of Allaah by virtue of His Generosity, Bounties, and Favors, others know of Him through His Forgiveness, Clemency, and Pardoning, others through His Knowledge and Wisdom, others recognize Him by His Might and Majesty, others by His Mercy, Goodness, Kindness, and Courtesy, others by His Subduing and Sovereignty, and others by the fact that He answers their supplications, and fulfills their needs, and relieves their grief.

The one who is most comprehensive in his knowledge of Allaah, knows of Him by means of His own Words. He knows a Rabb to whom belongs the Most Majestic and Perfect Attributes. Far is He removed from having anything comparable to Him or any equal; free from all kinds of defects and imperfections; qualified with every beautiful Name and every perfect Attribute; Doer of what He intends (wills); Above everything [istawaa (ascended) upon the ‘arsh above the seven heavens] and with everything [He encompasses everything with His Knowledge, Ability, Authority, and so forth from the meanings of His ruboobiyyah, while He is the Most High, above everything]; the One who is Able to do everything; the One Who manages the affairs of everything. He commands and forbids. He speaks the legislative (deeniyyah ) [10] and universal (kawniyyah ) [11] words. He is Greater than everything, and He is the Most Beautiful. the Most Merciful, the All-Able, the All-Wise.

Allaah, Most High, sent down the Qur’aan in order to inform His ‘ibaad about Himself, so that they know of Him, of the way that leads to Him, and of the status of travellers to Him after their arrival.” [12]

One of the great suwar [plural of soorah (chapter)] of the Qur’aan that was revealed to Prophet Muhammad (r) is soorat al-baqarah (The second soorah of the Qur’aan). In it is an aayah (verse) in which Allaah, the Exalted, Speaks about Himself and His Attributes. This aayah is aayatul-kursi, which is highly distinguished because:

(1) The Prophet (r) described as the greatest aayah in the Qur’aan.

(2) In it the Most Great Name of Allaah (ismullaahi al-’atham ) is mentioned.

(3) It protects from the shayateen (sing. shaytaan). [13]

(4) The believer who recites it following an obligatory salaah is under the Care and Protection of Allaah until the commencement of the next prayer. [14]

(5)&nb