We live in a time where the enemies of Allah (swt) are occupying Muslim lands and the kuffaar (disbelievers) have declared an open Crusade, hoping to destroy the light of Tawheed and establish the darkness of Shirk.
From land to land, many Muslims are affected in the worst possible way as a result of this Crusade. There are those who have integrated into the kufr (non-Islamic) way of life, and have adopted all the behaviour patterns of the kuffaar. These people have forgotten Allah (swt) and the Day of Accountability. They forget that Allah is aware of every act initiated by man, and they forget that He (swt) will give full retribution for their deeds on the Day of Judgement.Many have forgotten the Ma'iyyah of Allah (swt). Instead of seeking the help and support of Allah (swt), they compromise their Deen and unique identity in order to seek help and support from the kuffaar.
Inshaa-Allah, in this short article we shall study the topic of al-Ma’iyyah (the support and help of Almighty Allah) from the perspective of the Qur'aan and Sunnah, in accordance with the understanding of the Salaf (Pious Predecessors) of this Ummah. We shall highlight the reality of Ma'iyyah, its different classifications, the fruits of its knowledge, and the views of the deviant sects regarding al-Ma’iyyah.
Al-Ma’iyyah is to be with or to support a person either by physical presence or by knowledge. The Ma’iyyah of Allah (swt) is with a person wherever he may be, by knowledge but not by His physical self.
There is not a single action, speech or thought that is hidden from Allah (swt) and He (swt) is with all of His creation by His Knowledge, and is aware of what they do in both openness and in secrecy.
Allah (swt) says in the Qur'aan:
“He it is who created the heavens and the earth in six days and then Istawaa (rose over) the throne (in a manner that suits His Majesty). He knows what goes into the earth and what comes forth from it, what descends from the heaven and what ascends thereto. And He is with you (by His knowledge) wherever you may be. And Allah is the All-Seer of what you do.” (EMQ al-Hadeed, 57: 4)
Al-Ma'iyyah is of two types:
1. Al-Ma'iyyah al-'Aammah – Allah (swt) is with you in general
The general Ma'iyyah (‘withness’ and support) of Allah (swt) is not restricted to any one set of people. Al-Ma'iyyah al-'Aammah is for both Muslimeen and Kaafireen. The knowledge of al-Ma'iyyah al-'Aammah will make a person realise that Allah (swt) is capable of seeing every person’s most apparent and most hidden actions without any difficulty, and that nothing is hidden from Allah (swt).
This knowledge should serve as a warning whenever one intends on doing a bad action or saying a bad word. He should refrain from engaging in any evil deed as Allah (swt) is watching without any fatigue and He (swt) is listening to the most apparent and hidden thought without any difficulty:
“He it is who created the heavens and the earth in six Days and then Istawaa (rose over) the throne (in a manner that suits His Majesty). He knows what goes into the earth and what comes forth from it, what descends from the heaven and what ascends thereto. And He is with you (by His knowledge) wherever you may be. And Allah is the All-Seer of what you do.” (EMQ al-Hadeed, 57: 4)
“Have you not seen that Allah knows whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is on the earth? There is no Najwaa (secret counsel) of three, but He is their fourth (with His knowledge, while He Himself is over the throne, over the seventh heaven), nor of five but He is their sixth (with His knowledge), not of less than that or more, but He is with them (with His knowledge) wherever they may be; and afterwards on the Day of Resurrection, He will inform them of what they did. Verily, Allah is the All-Knower of everything.” (EMQ al-Mujaadalah, 58: 7)
2. Al-Ma'iyyah al-Khaassah – Allah (swt) is with you in specific
The specific Ma'iyyah of Allah (swt) is restricted to a specific set of people amongst the Muslimeen - giving them specific support. Al-Ma'iyyah al-Khaassah is specific because it is for special people; they are the Anbiyaa' (prophets), Awliyaa' (friends of Allah), Siddeeqeen (the truthful), Muhsinoon (the good-doers), Muttaqoon (those who fear Allah), Saabireen (those who are firm upon the Deen and patient with the Decree of Allah).
The knowledge of the specific Ma'iyyah of Allah (swt) would make one desire to be close to Him (swt). That is because any help or support is futile unless it is from Allah (swt). This knowledge would also make the slave more confident when he is in the front line clashing with the forces of baatil (falsehood). He will acknowledge that none can harm him physically or intellectually because he has Allah (swt) on his side:
“They may hide (their crimes) from men, but they cannot hide (them) from Allah (swt), for He is with them (by His knowledge), when they plot by night in words that He does not approve, and Allah ever encompasses what they do.” (EMQ an-Nisaa, 4: 108)
“Truly, Allah is with those who fear Him (keep their duty unto Him), and those who are Muhsinoon (good-doers)” (EMQ an-Nahl, 16: 128)“O you who believe! Seek help in patience and as-Salaat (the prayer). Truly! Allah is with as-Saabireen(the patient ones, etc.).” (EMQ al-Baqarah, 2: 153)
“If you help him (Muhammad [saw]) not (it does not matter), for Allah did indeed help him when the disbelievers drove him out, the second of two, when they (Muhammad (saw) and Abu Bakr) were in the cave, and he (saw) said to his companion (Abu Bakr): "Be not sad (or afraid), surely Allah is with us." Then Allah sent down His Sakeenah (calmness, tranquillity, peace, etc.) upon him, and strengthened him with forces (angels) which you saw not, and made the word of those who disbelieved the lowermost, while it was the Word of Allah that became the uppermost, and Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise.” (EMQ at-Tawbah, 9: 40)
It has been narrated Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (saw) said, “Allah says: 'I am just as my slave thinks I am, (i.e. I am able to do for him what he thinks I can do for him) and I am with him if He remembers Me. If he remembers Me in himself, I too, remember him in Myself; and if he remembers Me in a group of people, I remember him in a group that is better than they; and if he comes one span nearer to Me, I go one cubit nearer to him; and if he comes one cubit nearer to Me, I go a distance of two outstretched arms nearer to him; and if he comes to Me walking, I go to him running.'” (Reported in Saheeh Muslim and al-Bukhaari, Kitaab ut-Tawheed, Volume 9, Book 93, Number 502)
As a special treatment for specific people, Allah (swt) comes down to the First Heaven. This is supported by the hadeeth in which the Messenger Muhammad (saw) said:
“Our Lord descends every night to the lowest heaven when one-third of the latter part of the night is left, and says: 'Who supplicates to me so that I may answer him? Who asks forgiveness from me so that I may forgive him?'” (Saheeh Muslim and al-Bukhaari)
This is not for everyone. It excludes all those who are rebellious, sinners and misguided i.e. those who do not seek help, support, guidance and mercy from Allah (swt) exclusively. It is also for specific groups of people who have special qualities i.e. those who seek the forgiveness of Allah (swt) and spend the night in His remembrance.
What are the views of the deviants regarding the Ma'iyyah of Allah?
Upon reading this verse (al-Hadeed, 57: 4), “And He is with you (by His knowledge) wherever you may be”, the deviant sects of the Jahamis and Ash'aris conclude that Allah (swt) is everywhere. They misunderstand the meaning of the Ma'iyyah ('withness') and claim that it is by physical presence, rather than by knowledge. Instead of sticking to the understanding of the Salaf (i.e. the Sahaabah) they give precedence to the rational principles that they lay down themselves. They believe that Allah (swt) is everywhere with the exception of the toilets (this is the only area where they purify (tanzeeh) Allah (swt) from not dwelling).
The Maatureedis (another deviant sect from the path of the Salaf), take a different approach in understanding the Ma'iyyah of Allah (swt). Unlike the Ash'aris and the Jahamis, they do not argue regarding the Ma'iyyah of Allah (swt), rather they say that Allah (swt) is with you wherever you are, the way He (swt) wishes. It can be by His will or by His knowledge, but it can not be physically. But if He (swt) decided to be with you physically then He will. In reference to the aayah, “Allah is with you”, the Maatureedis comment that it is the choice of Allah (swt) on how He decides to be with us. Hence they make tafweed i.e. they do not take a stance on the issue; thus in conclusion they would escape without taking a definitive stance on the subject matter.
Ahl us-Sunnah wal-Jamaa'ah believes that Allah (swt) is capable of doing as He pleases. If it was the decision of Allah (swt) to be physically with His creation, then it is easy for Him. However Allah (swt) is not with His creation in this way, rather He (swt) is above the Seven Heavens, above His Throne, distant from His creation (and the throne is from amongst the creations of Allah [swt]).
Jahm bin Safwaan did not wish to believe that Allah (swt) is above the Heavens and above His throne. This is because in effect, he concluded that this belief gave the notion that Allah (swt) is in a specific direction and hence contained by space. Hence the only alternative for him was to believe that Allah (swt) is everywhere. This was also upheld by the Mu’tazilah (rationalists).
The Mu’tazilah also had a problem with the hadeeth in which the Messenger Muhammad (saw) said:
“Our Lord descends every night to the lowest heaven when one-third of the latter part of the night is left, and says: 'Who supplicates to me so that I may answer him? Who asks forgiveness from me so that I may forgive him?'” (Saheeh Muslim and al-Bukhaari)
The Mu’tazilah claimed that if Allah (swt) came down to the lowest Heaven in the night in one area then there is no one for those who are still in daylight, because in the world if night falls in one part, then in another area it is day.
This is an extremely corrupted and a false rational conclusion; the Mu’tazilah made two main mistakes, firstly they defined rules for Allah (swt) i.e. what HE (swt) can and cannot do. Secondly, they made logical conclusions from the hadeeth. Rather they should have affirmed the descent of Allah (swt) and believe in it without making logical conclusions or explanations for the manner in which He (swt) does so.
What is the evidence to say that Allah is with us by knowledge and not by physical presence?
The word Ma'a (with) has been mentioned in the Qur'aan and Sunnah as both specific and general.
Those verses and ahaadeeth that are related to the general Ma'iyyah always make reference to the 'ilm of Allah (swt), in the beginning and at the end of the verse.
“He it is who created the heavens and the earth in six days and then Istawaa (rose over) the throne (in a manner that suits His Majesty). He knows what goes into the earth and what comes forth from it, what descends from the heaven and what ascends thereto. And He is with you (by His Knowledge) wherever you may be. And Allah is the All-Seer of what you do.” (EMQ al-Hadeed, 57: 4)
This aayah starts with reference to the knowledge of Allah (swt) “He knows what goes into…” and also finishes with reference to the knowledge of Allah (swt) “….And Allah is the All-Seer of what you do”.
The aayah clarifies that Allah (swt) is situated above His (swt) Throne (without saying how – bilaa kaif) and Allah (swt) is not with His creation physically, but by His Knowledge.
This verse also clarifies that the word Ma'iyyah has only one meaning, which is that Allah (swt) is with us via His Knowledge, and we should not stray by giving alternative meanings like the Ash'aris and Jahm bin Safwaan and his followers.
However, not in all cases does the Ma'a of Allah (swt) apply to everyone. In many cases Allah (swt) is specifically with certain people giving them His (swt) Support.
In the following verse the Ma'iyyah (support) of Allah (swt) is specific to Muhammad (saw) and Abu Bakr (ra): "Be not sad (or afraid), surely Allah is with us." (EMQ at-Tawbah, 9: 40)
In this verse the Ma'iyyah (support) of Allah (swt) is specific to Moosaa (as) and Haaroon (as): “He (Allah) said: "Fear not, verily! I am with you both, hearing and seeing.” (EMQ Taa-Haa, 20: 46)
And in this verse the Ma'iyyah is specific to those who are good-doers: “Truly, Allah is with those who fear Him (keep their duty unto Him), and those who are Muhsinoon (good-doers).” (EMQ an-Nahl, 16: 128)
Imaam Ibn al-Qayyim (rh) said: “The help of Allah is of two types, 'Aammah (general) and Khaassah (specific), and the Qur'aan provides evidence for both types.”Imaam Haafiz ibn Rajab al-Hanbali (rh) said: “The help of Allah (swt) to His obedient slaves is Khaassah (specific). He (swt) is with those who have Taqwaa (fear of Allah) and with the Muhsinoon (good doers).”
The Ma'iyyah 'Aammah (general) is a warning for the people that Allah (swt) is fully aware of all that they do by His Knowledge, and that He has the Capability of punishing them for what they do. The Ma'iyyah Khaassah (specific) necessitates good thought and being pleased about the Protection of Allah (swt). The knowledge that Allah (swt) will specifically support His slaves will give confidence in struggling in the cause of Allah (swt).
It is narrated by Abu Hurayrah (ra) that the Prophet said, “Allah says: 'I am just as my slave thinks I am (i.e. I am able to do for him what he thinks I can do for him) and I am with him if He remembers Me.'” (Al-Bukhaari and Muslim)
The hadeeth reported by Abu Hurayrah (ra) gives explicit explanation that Allah (swt) is with His (swt) servant when they remember Him (swt). When Allah (swt) is with His (swt) slaves, He (swt) will shower them with Mercy, Support and Help. The knowledge of the Mercy and Help of Allah (swt) means that the slave should show greater respect and be grateful and thankful to Allah (swt) for His Blessings and Support.
"And He is with you (by His Knowledge) wherever you may be. And Allah is the All-Seer of what you do." [EMQ Hadid: 4]
Reported by Ibn Abi Haatib and Ibn Abbas in reference to [Hadeed: 4]: "He is aware about you wherever you are." And this is reported by As-Suyuti in the book Durul Manthul volume 6 page 171.
From the Tafseer of Ibn 'Abbaas (ra) regarding the verse in chapter al-Hadeed verse four, we learn that the verse is speaking about Allah (swt) being with His slaves by His Knowledge and will. To conclude that Allah (swt) is everywhere from reading the section of the verse in which Allah (swt) says, “And He is with you” is a false interpretation, because this section of the verse is making reference to the Knowledge and Support of Allah (swt). If one examines the verse, one will notice that at the beginning of the verse Allah (swt) states that He istawaa (rose above) His Throne.In reference to the aayah in which Allah (swt) says:
“Have you not seen that Allah knows whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is on the earth? There is no Najwaa (secret counsel) of three, but He is their fourth (with His knowledge, while He Himself is over the Throne, over the seventh heaven), nor of five but He is their sixth (with His knowledge), not of less than that or more, but He is with them (with His knowledge) wherever they may be; and afterwards on the Day of Resurrection, He will inform them of what they did. Verily, Allah is the All-Knower of everything.” (EMQ al-Mujaadalah, 58: 7)
Ad-Dahaak ibn Muzahim (from the Taabi'een, d. 150 AH) said: “He (swt) is above His (swt) throne and with them by His (swt) Knowledge wherever they are.” (Reported in his explanation of 58: 7)
Muqaatil Ibnu Hayan (d. 150 AH) said: “He (swt) is above His (swt) throne, and there is nothing that He is not aware about.” (Reported in his commentary of the verse 58: 7)Nooh ibn Abee Maryam said that when he went to visit Imaam Abu Haneefah (rh), a woman from Tirmiz who used to listen to Jahm bin Safwaan and had a personal following of at least 10,000 entered Kufa. She went to Imaam Abu Haneefah (during his early stages as an 'Aalim), who was known to be extremely sharp, in order to debate with him. The woman asked Abu Haneefah, “Where is the ilaah (deity) that you worship?” Imaam Abu Haneefah did not reply to the question. After seven days he said, “Allah (swt) is in the Heaven, beyond (above) the earth.” The woman then asked, “What about when Allah (swt) said, 'Allah is with you'?” Upon this Imaam Abu Haneefah replied, “This is like when a person writes in a letter (saying), “I am with you”, to another person even though the recipient is far away.” (Imaam Bayhaqi [rahimahullaah] stated in Kitaab Bayhaqi in Baab Asmaa' was-Sifaat)
From this incident we learn that the great Imaam Abu Haneefah (rh) did not believe that Allah (swt) was situated everywhere, rather he believed that Allah (swt) is above and beyond the earth.
The Salaf did not come to conclude that Allah (swt) is with them by His Knowledge by ta'weel (interpretation), rather they did so by a literal understanding of the verse that Allah (swt) is with them by His Knowledge. The Ma'iyyah does not necessarily mean that the Support or Awareness must be by physical presence as a person can support the cause of another person or be aware about the state of a person from a distance (e.g. Muslims from the UK support the da'wah of the Muwahhideen in The Land of The Two Sacred Sites (Bilaad ul-Haramein) without being with them physically).
A man called Me’dan asked Sufyaan ath-Thawri (d. 161 AH) about the verse where Allah (swt) said, “Allah is with you.” Sufyaan ath-Thawri replied, “He is with you with His 'ilm wherever you are.” (Reported by Ahmad, Ibn Qudaamah, al-Bayhaqi and al-Bukhaari in the chapter Khalq ul-'Ibaad)
'Abdullah ibn Imaam Ahmad (rh) said, “My father told me that Surayj bin Numan said that 'Abdullah son of Naafi’ said that Imaam Maalik bin Anas (d. 179 AH) said, “Whoever says that the Qur'aan is created or is a creation will be beaten and imprisoned till death, Allah (swt) Himself is above the Heaven but His Knowledge is everywhere.” (Reported by Abdullah bin Imaam Ahmad. The quote was also reported by Abu Daawood, Qaadi Iyaad (Tarteel bil-Madaarik), Ibn Taymiyyah (Majmoo’ al-Fataawaa) and Imaam adh-Dhahabi in Kitaab ul-'Uloom)
The meaning of Imam Maalik’s (rh) statement is that Allah (swt) is physically above the Heavens and is aware about everything everywhere.
Ahmad bin Mansoor heard Naim bin Hammad ul-Khuzai (d. 228 AH) said regarding the verse, “And He is with you (by His knowledge) wherever you may be" that, “There is not a thing that Allah is not aware about by His Knowledge, have you not heard when Allah (swt) says: “There is no Najwaa (secret counsel) of three, but He is their fourth (by knowledge)”? That means nothing is hidden or concealed from Allah (swt). No-one from the Salaf said that Allah (swt) is with them physically; Allah (swt) is above His Throne and with them by His Knowledge, Seeing and Hearing.” (Reported by Imaam ibn Bata al-Akburi in the book Kitaab al-Ibaanah, Imaam adh-Dhahabi (Kitaab ul-'Uloom page 126), Ibn ul-Qayyim, and Imaam Az-Zarkali)
Is-haaq bin Raha-way (rh) said regarding the statement of Allah (swt): “And He is with you (by His knowledge) wherever you may be” that, “Wherever you are, Allah is closer to you than your jugular vein and (He [swt] is physically) distance from all of His creation.”
From the quote of Is-haaq bin Raha-way (rh) we learn that Allah (swt) is distant from all of His creation, and the 'Arsh (Throne) is the greatest and highest creation and Allah (swt) is sitting on His Throne (in a manner that suits Allah (swt)) with distance from it.A man asked, “O Ahmad! We heard a man say Allah (swt) is with us (physically) whenever there are three of us, Allah (swt) is the fourth." Imaam Ahmad replied, “This man has become Jahami, they took the last part of the verse and left the beginning where Allah (swt) said, “Have you not seen that Allah (swt) knows whatsoever is in the Heavens and whatsoever is on the earth” (EMQ al-Mujaadalah, 58: 7), and Allah (swt) said, “And indeed We have created man, and We know what his own self whispers to him. And we are nearer to him than his jugular vein (by our knowledge)” (EMQ Qaaf: 16). The aayah (58: 7) speaks about the Knowledge of Allah (swt) from the beginning till the end. His Knowledge is aware about everything. And Allah (swt) is above the Heavens without any space, without to describe how.”
Conclusion
In conclusion Ahl us-Sunnah believe that Allah (swt) is above the Heavens, istawaa (risen over) His throne, with distance from His creation (and the Throne is a creation of Allah [swt]). Allah (swt) also descends to the lower Heaven in the latter part of the night, as a special Ma'iyyah for those who supplicate to Allah (swt). The descending of Allah (swt) is an 'Aqeedah matter, which one should believe in without saying or asking ‘how?’.
Allah (swt) is with His creation by Seeing, Hearing and with His Knowledge but not physically. Allah (swt) is with all of creation in general, watching and seeing them. A person should take this as a warning that nothing is hidden from Allah (swt) and on the Day of Judgement he will have to account for all of his deeds.
Allah (swt) is specifically with those who are from the good people seeking the Pleasure of Allah (swt), and in return Allah (swt) provides them with Support, Forgiveness, Mercy and Goodness.
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