وَيَقُولُونَAnd they sayهُوَIt isجِسْمٌa bodyلَاnotكَالأَجْسَامِlike the bodiesتَعَالَىExaltedاللَّهُAllahعَنْfromذَٰلِكَthatعُلُوًّاexaltednessكَبِيرًاgreat
And they say: It is a body that is not like other bodies; exalted is Allah above that in great exaltedness.
وَاحْتَجَّتَاAnd they arguedبِقَوْلِهِwith His sayingتَعَالَىExalted«الرَّحْمَــنُ‘The Most Merciful’عَلَىoverالْعَرْشِthe Throneاسْتَوَى»He established Himself (there)’’
And they argued with His saying, exalted be He: ‘The Most Merciful established Himself over the Throne’
إِلَّاHoweverأَنَاweنَرُدُّrefuteعَلَيْهِمْthemفَنَقُولُwe sayإِنَّthatالْعَرْشَthe Throneلَمْwas notيَكُنْit existedفَكَانَthen it wasبِتَكْوِينِهِthrough its creationفَلَاso it cannotيَخْلُوbe voidإِمَّاeitherأَنْthatيَكُونَit isكَوْنُهُits existenceلِإِظْهَارِfor demonstratingعَظَمَتِهِHis greatnessوَجَبَرُوتِهِand majestyعَلَىoverخَلْقِهِHis creationوَإِمَّاor thatلَاnotيَجُوزُis permissibleأَنْ يُقَالَto sayلِاحْتِيَاجِهِdue to His needإِلَىtoالْقُعُودِsitعَلَيْهِon itلَأَنَّbecauseالْمُحْتَاجَthe needyلَا يَكُونُcannot beخَالِقًاa creatorلَأَنَّهُbecause it isمُحْتَاجٌin needمَقْهُورٌsubduedلِحَاجَةٍdue to needوَالْمَقْهُورُand the subduedلَاcannotيَكُونَbeأَمِيرًاa commanderفَكَيْفَso howيَكُونَcan beإِلَٰهًاa godفَإِذَاSo ifبَطَلَthis is invalidهَذَاthisالْوَجْهُaspectصَحَّis validالْوَجْهُthe aspectالأوَّلُthe firstوَهُوَand it isكَوْنُهُHis beingلِإِظْهَارِto displayعَظَمَتِهِHis greatnessوَجَبَرُوتِهِand majestyعَلَىoverخَلْقِهِHis creationوَلَاand notحَاجَةٌneedلَهُfor Himإِلَيْهِto it
However, we refute them and say that the Throne was not there, then it was through its creation; so it cannot be either that its being is for demonstrating His greatness and majesty over His creation or that He needs to sit upon it, because the needy cannot be a creator, since the needy is subdued by need, and the subdued cannot be a lord, so how can He be a God? If this aspect is invalid, the first aspect stands correct, which is His being for demonstrating His greatness and majesty over His creation, and He has no need for it.
ثُمَّThenمَعْنَىThe meaningالِاسْتَوَاءِof establishmentاسْتَوَىestablishmentالْمَمْلَكَةُis the kingdomلِأَنَّbecauseكُلَّeverythingشَيْءٍthingمَقْدُورٌis within His powerالْعَرْشَthe Throneوَالْعَرْشَand the Throneمَقْدُورٌis within His powerالرَّبِّthe Lordوَهَذَاand thisكَمَاasيُقَالُit is saidفُلَانٌso-and-soاسْتَوَىestablishedعَلَىonسَرِيرِهِhis bedوَمَدَّand extendedعَلَيْهِon itرِجْلَيْهِhis legsيَعْنُونَthey intendبِذَٰلِكَby thatاسْتَوَاءًestablishmentأُمُورٍaffairsالْوِلَايَةِof authorityلَهُfor himوَانْقِطَاعِand the cessationالْمُنَازَعَةِof disputeفِيinالإِمَارَةِthe governanceعَنْهُfrom himوَتَأْوِيلٌAnd another interpretationآخَرُis the lastوَهُوَIt isمَعْنَىmeaningالِاسْتَوَاءِof establishmentخَلْقٍcreationعَلَىuponعَرْشِهِHis ThroneكَمَاasقَالَHe saidتَعَالَىExaltedإِنَّIndeedرَبَّكُمْyour LordاللَّهُAllahالَّذِيwhoخَلَقَcreatedالسَّمَاوَاتَthe heavensوَالأَرْضَand the earthفِيinسِتَّةِsixأَيَّامٍdaysثُمَّThenاسْتَوَىHe established Himselfعَلَىuponالْعَرْشِthe ThroneأَيَّThat isاسْتَوَىestablishedفِعْلٌthe act ofالتَّخْلِيقِcreationعَلَىuponعَرْشِهِHis ThroneفَقَدْIndeedمَرَّWe have encounteredعَلَىonالْمُشَبِّهَةِthe anthropomorphistsفَلَمْSo there is noيَبْقَremainلَهُمُfor themشُبُهَةٌdoubtفِيinالإِسْتَوَاءِthe establishmentوَنَرُدُّAnd we refuteعَلَيْهِمْthemفِيinقَوْلِهِمtheir statementالْجِسْمُthe bodyلَاnotكَالأَجْسَامِlike the bodiesفَنَقُولُwe sayإِنَّthatالْجِسْمُthe bodyمِنْis ofعَرْضٍsurface
Then the meaning of establishment is the establishment of the Kingdom, because everything is within His power; the Throne and the Throne is under the Lord's power, and it is like they say so-and-so established himself on his bed and extended his legs, indicating the establishment of the affairs of authority for him and the cessation of dispute over the governance from him. And another interpretation is that the meaning of establishment is the creation on His Throne, as He said: Indeed your Lord is Allah who created the heavens and the earth in six days, then established Himself on the Throne, meaning He established the act of creation upon His Throne. We have encountered the anthropomorphists, so let there be no doubt about the establishment. And we refute them in their statement that the body is not like the bodies; we say that the body is a matter of surface.