I have brought such a topic for you that seeing it might change your thinking forever. In today’s topic, I am going to tell you about the greatest creation of Allah, the Throne (Arsh). It is so huge that Allah Almighty Himself has described its grandeur in the Quran by calling it “Arsh-e-Azeem” (The Great Throne).
Allah’s greatest creation and further, we learn from Hadith that the Kursi (Footstool) is larger than the seven heavens, and its size compared to the heavens is like a small ring thrown in a desert. But the Arsh… the Kursi compared to the Arsh is like a small ring thrown in a desert.
From here, the episode formally begins. And the first question of today is: What is above the Arsh?
It appears seven times in the Holy Quran: Ar-Rahmanu ‘alal ‘Arsh istawa. Meaning, the Most Merciful (Ar-Rahman) is established (Istawa) above the Throne.
Allah Almighty is above the Throne. And what exactly does Mustavi (established) mean? No one knows this. The word Istawa is among those words in the Holy Quran whose translation is usually not done; rather, it is left as it is. What state Istawa refers to is something a human can never understand. This state is far beyond our realm of understanding.
See, when we are present somewhere, we are either standing or sitting. But Istawa is a state distinct from all this. Those who translated the Quran left this word as is. Allah Almighty is Mustavi above the Throne, and that’s it. Our knowledge has no access beyond that. No eye has ever seen there. Even the majestic angels keep a distance from there.
See, angels have orders, hierarchies, and classifications. In Surah As-Saffat, verse 164, the angels say: “And there is not one of us but has a known station.” Meaning, in simple words, each one of us belongs to a specific order.
Hazrat Zurarah (RA) narrates—and by the way, who was Zurarah? Zurarah ibn Abi Awfa (RA) was a very majestic Tabi’i. He was a direct student of great companions like Umar ibn al-Khattab (RA), Abdullah ibn Masud (RA), and Salman Farsi (RA). And he feared Allah so much that his death occurred due to the fear of Allah. Zurarah was leading the Fajr prayer as Imam, and he recited the verse from Surah Al-Muddathir: “For when the Trumpet is blown, that Day will be a difficult Day.” He recited up to here, and people heard that suddenly Zurarah took a sharp breath, and his heart failed right there. He passed away during the prayer. That is how careful, God-fearing, and majestic a Tabi’i he was.
So, he narrates that once the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) asked Hazrat Jibrail (AS): “O Jibrail, have you ever seen your Lord?” Suddenly, Jibrail’s wings fluttered as if he was trembling, as if someone suddenly shudders from fear. And he said: “O Messenger of Allah (PBUH), between me and my Lord, there are many veils of light. And if I were to go near even one of those veils, I would be burnt right there.”
Therefore, Allah’s Being is established above the Throne, and no creation has ever looked into that realm to this day.
But what is below the Throne and around it? We certainly find some rare information by searching about this. For example, the Prophet (PBUH) said: “I have been permitted to speak about the bearers of the Throne.” That it is carried by four angels. And from a narration in Mustadrak al-Hakim, we learn that those angels look like extremely powerful mountain goats. To the extent that the Prophet (PBUH) clearly described the glow of their hooves, necks, and ears, stating that the distance between them is equal to a journey of many centuries. Meaning, they are such powerful and magnificent angels.
These angels are called Hamilan-e-Arsh (Bearers of the Throne). Meaning those who have lifted the Throne upon themselves. And this name has actually been given to them by Allah Almighty Himself. In Surah Ghafir, also known as Surah Al-Mu’min, in verse number 7, it is stated: “Those who carry the Throne and those around it glorify the praises of their Lord.”
Okay. Stop here for a minute. I want you to focus on the words of this verse. We have learned about the Hamilan-e-Arsh, who they are and what they look like. But who are those “around it”? And from here begins a very amazing part of today’s episode.
To know who else is present near the Throne, you will have to study the Holy Quran with great attention. Look very carefully at verses 18 to 21 of Surah Al-Mutaffifin: “No! Indeed, the record of the righteous is in ‘Illiyyun. And what can make you know what is ‘Illiyyun? It is a written record, witnessed by those brought near (to Allah).”
This is the biggest lead for us to know about those who are present near the Throne besides the Bearers of the Throne. And now you must listen very carefully.
The literal meaning of ‘Illiyyun is “heights upon heights.” And a student of Ibn Abbas (RA), meaning a Tabi’i, Hazrat Qatada (RA)—his specialty was that he used to give very powerful interpretations of Quranic verses, especially those considered extremely powerful. In a very clear tone, to the point of being majestic. And in most major Tafsirs like Tafsir Tabari, Ibn Kathir, and Tafsir Qurtubi, the interpretation of Qatada (RA) is often cited.
So, explaining ‘Illiyyun, Qatada writes that ‘Illiyyun is the name of one of the legs of the Throne. Near which reside angels of a specific order, who are called Muqarraboon (The Near Ones). Exactly the same word that appeared in Al-Mutaffifin, that the Muqarraboon are witnessing ‘Illiyyun. And this name has been given to them because of their closeness to the Throne. Muqarraboon—those who stay near.
And like the Bearers of the Throne, the Muqarraboon are also glorifying Allah’s praises at all times. The Muqarraboon are also mentioned in Surah An-Nisa, that they do not feel proud to worship Allah. Then their mention is also in Surah Ghafir, as I just told you: “Those who carry the Throne and those around it glorify the praises of their Lord.”
But an extremely powerful verse regarding the Muqarraboon is in fact in Surah Ha-Mim As-Sajdah (Fussilat): “But if they are arrogant – then those who are near your Lord (angels) exalt Him by night and by day, and they do not become weary.” The Muqarrab angels glorify Allah night and day, all the time, and they never get tired.
Upon reading carefully, you discover a lot. In fact, I will give you additional information. This verse of Ha-Mim As-Sajdah is so powerful that the verse connected to it is a verse of prostration (Sajdah). And you know that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) told us that when a human reads a verse of prostration and prostrates, Satan stands at a distance crying in regret and says: “He was commanded to prostrate and he did, while I was commanded and I did not.” And he looks at him with longing. Allahu Akbar.
Another additional piece of information: Ha-Mim As-Sajdah was the Surah that once, when the Noble Prophet (PBUH) was sitting alone in Masjid al-Haram, a chieftain of the disbelievers, Utbah ibn Rabi’ah, came to the Prophet (PBUH) and started talking. In the conversation, he said: “Nephew, I have some proposals for you. If you want wealth, we will give you wealth…” etc., etc. The same things the disbelieving chieftains often used to say to the Prophet (PBUH).
When he finished speaking, the Prophet (PBUH) said: “Have you said what you wanted to say? Now listen to my reply.” And then the Prophet (PBUH) recited from this same Surah, Ha-Mim As-Sajdah, in which he also read this verse: “But if these disbelievers are arrogant, then there are Muqarraboon for the glorification of Allah at all times, who glorify Him night and day.”
When Utbah heard all this and got up from there, the other chieftains saw that his complexion had changed. And he was saying: “By God, I have never heard such speech in my entire life.” These are such powerful verses.
So, these are the Muqarraboon. In fact, there is a Marfu Hadith—meaning an extremely high-level authentic Hadith directly narrated from the Messenger of Allah (PBUH)—that when Allah Almighty created Adam (AS), He commanded him: “Go and greet that group of angels sitting there. And listen carefully to what they reply.”
So Adam (AS) went and greeted those angels. In reply, they said: “Peace be upon you too, and Allah’s Mercy.” And from there, our greeting became Assalamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullah. And that group of angels whom Adam (AS) went to greet was most likely these Muqarraboon.
But imagine… imagine that scene for a minute. How Adam (AS) was created, and then he was told to go and greet them. Like a newborn is taught each thing, ‘do this, do that’, and then being taught the names of all things one by one. Allahu Akbar. What scenes those must have been.
So, these are the Muqarraboon, the Near Angels, who are glorifying Allah all the time. But one thing… did the thought cross your mind: What would this glorification (Tasbih) sound like?
There is an extremely amazing answer to this question. See, when we imagine Tasbih, we think of a string of beads and the Arabic language. But near the Throne, it is not so. See, we are thinking according to our world, and often forget that it is a completely different world.
Nu’man ibn Bashir (RA) narrates that once the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: “The mention of Allah’s Glory that you make—meaning the Tasbih you do, for example, SubhanAllah, or Tahlil (La ilaha illallah), and Tahmid (Alhamdulillah)—this Tasbih circles around the Throne. And the sound of its circling is like the buzzing of honeybees.”
A kind of zooming sound, as if something is spinning extremely fast. A kind of echo. A wave of praise, in the form of which that Tasbih is spinning rapidly around the Throne.
Near the Throne, our words cease to exist. There, different worlds and dimensions work. Moving forward, InshaAllah, I will also tell you which worlds. But here, another branch of knowledge emerges. Why the buzzing sound?
Observe that you find the mention of the buzzing of honeybees in so many places. For example, Umar ibn al-Khattab (RA) tells that when revelation descended upon the Messenger of Allah (PBUH), the Prophet (PBUH) would hear the sound of bells. Whereas we—meaning those sitting near the Prophet (PBUH)—would hear a sound like the buzzing of honeybees.
Then Abu Dhar Ghifari (RA) narrates that once the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) took some pebbles in his fist, and I heard with my own ears that they started doing Tasbih. And that sound was audible to me just like the buzzing sound of honeybees.
In fact, this attribute was a sign for the People of the Book: that the followers of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) would weep during Tahajjud time in a way that sounds like the buzzing of honeybees.
Then a similar matter will occur with Dajjal as well. When he extracts the treasures of the earth, they will follow behind him like buzzing honeybees follow. Even the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) went so far as to say that all flies will go to Hell except the honeybee. And you know that there is an entire Surah in the Quran named after the honeybee, Surah An-Nahl. And in Surah An-Nahl, well, what great signs exist.
So, there are very amazing secrets hidden in the buzzing of honeybees. But for now, I am not explaining them because we would deviate slightly from the original topic. Therefore, returning to the original topic: near the Throne, a loud zooming sound comes, like the buzzing of honeybees.
Besides the Bearers of the Throne and the Muqarraboon, there are other angels whose presence near the Throne is mentioned. For example, Hazrat Khuzaima (RA) narrates that Hazrat Sulaiman (AS) used to converse with the Angel of Death (Malak-ul-Maut). So one day you asked: “What a strange thing this is, that you go to a house and take the soul of one family member, but leave the others standing near him?”
So Malak-ul-Maut, meaning the Angel of Death, replied: “I do not know whose soul to take. I am beneath the Throne, and I am told a name—that such person, whose father’s name is such, and whose mother’s name is such—you have to capture his soul.”
So from this narration, we learn that after the Muqarraboon, among the angels closest to the Throne, one could be the Angel of Death.
Then I told you that the Throne is generally the roof of everything because the Throne is above everything. But there is one specific place whose roof is literally the Throne of Allah Almighty. And that place is Jannat-ul-Firdaus.
So, in the time of the Prophet (PBUH), there used to be a very great scholar among the Jews of Yemen, who later, in the time of Umar ibn al-Khattab (RA), became Muslim and came to Medina. He became known as Ka’b al-Ahbar. The meaning of which is “Ka’b, the Scholar of Books.” Meaning he had the knowledge of Quran and Hadith, but he was also a very great scholar of the previous books, the Torah and the Gospel. So, he tells that in Jannat-ul-Firdaus, there is an angel whose name I also know. And from his creation until now, he is making jewelry for the people of Paradise. And until the Day of Judgment, he will remain occupied in this work. And the jewelry made by him possesses such shine that if even one bangle of it were to appear in this world, the light of the sun would fade just as the moon fades before the sun.
So, among the angels living beneath the Throne, one angel would surely be this one, whose name Ka’b used to say he knew.
Okay. Now I am going to tell you something that is one of the most mysterious parts of this topic. And you must listen to it very carefully.
See, one thing we all know is that some angels look so powerful and intense that a human heart cannot bear to see them. For example, the angels who come in the grave, Munkar and Nakir. You know how intense-looking they are. Hadith states they will have black faces and blue eyes. Just imagine this face.
Then, a 10th-century Shafi’i scholar, Abu Ishaq al-Tha’labi, in his Tafsir, told about an angel present on the first heaven, whose half body is made of ice and the other half of fire. And it is such fire that it does not melt the ice, nor is it such ice that it extinguishes the fire. Just imagine this scene.
Then Ali ibn Abi Talib (RA) told about one of the angels present on the third heaven, that he has 70,000 heads. Each head has 70,000 mouths. Each mouth has 70,000 tongues, and each tongue has 70,000 languages with which he glorifies Allah Almighty. Just imagine… imagine an angel with so many heads.
Then there was a teacher of Imam Malik (RA)—the same Imam Malik who wrote a very famous book on Hadith, Muwatta Imam Malik. So, a teacher of Imam Malik was Muhammad ibn Muslim (RA), a Tabi’i and a great Muhaddith scholar of Medina.
Regarding the 12th verse of Surah Ar-Ra’d: “It is He who shows you the lightning (Barq)…” Muhammad ibn Muslim says that Barq (Lightning) is the name of an angel whom Allah sends for rain, lightning, and thunder. And that angel has four faces. One face like a human, the second face like a bull, the third face like a vulture, and the fourth face like a lion. And every time he flicks his tail, a crack of lightning is produced.
Can you imagine this face?
Then once, some Jews came to the Prophet (PBUH) and asked five questions. One of which was about an angel named Ra’d. The same Ra’d after whom an entire Surah is named, Surah Ar-Ra’d. So the Prophet (PBUH) said that he is an angel who has a hunter (whip) of fire in his hand, with which he commands the clouds to move from here to there. Just imagine this scene. How intense and powerful scenes appear before the eyes.
In short, there are some angels who would appear extremely powerful to look at. And from here now, I am going to tell you a very amazing event.
In Surah Al-Baqarah, verse 243, there is a mention of some people: “Have you not considered those who left their homes in many thousands, fearing death? So Allah said to them, ‘Die’; then He restored them to life.”
These people were actually from Bani Israel. And commentaries reveal that in numbers of 3,000 or 30,000, these people left their city and went out fearing the plague epidemic. But even after going out, death came to them. And in a valley where only their dry bones remained, a Prophet passed by from there.
These details are present in more than one Tafsir, that he was Hazrat Ezekiel (Hizqeel) (AS). So when he saw those bones, Allah revealed to him: “O son of Adam, tell these dry bones to listen to the Word of Allah.” So Ezekiel (AS) started reading the scripture of that time. And as he kept reading, those bones started gathering. To the extent that flesh covered them, skin appeared, and finally, the soul was blown into them. After which they all became alive, just as it appears in Al-Baqarah: “After death, Allah restored them to life.”
Allah showed very great signs to that Prophet, Hazrat Ezekiel (AS). And among the People of the Book, he is considered a very great Prophet. In the Old Testament, there is a complete book named after him, “The Book of Ezekiel.” In which all those signs are mentioned that were shown to Ezekiel (AS). And in Ezekiel 37, this event is also recorded where he saw the dead coming to life, which those people call the event of “The Valley of Dry Bones.”
But in The Book of Ezekiel, another very amazing and mysterious sign is mentioned that was shown to Ezekiel (AS). One day he saw… that there is a magnificent roof (firmament). Beneath which are four creatures. Exactly as it appears in Hadith that the Arsh is a great roof, and four angels have lifted it upon themselves.
Then Ezekiel saw that the soles of their feet are like hooves. Exactly as the mention of their hooves appears in Hadith. And then Ezekiel saw that they are moving like lightning. In such a way that in a moment, wherever they want, they can go there. And with them, it looked as if there were wheels within wheels. And such wheels as if they were alive. They were full of eyes all over. And from this whole scene, a terrifying rumbling sound was being heard.
Okay. Stop for a minute and try to understand very carefully.
The description Ezekiel gave is a description very close to the Karubiyyun (Cherubim). But why did he see so many eyes and such a heart-trembling scene? Eyes everywhere, living eyes.
I want to give you the answer to this with an example. Imagine you are in a very large room where there are mirrors everywhere. What will be the nature of that room? That room will become a kind of light prism where in every direction, you will see thousands of your own reflections in the mirrors. Every shape, every reflection will be a copy of your existence. You won’t even be able to estimate where these shapes are starting and where they are ending. The more you look, the more confused you will get. Reality will become distorted for you.
Exactly in the same way, when Ezekiel saw such a high-dimensional being, an angel of such a high dimension, in this dimension, its reality appeared completely distorted to him. I told you that in the 10th dimension, there is no direction; you can see everywhere.
So the ability of that angel to see everywhere manifested to Ezekiel in the form of thousands of eyes. That creature could see everywhere in its dimension, but perceiving that concept within the three dimensions of this world is impossible. Therefore, a symbolic form of seeing everywhere was shown to Ezekiel (AS): many eyes, living eyes that were looking everywhere. A visual representation of that angel’s ability to see everywhere in its dimension. For Ezekiel (AS), a visual representation that seeing everywhere would look like this.
That creature could not appear to Ezekiel in its original form at all because it is a high-dimensional being. Therefore, when Ezekiel (AS) saw them, their reality appeared completely beyond comprehension to him. And the result? Movement with the speed of lightning, and thousands of eyes revolving everywhere, and a booming sound of thunder.
Allahu Akbar.
Rewind this part. Listen to it again. Unless you understand its full grandeur, that what a huge sign Ezekiel basically saw.
And then later in the Book of Ezekiel, it further states that they were actually Cherubims. And in the original Torah, the Aramaic word used for Cherubims is Karubim. Which is very close to the Arabic word Karubiyyun. Which is derived from another Arabic word, Muqarraboon.
Allahu Akbar. By Allah, these are very rare details that I am finding and giving to you with great effort. Believe me, in search of such information, often 12-12 hours pass for me, and I have neither consciousness of food nor any thought of myself.
Apart from the Bearers of the Throne and Muqarraboon, who else is near the Throne?
Surah Taha, verse 110: “He knows what is [presently] before them and what will be after them, but they do not encompass it with knowledge.”
From this verse, it becomes clearly known that a human or any creation can never fully encompass Allah’s knowledge.
Besides the Bearers of the Throne and Muqarraboon, God knows who else is there about whom we might never be able to know.
But a day is to come when the son of Adam will also see the Throne with his own eyes. And that day will begin with a powerful scream (Trumpet blast).
In Surah An-Naba, verses 18 and 19, an extremely powerful scene is depicted: “The Day the Horn is blown and you will come forth in multitudes. And the heaven is opened and will become gateways.”
What is the meaning of the sky becoming gateways? Ibn Abbas (RA), whom people in the Prophet’s (PBUH) time used to call Hibr-ul-Ummah (The Ink/Scholar of the Nation), meaning a very great scholar of the Ummah. He explains in the interpretation of this verse that a loud sound will come, by which holes and rifts will open in the sky. And these rifts will be spread across the expanse of the sky. And through them, the Throne will be visible.
Try to imagine this scene. A magnificent tunnel, a tunnel opened in the length of the sky. A path for passage that starts from the earth and crosses the entire length of the sky to open on the other side. Which in Islamic accounts is called a door, and in modern scientific accounts, a wormhole or a portal. One end of which will be open towards us, and above the other end, the Throne will be visible. Allahu Akbar.
Ibn Abbas further states that angels will be standing on the edges of these rifts, these doors. And then an event will occur, the details of which I will tell you some other time, InshaAllah. But for now, I am telling you briefly.
That then such an event will occur which is mentioned in Surah Al-Baqarah, verse 210: “Do they await but that Allah should come to them in covers of clouds and the angels [as well] and the matter is [then] decided?”
This is the event mentioned in Al-Haqqah: “And the heaven will split [open], for that Day it is infirm. And the angels are at its edges. And there will bear the Throne of your Lord above them, that Day, eight [of them].”
On that day, the sky will have split. It will have completely scattered. And on that day, instead of four, eight angels will be carrying the Throne above them.
Then from a Hadith, we learn that all creation will lose their senses. And the Prophet (PBUH) says: “I will be the first to regain consciousness. And I will see that Hazrat Musa (AS) will be holding the leg of the Throne.” And the Prophet (PBUH) says: “I do not know if he regained consciousness before me or if he never fell unconscious in the first place.”
Clinging to the leg of the Throne… I don’t know what that state will be.
During this, a moment will come when every creation will die. The Angel of Death (Malak-ul-Maut) will submit to Allah: “O Creator, all creation in the heavens and the earth has died except those whom You willed. You are the Ever-Living and the Sustainer. Annihilation never comes upon You. Everyone has died except the angels bearing the Throne, and Jibrail and Mikail.” And at that time, the Throne will say: “O my Lord, will death come to them too?” And Allah Almighty will say: “Death has been written for everyone below the Throne.”
So, death will come to all of them too. To the extent that only the Angel of Death will remain. Who will eventually receive death from Allah Almighty as well.
And then…
Then only and only Allah’s Being will remain. The One with Dominance. The One with Oneness. Just as before creating the creation, He was completely Alone and Unique.
Then He will say: “I am Jabbar (The Compeller). The One with Greatness. Where are the kings today? Who is the Owner today?” And then He Himself will answer: “I am the One, the Subduer (Al-Wahid Al-Qahhar).”
And then after that, by His command, from beneath the Throne, that rain will fall about which I told you in the previous episode. From which the creation will come to life again. And then from there, other matters will begin.
But one more thing regarding the Throne that I definitely want to share with you because it is so beautiful.
This narration is cited by Imam Abu Muhammad ibn Hatim (RA) in his Tafsir from the same Ka’b al-Ahbar, who is called the scholar of all great books.
That Sidratul-Muntaha is that magnificent tree whose branches are spread above the seventh heaven and below the Kursi (Footstool). Upon every branch of that tree, a new world is inhabited. In which so many angels live that their number is known to no one except Allah.
Exactly in the middle of Sidratul-Muntaha is the station of Hazrat Jibrail (AS). This is the place where Jibrail (AS) resides. But a night of extreme majesty comes, on which Jibrail (AS) takes some angels of Sidratul-Muntaha and descends down here into our world. And watches the worship of those who worship.
There is an entire Surah named after that night, Surah Al-Qadr. And in the fourth verse of Surah Al-Qadr, it says: “The angels and the Spirit descend therein by permission of their Lord.” These angels watch the worship of the worshippers.
And from a narration, we learn that on that night, if suddenly someone’s heart softens while worshipping, and his hair stands on end, and tears come to his eyes, then this is a very big sign that at that moment, an angel standing near him is watching him.
And on that night, whoever recites La ilaha illallah, his sins are forgiven. Deliverance from the Fire and entry into Paradise becomes mandatory for him.
The narrator who took this narration says that upon hearing this, I looked at Abu Ishaq with amazement and asked: “Abu Ishaq, say it with a true heart, or will it be accepted even if one just says it?” So Abu Ishaq says: “This sentence can only be said by one who speaks the truth.”
O my friend, for a disbeliever, just saying this sentence is as if someone has placed a mountain upon him.
Until morning, the angels remain like this. And when Fajr is about to happen—as it comes in the fifth verse of Surah Al-Qadr: “Peace it is until the emergence of dawn”—so at the time of Fajr, slowly the angels start ascending upwards. And Jibrail (AS) slowly spreads his wings. Especially those two green wings which he never opens except on that night. And due to those wings, the light of the sun becomes dim. And to the viewer, it seems as if it is rising like a dull disc.
You know that this is one of the signs of Laylatul Qadr. That the next morning, the sun rises completely white. It does not have those piercing and blazing rays. Rather, it feels like a completely cool sun. Because at that time its light is hidden behind the green wings of Jibrail (AS).
After this, the angels go back to their respective places. And they tell about every person whom they saw worshipping. They say: “O my Lord, such person, whose father’s name is this and whose mother’s name is this, we saw him worshipping.” Even Jibrail (AS) tells about a person: “O Lord, I saw that person worshipping last year, but this year I saw him turning away from it.”
You know that all the 15 pages of this episode I wrote in a single sitting. Because while writing this, it wasn’t a thought, but a state that prevailed over me, in which I was writing this episode. This praise of Rabb-ul-Aalamin. And by God, I don’t have the heart at all to end this episode today because I love expressing the praise of Rabb-ul-Aalamin so much.
Who created my soul in Aalam-e-Arwah.
Who created this body of mine in Aalam-e-Nasoot.
Who sent down sustenance for it from Aalam-e-Malaikut.
And one day, all of this will return to Him.
