What is the meaning of the verse
الرحمن على العرش استوى
Question: What is the meaning of the verse
الرحمن على العرش استوى
The answer: Some Imams of Ahlus-sunnah and some of the prominent linguists like As-subkiyy and Ibnul Hājib and other than them said that the meaning of Istawā in this verse means subduing the throne and preserving it in its place.
Allāh The Exalted by His Power prevents the throne which is the largest creation from plummeting and crushing this earth.
The throne is carried, the angels carry it. Allāh is clear from being attributed with being carried. Allāh The Exalted is clear from being attributed with sitting and being established and dwelling in places and directions. He The Exalted existed before all those things and He The Exalted is The Creator of everything.
The Imām Ash-shāfi^iyy said “Whoever believes that Allāh is sitting on the throne blasphemes.”
Whoever believes that Allāh sits or is established or stands or moves or is still then such a person is resembling Allāh to His creation.
The one who resembles Allāh to His creation is not a muslim and it is not valid to pray behind him even if he utters the two testifications of faith 1,000 times except if he utters the shahādah after having renounces that blasphemous belief
The rule according to Ahlus-sunnah is that Allāh does not resemble anything and nothing resembles Him.
Whoever says that Allāh is sitting has deemed Allāh in need of something to sit on and whoever deems Allāh in need of something or deems Allāh to be benefitted by any of His creation like the throne then such a person does not know what Islam is