Understanding The "Kursi" in Ayat al-Kursi

As far as understanding what 'Kursi' is, 'Kursi' is translated bizarrely by many translators of the Qur'an as the 'throne'. I found this very difficult to take because in the Qur'an, two concepts we have the Arsh and we have the 'Kursi' . And 'Arsh' is translated in English to throne, 'Kursi' is the chair.

And therefore the translation of it as the "Verse of the throne" is inaccurate because we have verses such as one in Suratu Ta Ha, where Allah Subhana wa Ta'ala says: "Ar-Rahman 'ala al-'Arshi stawa' " (20:5), the word 'Arsh' is used.

Let's understand Ayat ul-Kursi very briefly, but pay more attention to the area of contention and how the school of Ahl Al-Bayt presents its opinion with regards to the actual meaning or what the Ahl Al-Bayt have come forward to explain what 'Kursi' is, what is the reality of 'Kursi'. You will find that as far as this is concerned, there is a movement which is known as the anthropomorphism movement, which means the attribution of characteristics that human beings have to the Divine.

Because there are verses in the Qur'an, for example, says: "yadu Allahi fawqa aydihim" (48:10), the hand of God is above theirs, that they will look at the face of God on the Day of Judgment. And therefore there are different theological schools of thought in understanding these verses, which are known as Mutashabih, metaphorical verses.

The first school of thought is the Asharait school of thought. They said they come forward and say that as far as the 'Kursi' and the 'Arsh' is concerned, the throne of Allah, Subhana wa Ta'ala, it is something that we cannot comprehend. It is something that we do not understand, therefore we ignore. We do not talk about it. Talking about it is bida' [innovation] because I remember reading the founder of the Maliki school of Thought, Malik Ibn Anas, one day was asked by somebody, he said:' Kayfa stawa Ar-Rahmanu 'ala al-Arsh?', how did He sit on a throne? Because in Surah Ta Ha, that's how some people understand it. The response was: 'Huwa stawa, wa la na'lamu kayfa stawa. He sat. I don't know how he sat.

Then all of a sudden that individual wasn't happy. How can he sit on a particular throne? And the response was: you are of the people who have gone astray, that you are asking too much. You should not delve into these areas too much. Our six imam says I am surprised by the people, according to the narration, who says God sits on a throne. If He sits on a throne, that means the throne can encompass Him. That means the throne is more powerful than Him. How can you accept that particular physical attribution? That's the first school.

The second school says: no throne, and the 'Kursi' are physical entities. And they cite narrations that exist in the world of Hadith, such as one in Al-Bukhari, Tafsir Al-Qur'an, hadith 4471 from Abu Huraira, that the Almighty on the Day of Judgment places His feet in Jahanam and says to it: halm al-mazid? Do you want more? So they attribute this and others with relation to the throne and the 'Kursi', that it is a physical entity, it is a 'Kursi', it is a chair, but it's vast and it is something beyond our understanding, but it is a chair. That is a litteralist, very superficial understanding of the Holy Qur'an that indeed the group of people known as the Salafis movement have undertaken.

A third group of scholars have said no, there are nine spheres that exist. Seven of them is the seven heavens, then there is the 'Kursi', and above it is the 'Arsh', but we don't know the reality of that. So they only limit themselves to the nine spheres that exist within the universe.

The fourth group of scholars come forward and amongst them are quite a few from the school of Alh Al-Bayt. They say no, of course, this is a metaphorical reference to the Power, and the Majesty, and the Greatness of Allah Subhana wa Ta'ala. They say just like how the Almighty Subhana wa Ta'ala wants you and I to understand certain concepts, therefore He uses terms that you and I use in Dunya. Therefore you find that when a king sits on a throne or a chair, that means they are in control of everything. That means everything is under them. This is something that indicates the Power, the all-encompassing Majesty of the Almighty, Subhana wa Ta'ala. That's what the fourth category [affirms].

The fifth category however, is perhaps the most interesting and one that has delved further into the verses and is reflected more into the other Ayat in the Holy Qur'an. The fifth category of the 'Ulama', including Allama [Tabataba'i] in Al-Mizan, and others, have come forward and said: no, this is according to understanding of the riwayat of the Ahl Al-Bayt, Haqiqatun Mawjuda. It is a reality that exists. 'Arsh is there, Arsh and 'Kursi' are there, but not necessarily physical. No doubt. That is the first level.

But they say there are verses in the Qur'an which seemingly point to a very important reality about this issue. Allah Subhana wa Ta'ala, comes and says: "Wa yahmilu 'Arsha Rabbika fawqahum yawma 'idhin thamaniya" (69:17) [and above them eight shall bear on that day your Lord's power]. In chapter sixty-nine, verse seventeen.

Allah says that the Arsh of Allah is carried by eight. Carried? If it is something which is just the power of God, how can these eight, which according to Riwayat or either eight malaika, or four from the prophets, of ul al-Azim, and the rest four from the Ahl Al-Bayt, including the Holy Prophet and Amir Al-Mu'minin. The idea is this carrying of the Arsh, how can [it] be understood?

Then there is another verse: "Wa kana Arshuhu 'ala al-ma' " (11:7), 'His throne is over the water', in chapter eleven, verse seven. Chapter 40, verse seven: "alladhina yahmiluna al-'Arsha wa man hawlahu yusabbihuna bi hamdi Rabbihih" (40:7), they are carrying the Ash, the throne of God. Therefore they come forward and say, according to the Riwayat of the Ahl Al-Bayt, and the understanding, the Arsh and the 'Kursi' are related to the knowledge of the Almighty Subhana wa Ta'ala. It is the center of the 'Ilm of the Almighty Subhana wa Ta'ala, in addition to the center of the administration of the creation.

And when these Ayat say that these individuals or creations of God, they carry the 'Arsh' or they carry the 'Kursi', it means they're being given this knowledge from the Almighty Subhana wa Ta'ala, they're being bestowed with this specific knowledge from the Almighty, Subhana wa Ta'ala. Therefore the understanding that they present is this: that the 'Arsh' and the 'Kursi' are not physical entities. Neither are they just simply denoting the power of the Almighty. But because of the ruwayat of the Ahl Al-Bayt, it denotes the all-encompassing 'Ilm of the Almighty. And they link it by the fact that many verses that speak about 'Arsh' also speak about Shafa'a.

This indicates that Allah, Subhana wa Ta'ala, is aware that when He gives knowledge, or when He gives the ability for an individual to intercede, He knows that they will intercede in the correct manner.

Therefore it is part of his what? His knowledge. Hence we find the beautiful hadith from our Holy sixth Imam, Imam Ja'far Ibn Muhammad as-Sadiq, salawatu Allahi wa as-salamu alayh [Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa Aali Muhammad], which comes forward and says and tries to denounce all these attributes that are given to God which belongs to human beings. And he says, comes forward and says, in Tawhid al-Mufadhdhal, he says: 'man za'ama anna Allah min sha'in, aw fi sha'in, aw 'ala sha'in, fa qad kafar, aw fa qad ashrak. Whomsoever claims that God the Almighty is in something, or is on top of something, or sits on something, then they have practiced Shirk and polytheism.

The A'imma, alayhum as-salam, one of [their] the objectives was to refine and exonerate the Almighty, Subhana wa Ta'ala from these particular attributes and indeed present the pure Tawhid that the Qur'an indeed brings forth. That it is not about a 'Kursi' that is somehow physica,l or a being sits on it, because the Qur'an says: "laysa ka mithlihi sha'i" (42:11) , there is nothing like Him whatsoever.

And the human being is not able in any shape or form, to comprehend the Almighty, Subhana wa Ta'ala, with this particular 'aqil that is indeed limited, in its creation by the Almighty, Jalla wa 'Ala. Hence we find the importance of what? Of referring to the Ahl Al-Bayt in understanding Ayat ul-Kursi, in understanding the verses of the Qur'an.