al-Risala al-Arshiyya

al-Risala al-Arshiyya (The Epistle on the Throne) is a theological treatise written as a fatwa by the Hanbali scholar Ibn Taymiyya (661–728 AH / 1263–1328 CE) addressing the shape of the divine Throne (al-Arsh), astronomical conceptions of celestial spheres, and the theological rationale for orienting toward the upward direction during prayer and supplication al-Risala al-Arshiyya+1.

Question and Occasion

The treatise was composed in response to a question posed to Ibn Taymiyya inquiring whether the Throne is spherical (kuri) al-Risala al-Arshiyya. The questioner asked that if the Throne were spherical and God were beyond it, encompassing it and distinct from it (ba'in 'anhu), what purpose would be served by a worshiper directing their supplications specifically upward rather than toward any other surrounding direction al-Risala al-Arshiyya. The questioner further asked about the origin of the innate disposition (fitra) that leads human hearts to seek the upward direction without turning right or left al-Risala al-Arshiyya.

Contents and Arguments

Ibn Taymiyya organized his answer into three analytical stations (maqamat) al-Risala al-Arshiyya:

• Critique of the Philosophers' Identification of the Throne: Ibn Taymiyya argues that there is no definitive scriptural or rational proof establishing that the Throne is a rotating celestial sphere (falak) al-Risala al-Arshiyya. He attributes the view that the Throne is the outermost, starless ninth sphere (al-falak al-atlas) to later thinkers influenced by astronomy (ilm al-hay'a) and philosophy, who conjectured that the ninth sphere was identical to the Throne mentioned in prophetic reports al-Risala al-Arshiyya. He refutes this identification by citing prophetic reports stating that the Throne existed before the heavens and earth while on the water, that it has pillars or legs (qawa'im), and that it is dome-shaped (muqabbab) like a canopy over the heavens Tafsir al-Qasimi Mahasin …+1.
• Cosmological Directions and Sphericity: Addressing the premise of sphericity, Ibn Taymiyya explains that even if the Throne were assumed to be spherical, it would remain the highest point and the ceiling of all creation Tafsir al-Qasimi Mahasin …. He notes that the consensus of astronomers and Muslim scholars affirms that the celestial orbs are spherical, which means that the universe has only two absolute directions: upward, which corresponds to the outer perimeter or circumference (al-muhit), and downward, which corresponds to the center (al-markaz) Maalim al-Tariq ila Allah+1. The standard six directions (front, back, right, left, above, below) are subjective and relative to living beings, whereas the perimeter is objectively above the center from every vantage point on Earth Maalim al-Tariq ila Allah+1. Therefore, seeking God above is the only coherent directional orientation toward what is outside and above the created world, refuting the misconception that half of the celestial sphere lies below the Earth in an absolute sense Tafsir al-Qasimi Mahasin …+1.
• Divine Transcendence and Encompassing: Ibn Taymiyya asserts that God is above the Throne and distinct from His creation (ba'in min khalqihi) under all assumptions, whether the Throne is spherical or not Tafsir al-Qasimi Mahasin …+1. He emphasizes that God encompasses all creation in a manner befitting His majesty without resembling created spheres, noting that all creation is smaller in His hand than a chickpea or peppercorn in the hand of a human Tafsir al-Qasimi Mahasin …+1.

Transmission and Publication

al-Risala al-Arshiyya is preserved as an independent treatise and has also been collected within larger compilations of Ibn Taymiyya's writings, including volume six of Majmu' al-Fatawa (Compendium of Legal Rulings) edited by Ibn Qasim, as well as Majmu'at al-Rasa'il al-Kubra and Rashid Rida's Majmu'at al-Rasa'il wa-l-Masa'il Mabahith al-Aqida fi Sura…+1al-Risala al-Arshiyya+1. An independent edition was published in Cairo by al-Matba'a al-Salafiyya in 1399 AH al-Risala al-Arshiyya.