Where is Allah?

Allah is where ever we turn, Allaah aza wajjal said:

وَلِلَّهِ الْمَشْرِقُ وَالْمَغْرِبُ ۚ فَأَيْنَمَا تُوَلُّوا فَثَمَّ وَجْهُ اللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَاسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ

And to Allaah belongs the east and the west. So wherever you turn, there is the wajh of Allaah . Indeed, Allaah is all-Encompassing and Knowing.

Allaah is “Fawq,” Allaah aza wajal said:

يَخَافُونَ رَبَّهُم مِّن فَوْقِهِمْ وَيَفْعَلُونَ مَا يُؤْمَرُونَ

They fear their Lord above them, and they do what they are commanded.

Allaah “‘alal ‘arsh istawa,” Allaah aza wajjal said:

الرَّحْمَٰنُ عَلَى الْعَرْشِ اسْتَوَىٰ

The Most Merciful [who is] above the Throne established.

Allaah is closer to us than jugular vein, Allaah aza wajjal said:

وَلَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الْإِنسَانَ وَنَعْلَمُ مَا تُوَسْوِسُ بِهِ نَفْسُهُ ۖ وَنَحْنُ أَقْرَبُ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ حَبْلِ الْوَرِيدِ

And We have already created man and know what his soul whispers to him, and We are closer to him than [his] jugular vein.

Allaah is with us wherever we are, Allaah aza wajjal said:

وَهُوَ مَعَكُمْ أَيْنَ مَا كُنتُمْ ۚ وَاللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ…

…And He is with you where ever you may be. And Allaah is the All-Seer of what you do.

Allaah is in the heaven, Allaah aza wajjal said:

أَمْ أَمِنتُم مَّن فِي السَّمَاءِ أَن يُرْسِلَ عَلَيْكُمْ حَاصِبًا ۖ فَسَتَعْلَمُونَ كَيْفَ نَذِيرِ

Or do you feel secure that He who [is] in the heaven would not send against you a storm of stones? Then you would know how [severe] was My warning.

Allaah is in front of us when we pray, Rasoolullaah said:

ذَا كَانَ أَحَدُكُمْ يُصَلِّي، فَلاَ يَبْصُقْ قِبَلَ وَجْهِهِ، فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ قِبَلَ وَجْهِهِ إِذَا صَلَّى

“Whenever any one of you is praying, he should not spit in front of him, because in the prayer Allaah is in front of him.”

[Muwatta Malik, Saheeh al-Bukhaari, Saheeh Muslim, Sunan an-Nasaa’i]

Allaah descends to lowest heaven last third of the night, Rasoolullaah said:

يَتَنَزَّلُ رَبُّنَا تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى كُلَّ لَيْلَةٍ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ الدُّنْيَا حِينَ يَبْقَى ثُلُثُ اللَّيْلِ الآخِرُ يَقُولُ مَنْ يَدْعُونِي فَأَسْتَجِيبَ لَهُ، مَنْ يَسْأَلُنِي فَأُعْطِيَهُ، وَمَنْ يَسْتَغْفِرُنِي فَأَغْفِرَ لَهُ

“When it is the last third of the night, our Lord, the Blessed, the Superior, descends every night to the lowest heaven of the world and says, ‘Is there anyone who invokes Me, that I may respond to his invocation? Is there anyone who asks Me for something that I may give (it to) him; Is there anyone who asks My forgiveness that I may forgive him?’ “

[Muwatta Malik, Saheeh al-Bukhaari, Saheeh Muslim, Sunan Abu Dawood]

• If someone says that these ayaat and ahadeeth should not be taken on their apparent meaning, it should be asked, what is the difference between them and other people who say that other verses and ahadeeth should not be taken on their apparent meaning?  This is following desires without any revelation from Allaah aza wajjal.
• If someone asks, how can Allaah aza wajjal be in the heaven and be with us where ever we are?  It should be asked, how can Allaah aza wajjal be in the heaven and also descend to the lowest heaven last third of the night?  Since there is 24 hours all around the globe, day time in some parts of the earth while night time in another.
• If they say they do not know “how,” it should be said: we do not know “how” either and it is an abhorrent bid’ah to try to explain the ayaat and ahadeeth in any other manner other than apparent without revelation from Allaah aza wajjal.