Fatwa ID: 04927

Answered by: Maulana Ishaaq Hussain

Question

“If you people hang the rope down till seventh earth it will reach at Allah there”. Is this a Hadeeth or a Quran verse, and what does it mean?

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Answer

Sayyidna Abu Hurairah Radiyallahu Anhu narrated: while the prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam and his companions were sitting once, some clouds appeared overhead. He asked, “Do you realize what this is?” They said, “Allah and his messenger know best.” He said: “these clouds (irrigate and) water the earth. Allah drives them to a people who do not thank him and do not supplicate to him.” Then he asked if they knew what was above them and on receiving an answer from the companions that only Allah and His Messenger know best, he said: “This is an elevated protective roof. It is like the sea without support.” Then he asked if they knew the distance between them and it. They pleaded “Allah and his messenger know best”. He said, “Between you and it lies a journey of five hundred years”. Again he asked them if they knew what was above that and when they pleaded that only Allah and his messenger know best, he said: “above that are two heavens, the distance between them being a journey of five hundred years till the count is seven heavens, the distance between every two being what it is between the heaven and the earth.” Again he asked, “Do you realize what is above that?” they pleaded, “Allah and his messenger know best”. He said, “above that is the throne of Allah and between it and the heaven is the distance between two heavens”. Then he asked, “Do you realize what is underneath you”? They said, “Allah and his messenger know best”. He said, “That is the earth, then he asked, “Do you know what is underneath that”? They said, “Allah and his messenger know best”, he said: “below it, there is another earth and between the two is the distance of a journey of five hundred years, till the count is seven earths, between every two Earths is a journey of five hundred years.” Then he said, “By him in whose hand is the soul of Muhammad, if you will throw down a rope to the lowest earth then it will drop down to Allah.” He then recited: “He is the first and the last, and the manifest and the hidden and he is the knower of everything.” (57:3) (Sunan Tirmidhi p 165 v 2)

Some Scholars explain to Hadeeth that the rope would reach Allah’s knowledge, his power, and his sovereignty. And his knowledge, power, and sovereignty are everywhere while he is on the throne as he has described in his book. (ibid).

Only Allah Knows Best

Written by Maulana Ishaaq Hussain

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham