There are many authentic narrations that affirm Allaah’s Descent to the lowest heaven.

Abu Hurairah (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhu) narrated that Allaah’s Messenger (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “Our Lord, the Blessed, the Superior, comes down every night to the nearest heaven to us during the last third of the night and He says: ‘(Is there anyone) who invokes Me, (wants anything from Me) so that I may respond to his invocation? (Is there anyone) who asks Me so that I may grant him his request? (Is there anyone) who seeks My forgiveness, so that I may forgive him?’” [Al-Bukhaari no. 1145]

It was narrated from Ibn Marjaanah, from Abu Hurairah (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhu) who said that the Messenger of Allaah (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said:

“Allaah, may He be Exalted, comes down to the lowest heaven halfway through the night, or in the last third of the night, and says: ‘Who will call upon Me, that I may answer him? Who will ask of Me, that I may give him?’ Then He says: ‘Who will lend to One Who is neither indigent nor unjust?’”

It was narrated from Sa’d ibn Sa’eed with this chain (or similar Hadeeth), and he added: “Then He spreads out His Hand, may He be blessed and exalted, and says: ‘Who will lend to One Who is neither indigent nor unjust?’” [Muslim no. 758]

It was narrated that Abu Hurairah (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhu) said: I heard the Messenger of Allaah (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) say: “Were it not that it would be too difficult for my Ummah, I would have commanded them to use the Siwak at the time of every prayer, and I would have delayed ‘Isha until the first third of the night has passed, because when the first third of the night has passed Allaah may He be Exalted, descends to the first heaven and stays there until the dawn comes, and someone says: ‘Is there anyone asking so that He might be given? Is there anyone praying so that he might be answered? Is there any sick person asking for healing so that he might be healed? Is there any sinner asking for forgiveness, so that he might be forgiven?’” [Ahmad in his Musnad no. 967 and authenticated by Al-Albaani in Al-‘Irwa no. 2/197]

The meaning of Allaah’s Descent to the lowest heaven

Allaah’s Descent is one of His practical actions which is undertaken by His choice and will. Ahl as-Sunnah wal-Jama’ah affirm to Allaah all perfect attributes in a manner that suits His majesty. They do not differentiate between one attribute and another. They are all real, true attributes that suit His supremacy. From among these attributes is the attribute of Descent.

The attribute of Descent of our Lord the Majestic every night is a real attribute that suits His perfection, Highness and Majesty. He says in Surat Ash-Shura (42:11):

لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْءٌ ۖ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُ

“There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer.”

The Great Lord, Whom nothing is above Him, is the Most High Rising over His Throne above the seven heavens. He Descends whenever He wills in a way that He wills to the lowest heaven which is the nearest heaven to the earth (and the heavens are seven). And He is the Most High; nothing is higher than Him and nothing is above Him. [Majmoo’ Al-Fatawa 16/424]

Indeed, Allaah descends at this time of the night just to come nearer to His servants, just as He comes closer to them in the afternoon on the Day of ‘Arafah when He boasts of them to His angels.

This Descent happens every night throughout the year. Based on the Hadeeth, it is clear that the Descent here is the Descent of Allaah by His Essence, and we do not need to say by “His Essence” as long as the verb is affixed to Him. However, some scholars say: “Allaah Descends by His being” because they were forced to say that as there were some who misinterpreted the meaning of the Hadeeth and said that what descends is Allaah’s command! Others said: “Allaah’s mercy descends!” Others said: “Allaah’s angels descend!”

These are all falsehood, for Allaah’s command is ever descending always and forever, and its descent is not particular to the last third of the night, as e He says in Surat As-Sajdah (32:5):

يُدَبِّرُ الْأَمْرَ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ ثُمَّ يَعْرُجُ إِلَيْهِ

“He arranges (every) affair from the heavens to the earth, then it (affair) will go up to Him.” 

And in Surat Hud (11:123):

وَإِلَيْهِ يُرْجَعُ الْأَمْرُ كُلُّهُ

“And to Him return all affairs (for decision).” 

As for their claim that ‘Allaah’s Mercy’ descends in the last part of the night, glory be to Him, how come Allaah’s Mercy does not descend except in that time only. And Allaah (Ta’ala) says in Surat An-Nahl (16:53):

وَمَا بِكُمْ مِنْ نِعْمَةٍ فَمِنَ اللَّهِ

“And whatever of blessings and good things you have, it is from Allaah.”

 All Allaah’s bounties are from the impact of Allaah’s Mercy and they are bestowed upon the creation successively. Also they can be refuted by asking: “What is the benefit that the creation attains if the mercy of Allaah reaches only to the lowest heaven (and does not reach them) at that time?”

As for those who claim that Allaah’s angels descend in part of the night, they are answered with the following: “Is it acceptable by minds that the angels will say, “Who will invoke Me (demand anything from Me) so that I may respond to his invocation?”

It is obvious that all these interpretations for the Hadeeth are false.

They say (arguing): “If Allaah descends then where is His Highness? Where is the Rising over the Throne? If He descends, then is descending a movement?”

The answer to them: This is a false argument. The Companions of the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) did not mention these probabilities at all; rather, they said: “We hear and we believe and accept.”

Allaah descends and He is still the Most High and above all of His creation.  There is nothing like Allaah (Ta’ala). Rising over the Throne is one of His practical attributes and not from His Essential Attributes, so we have no right to talk or say “Will the Throne be empty or not when Allaah descends to the lowest heaven.  Rather, we keep silent just like the Companions of the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) stayed silent.”

The same answer is given to those who raise another doubt that the later generations raised:  Since the last third of the night is different from one place to another on the earth, does that mean that Allaah descends always (during the whole day and night)?

One should believe in what has been transmitted to him through Prophet Muhammad (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam). [Sharh Al-Aqeedah Al-Wasitiyah by Shaikh Ibn ‘Uthaimeen, summarized and paraphrased]

KINDS OF DIVINE DESCENT

The first kind: The Descent to the lowest heaven every night of the month of Ramadan

Ibn ‘Abbaas (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhuma) narrated: “Verily, Allaah (Azza wa Jall) will wait every night of the month of Ramadan until the first part of the night has passed. He will descend to the lowest heaven and say: ‘Is there anyone who asks of Me anything so that he will be given? Is there anyone who asks forgiveness from me so he will be forgiven? Is there anyone who is repentant so that his repentance is accepted?’” [Authenticated by Al-Albaani in As-Sunnah and graded Saheeh no. 513]

The second kind:  The Descent to the worldly heaven in the afternoon on the Day of ‘Arafah

‘Aishah (Radia-Allaahu ‘anha) narrated that Allaah’s Messenger (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “There is no day when Allaah ransoms more slaves from the Hell than the day of ‘Arafah.  He draws near, then He boasts about them before the angels and says: ‘What do these people want?’” [Muslim no. 1348]

Ibn Taymiyah (Rahimahullaah) said: “Allaah (Azza wa Jall) attributed His Noble Self with descent on the Day of ‘Arafah in many authentic narrations and some of them are in Saheeh Muslim.” [Majmoo’Al-Fatawa 5/373]

The third kind:  The Descent to the nearest heaven during the night of the middle of Sha’baan

Allaah’s Messenger (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “Allaah, the Blessed, the Most High, descends to the nearest heaven to us during the night of the middle of Sha’baan and He forgives every person, except one in whose heart there is any malice, or a Mushrik (who associates a partner with Allaah in worship).”[Reported by Ibn Abi Asim in As-Sunnah and authenticated by Al-Albaani]

The fourth kind:  The Descent of Allaah to the heaven before the establishment of the Hour

Ibn ‘Abbaas (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhuma) narrated: “A caller will call from the heavens before (near) the establishment of the hour: ‘The Hour has come,’ all the living and the dead will hear him.”

In another narration:

“Every living and dead (will hear him), then Allaah, the Exalted will descend to the nearest heaven and call out:  ‘Whose is the Kingdom today? To Allaah, the One, the Irresistible.’” [Ad-Darimi and Adh-Dhahabi in ‘Al-Ulou’, and Al Albaani said its Isnad is Saheeh with conditions of Muslim]

The fifth kind:    Descent to the Earth on the Day of Resurrection

Allaah’s Messenger (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “On the Day of Judgment, Allaah the Most High, will descend to His slaves to judge between them. Every nation shall be kneeling.  The first of those who will be called before Him will be a man who memorized the Qur’an…..” [At-Tirmidhi no. 2382 and authenticated by Al-Albaani who graded it Saheeh]

The sixth kind: The Descent from the Throne to the Kursiy on the Day of Resurrection

Allaah’s Messenger (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “Allaah will gather all the first and the last (people) at a fixed time on a day appointed, and Allaah will descend in the shadows of the clouds from the Throne to the Kursiy..” [Saheeh At-Targheeb wat-Tarheeb no. 3591 and Al-Albaani graded it Saheeh]

The seventh kind:  The Descent to the People of Paradise

The Messenger of Allaah (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said (describing the state in Paradise): “On Friday, Allaah, the Blessed, Most High, shall descend from Eliyyeen (the highest) onto His Kursiy and His Kursiy will be surrounded with pulpits of light – and the Prophets will come and sit on them.  The pulpits will be surrounded with chairs made of gold, then the Siddiqeen and martyrs will come and sit on them.” [Saheeh At-Targheeb wat-Tarheeb no. 376 and Al-Albaani graded it Hasan Ligharihi]  

IMPORTANT LESSONS FROM THE ATTRIBUTE OF DESCENT

1. The time of the divine descent

The coming of the King of the heavens to the nearest heaven to us is a great matter; unlike any other. Therefore, it is incumbent upon the believers to take advantage of this Attribute (Descent) of Allaah (Azza wa Jall) in this part of the night and ask Allaah (Azza wa Jall), invoke Him and ask forgiveness from Him.

Only the true special servants of Allaah will take advantage of this magnificent (sublime) time, standing in servitude with humility, submissiveness, asking, praying and imploring Him.  Hoping from Him to attain their requests which He has promised them on the tongue of His Messenger (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam).

The scholars differed regarding the time of the Descent of Allaah (Azza wa Jall) according to the different narrations. They said:

i. The descent is in the last third of the night
ii. When the first third of the night passes
iii. When the first third passes or in the middle of the night
iv. When half of the night passes
v.  The middle of the night or the last third of the night
vi. Absolutely all night

The strongest point of view is the third statement.  The Descent is of three types:

• Some said it is in the beginning of the second third.
• Some said in the middle of the night and
• others said in the last third of the night.

The reason why this opinion is the strongest is because it joins all the reports and solves the contradictions between the narrations.

2. His Descent does not negate or contradict His Highness.

3. Du’aa and seeking forgiveness and other acts of worship differ in their virtue according to the time and place.

4. The Divine Descent includes all the nights of the year.

5. Allaah’s Descent to the nearest heaven to the earth indicates that the heavens are seven.

6. The first Hadeeth that is quoted indicates that response is other than granting, because He (Azza wa Jall) says: “(Is there anyone) who invokes Me (wants anything from Me) so that I may respond to his invocation? Is there anyone who asks Me so that I may grant him his request?”

Sources:

 Sharh Al-Aqeedah Al-Wasitiyah by Shaikh Ibn ‘Uthaimeen

 At-Ta’aliq Al-‘Ula fee Sharh Asmaa’ u-Allaahu al-Husna wa Sifatihi Al-‘Ula by Mahir Al-Muqaddim

 

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