ALLAH HAS AN ABODE

ALLAH HAS AN ABODE

One morning in Mecca, the Holy Prophet Muhammad (S. A. W.) proclaimed to his followers that at night he was taken to the heavens and that after penetrating the 7th layer of the heavens, he reached Allah's Abode where he received divine knowledge from Allah and returned.

Now, where does Allah reside? Where will the pure devotees meet Him? The Holy Qur'an shows us Allah's residence in the sura "Al-Ma'arij", or "The Ways of Ascent":

مِنَ اللَّهِ ذِي الْمَعَارِجِ

تَعْرُجُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ وَالرُّوحُ إِلَيْهِ فِي يَوْمٍ كَانَ مِقْدَارُهُ خَمْسِينَ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍ

Minallahi zil-ma'arij

Ta'-rujul-mala-'ikatu war-ruhu 'ilayhi fi yawmin-kana miq-daruhu khamsina 'alfa sanah:

"Allah, Lord of the ascending stairways.

(Whereby) the angels and the spirit ascend unto Him in a Day whereof the span is fifty thousand years." (70.3-4)

Here the word "ma'arij" is very significant. Ma'arij means stairways, or the way of ascent. This word is invested with profound spiritual meaning. Can we reach Allah, The Most High? He very graciously grants that privilege to angels. But the way is not easy, nor can it be traversed in a day. Thus the Abode of Allah can be attained by the angels only through the special way of ascent which takes 50,000 years.

Another explanation is given in the sura "Al-'Imran", or "The Family of 'Imran":

Wallaahu 'indahuu husnul-ma'aab: "Allah! With Him is a more excellent abode." (3.14)

Wal-laahu yad-'u 'ila Daris-Salam / wa yahdi manya-sha-'u 'ila Siratim-Mustaqim: "And Allah summons to the Daris Salam, or the Abode of Peace and leads whom He will to a Straight path." (10.25)

From these ayats we can easily understand that Allah has a supreme abode, the Daris Salam, where He personally resides. If someone has a residence where there are devotees to associate with, then he must have a form. An abstract thing has neither residence nor associates. Allah is not an abstract thing but a Living Being Who has His own abode where He resides. Pure devotees of the Supreme Lord by His causeless mercy will attain Allah's eternally blissful abode and will associate with Him personally. This means Allah has an eternal spiritual form.