L'Empyrée et sa Description

‫‪1. `Ali ibn Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn `Imran al-Daqqaq (may Allah have mercy on him) said:‬‬ ‫‪Muhammad ibn Abu `Abd Allah al-Kufi said: Muhammad ibn Isma`il al-Barmaki said: alHusayn ibn al-Hasan said: My father related to me, on the authority of Hannan ibn Sadir that‬‬ I asked Abu `Abd Allah (AS) about the Empyrean and the Throne. Hence, he said: Verily, the Empyrean has many different meanings which differ on the basis of their context in the Qur’an. By His Word: The Lord of the great Empyrean, He is that Great Sovereign. And by His Word: The Most Compassionate God is firm on the Empyrean, He encompasses by means of His Sovereignty, and this is sovereignty of qualities in things. The connection between the Empyrean and the Throne is unique as they are both openings to the greatest openings of the unseen. Although they are both unseen, they are both connected, because the Throne is the apparent opening from which are the innovation and all the things. The Empyrean is the hidden opening in which is found the knowledge of quality, existence, the divine decree, the boundaries, space, will intent, knowledge of words, actions, neglect, and the knowledge of the return and the beginning. Thus, they are both connected openings in knowledge, because the sovereignty of the Empyrean is different from the sovereignty of the Throne, and His Knowledge is more unseen than the Knowledge of the Throne. Therefore, it is for this reason that he said: The Lord of the great Empyrean, i.e. its description is grate than the description of the Throne, and they are both connected in that.” I asked, “May I be your ransom. Why does it share the same merit as the Throne?” He (AS) replied, Verily, it shares in its merit because of the knowledge of quality they both contain. However, the Throne has the apparent openings of the beginning and its whereabouts, and the limits of contraction and expansion. Therefore, these two are partners: one of them is the carrier of its partner in exchange. It is similar to the exchange of scholars, so they may reason in their claim over the truth of these two, because Allah specifies His Mercy to whomever He wills. And He is the Powerful, the Honorable. Among the different descriptions of the Empyrean is that He, the Blessed and Exalted said: Lord of the Empyrean from what they attribute (to Him). He described the Empyrean of the Oneness, because a group had associated (Him with it), like I explained to you. The Blessed and Exalted said: Lord of the Empyrean, i.e. Lord of the Oneness from what they attribute. A group attributed Him with two hands, so they said: The Hand of Allah is tied up. A group attributed Him with two feet, and said: “ “He put His Foot over the rock of the Sacred House [bayt al-muqaddas], and from there He ascended to heaven.” A group attributed Him with fingertips, and said: “Verily, Muhammad (SA) said: `I found the coolness of His Fingertips on my heart.” For the likeness of these attributes He said: Lord of the empyrean from what they attribute (to Him), that Lord of the highest example from what they resemble Him with. For Allah is the highest attribute, which no one resembles, and He cannot be described or imagined. That is the highest attribute. The one who have not been given benefits of knowledge, describe their Lord with adjectives which are below Him. They anthropomorphise Him and compare Him with that which they are ignorant of. And you have been given only a little portion of knowledge. Thus, He has no compeer, no likeness, and no equal. And Allah’s are the best names, with which no one is named but He. These are the ones that He described in the Book, and said: Therefore, call on Him thereby, and leave alone those who violate the sanctity of his names; ignorantly, and without knowledge. Therefore, the ones who violate the sanctity of His Names without knowledge, and describe Him out of ignorance, actually deny Him while thinking that they are doing good deeds. That is why He has said: And most of them do not believe in Allah without associating others (with Him). Hence, they are the ones who violate the sanctity of His Names out of ignorance through misplacing His Names. O Hannan! Verily, Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, has commanded to take a group to be `the Guardians.’ They are the ones Allah has bestowed with merit, and described them in terms with which He has not described others. Thus, He sent Muhammad (SA). He was a guide and leader to Allah until he passed away, with the authorization of the Mighty and High. Then his successor stood in his place as a guide and leader with knowledge according to the guidance and command of the Lord. He was followed by the other Rightly-Guided Imams (AS) [at-A`mmat al-Rashidun].”

Ali ibn Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Imran al-Daqqaq a rapporté: Muhammad ibn Abi Abdullah al-Kufi a rapporté: Muhammad ibn Isma'il al-Barmaki a rapporté: Al-Hussein ibn al-Hasan a dit: Mon père m'a rapporté, de Hanan ibn Sudeir, qui a dit: J'ai interrogé Abou Abdullah (que la paix soit sur lui) au sujet du Trône et du Piédestal. Il a dit: Le Trône a de nombreuses caractéristiques différentes, et pour chaque attribut, il y a une mention distincte dans le Coran. Par exemple, lorsqu'il est dit: "Le Seigneur du Trône immense", cela signifie le Roi immense. Et lorsqu'il est dit: "Le Tout-Miséricordieux s'est établi sur le Trône", cela signifie qu'Il englobe le Royaume. Ceci concerne la manière dont les choses sont gérées. Ensuite, le Trône est distinct du Piédestal, car ils sont parmi les plus grands mystères, tous deux cachés, liés dans l'invisible, car le Piédestal est la porte apparente de l'invisible, d'où émergent les innovations et toutes les choses, tandis que le Trône est la porte cachée où réside la connaissance des modalités, de la création, du destin, des limites, de l'endroit, de la marche, des attributs de la volonté, de la connaissance des paroles, des actions et des omissions, ainsi que de la récompense et du début. Ils sont deux portes liées dans la connaissance, car le Roi du Trône est différent du Roi du Piédestal et Sa connaissance dépasse celle du Piédestal. C'est pourquoi il est dit: "Le Seigneur du Trône immense", signifiant que Ses attributs sont plus grands que ceux du Piédestal, et ils sont liés en cela. J'ai dit: Que ma vie soit sacrifiée pour vous! Pourquoi le Piédestal n'est-il pas mentionné en premier dans les mérites? Il a répondu: Il est mentionné en second car il contient la connaissance des modalités et des débuts des choses, et il a été mentionné en second pour celui qui le comprend, et ils servent de preuve de la véracité de leurs revendications, car Il choisit qui Il veut pour Sa miséricorde, et Il est le Puissant, le Tout-Puissant. En raison des différences dans les attributs du Trône, Il a dit, béni et exalté soit-Il: "Le Seigneur du Trône est au-dessus de ce qu'ils décrivent", et c'est une description du Trône de l'unicité, car certains ont associé des partenaires à Dieu, comme je te l'ai dit. Il a dit, béni et exalté soit-Il: "Le Seigneur du Trône est au-dessus de ce qu'ils décrivent", et certains L'ont décrit avec des mains en disant: "La main de Dieu est enchaînée", et d'autres L'ont décrit avec des pieds en disant: "Il a posé Son pied sur la pierre du Saint Lieu, d'où Il est monté au ciel", et d'autres L'ont décrit avec des doigts en disant: "Mohammed (que la paix soit sur lui et sa famille) a dit: J'ai senti le froid de Ses doigts sur mon cœur". Pour de telles descriptions, il est dit: "Le Seigneur du Trône est au-dessus de ce qu'ils décrivent", signifiant que Son Seigneur est au-dessus de ce à quoi ils Le comparent. Et pour Dieu, il n'y a rien de comparable à Lui, rien ne Le décrit, rien ne Le représente. C'est la plus haute comparaison, et ceux qui n'ont pas reçu de Dieu les bienfaits de la connaissance ont décrit leur Seigneur avec les plus bas exemples et L'ont comparé à ceux qui leur ressemblent dans ce qu'ils ignorent. C'est pourquoi il est dit: "Et vous n'avez reçu que peu de connaissance". Il n'a pas de similitude, ni