In a narration, the great companion and mother of believers, Zaynab, may Allāh be pleased with her, states that Allāh married her off from above the seven heavens. Contemporary Salafīs use this narration to prove that she believed in a literal aboveness for Allāh. Before dissecting the discussion, it should be made clear that narrations in which the absolute aboveness of Allāh is implied, can be used as signification of Allāh’s aboveness. However, they cannot be used to affirm literal aboveness. This means, one may refer to Allāh as being the one in heaven, however, this is only a signification and the signification as well as the signified are not the same. Just like the creation signifies Allāh’s power while the creation is not Allāh’s power itself.
Imām Al-Bukhārī narrates in his Sahīh on the authority of Anas, may Allāh be pleased with him, that he said:
“Zaynab used to boast before the wives of the Prophet ﷺ and used to say, “You were given in marriage by your families, while I was married [to the Prophet ﷺ] by Allah from over the seven Heavens.”
[Sahīh Al-Bukhārī, 7420]
In another narration also collected by Imām Al-Bukhārī on the authority of Anas, he said:
“She used to say: Allāh married me off in the heaven (fis Samā’).”
[Ibid, 7421]
When we investigate these two narrations, we find that Zaynab did not have any virtue above the other women from the companions except that she was married without a Walī and witnesses. And this is a specialty specific to her. That is because Allāh decreed that in Al-Lawh Al-Mahfūdh. Likewise, all other women were decreed to be married off in Al-Lawh Al-Mahfūdh, which is above the seven heavens. From this it should become apparent that there is a benefit behind collecting all the narrations as the interpretation of Al-Lawh Al-Mahfūdh being above the seven heavens is not befitting enough for this statement of Zaynab, may Allāh be pleased with her.
Thereafter, we look at another narration which was narrated by Al-Imām Ibn Jarīr At-Tabarī in his Tafsīr on the authority of Ash-Sha’bī who said:
“Zaynab was the wife of the prophet ﷺ and she would say to him the prophet ﷺ […] Allāh married me to you from the sky (Min As-Samā’) and Jibrā’īl, peace be upon him, is the emissary.”
[Jāmi’ Al-Bayān, 10/303]
From the above we find a new meaning and that being that Jibrā’īl would come down upon the prophet ﷺ with revelation which he took from the Al-Lawh Al-Mahfūdh by the command of Allāh. Thereafter, the meaning of this becomes even clearer to us when we look at what Ibn Jarīr At-Tabarī on the authority of Muhammad bin Abdullāh Jahsh where he said:
“’Āishah and Zaynab would boast [about being married to the prophet ﷺ]. So Zaynab would say: ‘I am the one whose marriage was revealed.’”
[Ibid]
From this, we learn that the boasting of Zaynab came due to her being mentioned in the revelation of the Qur’ān and she will be mentioned until Yawm Al-Qiyāmah. Thus, this is the meaning if we compile all the narrations. It is not what the Hashawiyyah think, i.e. Allāh being in the sky or being above the sky as they interpret. It is necessary to take all narrations into consideration and not just take one and leave the rest aside.
Imām As-Sarakhsī states:
“The statement of the messenger ﷺ is necessary to accept if an origin is established; i.e. for the one who heard it from the mouth of the prophet ﷺ, it is decisive in its establishment; the uncertainty only occurs in the transmission.“
[Usūl As-Sarakhsī, 1/351]
Imām Abdullāh bin Wahb who is a student of Imām Mālik states:
“The Hadīth is misguidance except for the scholars.”
[Tartīb Al-Madārik, 1/96]
Ibn Abī Zayd Al-Qayrawānī narrates on the authority of Ibn ‘Uyaynah that he said:
“The Hadīth is misguidance except for the jurists (Fuqahā).”
[See Athar Al-Hadīth Ash-Sharīf, 58]
And with Allāh is guidance and enablement.