Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah. To proceed:
Allah Almighty’s descent to the lowest heaven during the last third of the night is established in the authentic Sunnah, and it is affirmed in a manner befitting Allah, without likening Him to His creation or asking how it occurs.
This does not conflict with Allah’s knowledge of and encompassing awareness of His servants at all times, nor does it mean that Allah needs to descend in order to hear their supplications. He always hears them and knows their circumstances. Rather, there is a special virtue associated with His descent at this time, as the Prophet ﷺ informed us.
Likewise, the fact that the attribute of descent is not mentioned in the Quran does not prevent it from being established through the Sunnah, because the Sunnah is revelation and explains the Quran.
The Quran itself commands us to follow the Messenger ﷺ and explains that part of his mission is to clarify revelation to people.
Allah Almighty says:
“Nor does he speak from his own desire. It is only a revelation sent down.”
[An-Najm: 3–4]
And He says:
“And We revealed to you the Reminder so that you may explain to people what has been revealed to them.”
[An-Nahl: 44]
Therefore, it is not a condition for every belief or ruling established by the Sunnah to be mentioned with the same details in the Quran. Many details concerning prayer, zakat, Hajj, and other acts of worship are known through the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ.
Accordingly, there is no contradiction between following the Quran and believing in an authentic hadith from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
It is authentically reported from Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Prophet ﷺ said:
“Our Lord, Blessed and Exalted, descends every night to the lowest heaven when the last third of the night remains and says: ‘Who is calling upon Me so that I may answer him? Who is asking Me so that I may give him? Who is seeking My forgiveness so that I may forgive him?’”
Narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim.
A number of leading hadith scholars have stated that the hadiths concerning the descent have been transmitted through numerous chains, and the early generations affirmed this attribute while refraining from specifying how it occurs.
According to the fatwa, Allah Almighty is above His creation, established over His Throne, and His descent to the lowest heaven is not to be measured by the descent of created beings.
When a human being descends from one place to another, certain implications concerning his body, location, and movement necessarily follow. However, it is not permissible to use these characteristics as a standard by which Allah’s actions are judged.
Therefore, the methodology of the early generations regarding the attribute of descent was to affirm the descent as it was reported while entrusting its manner to Allah.
Allah Almighty says:
“There is nothing like Him, and He is the All-Hearing, All-Seeing.”
[Ash-Shura: 11]
We understand the basic linguistic meaning of descent, but we do not know how Allah descends, because revelation has not informed us of its manner.
Allah Almighty says:
“There is no private conversation among three except that He is their fourth, nor among five except that He is their sixth, nor fewer than that nor more except that He is with them wherever they may be.”
[Al-Mujadilah: 7]
The same verse begins by affirming Allah’s knowledge and ends with the statement:
“Indeed, Allah is Knowing of all things.”
According to the interpretation adopted in the fatwa, this divine “withness” includes Allah’s knowledge and encompassing awareness of His servants. Nothing of their speech or deeds is hidden from Him, while His highness above His creation is also affirmed.
Likewise, Allah says:
“And He is Allah in the heavens and on the earth. He knows your secrets and what you reveal.”
[Al-An‘am: 3]
This does not mean that Allah’s Essence dwells on earth. Rather, He is the God of those in the heavens and the God of those on earth, and nothing is hidden from Him.
No. Allah hears the supplications of His servants at all times and in all places, and He knows what is within their hearts before they speak.
Allah Almighty says:
“And when My servants ask you concerning Me, indeed I am near. I answer the supplication of the supplicant when he calls upon Me.”
[Al-Baqarah: 186]
Therefore, the descent is not because Allah cannot hear supplications from above. Rather, the Prophet ﷺ informed us of a special virtue associated with the last third of the night and that it is a great time for supplication, seeking forgiveness, and repentance.
Allah has not informed us of the detailed wisdom concerning the manner of this descent, so we should not burden ourselves with matters that revelation has not addressed.
The Quran is not the only source for the details of Islamic law. Allah made the Sunnah of His Messenger ﷺ an explanation of the Quran and commanded Muslims to obey the Messenger.
Therefore, the question is not merely, “Is the attribute of descent mentioned in the Quran?” Rather, the question is: Has it been authentically established from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ?
If the hadith is authentic, it must be accepted as long as it does not truly contradict the Quran.
There is no contradiction in this matter. The Quran affirms Allah’s knowledge, nearness, and being with His servants, while the Sunnah affirms His descent at a particular time. All of this is understood in a manner befitting Allah.
Allah’s descent to the lowest heaven during the last third of the night is established in the authentic Sunnah. It does not mean that Allah needs to descend in order to hear supplications, for He hears and knows everything at all times.
Likewise, according to the fatwa, Allah’s being with and near His servants does not conflict with His highness above His creation.
We affirm the descent as the Prophet ﷺ informed us, but we do not specify how it occurs or liken it to the descent of created beings.
The practical lesson of the hadith is that the believer should take advantage of the last third of the night through supplication, seeking forgiveness, and worship, rejoicing in the words of his Lord:
“Who is calling upon Me so that I may answer him? Who is asking Me so that I may give him? Who is seeking My forgiveness so that I may forgive him?”
And Allah knows best.