Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah. To proceed:
It is authentically reported 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.
This descent is an established attribute of Allah Almighty in a manner befitting His Majesty, without distortion or denial, and without asking how or likening Him to His creation, as is the belief of Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jama‘ah.
Likewise, Allah’s attribute of nearness is also established. Allah 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.”
The Prophet ﷺ also said: “Indeed, the One whom you call upon is All-Hearing and Near.”
There is no contradiction between these two matters, because the nearness of Allah mentioned in the religious texts is not of only one type.
1. General nearness through knowledge and encompassing awareness
Allah, Glorified and Exalted, is near to His creation through His knowledge, encompassing awareness, power, hearing, and sight. Nothing concerning their affairs is hidden from Him.
2. Special nearness
This is a special nearness granted to certain servants of Allah, such as those who supplicate, repent, do good, and worship Him. This special nearness is accompanied by response, mercy, divine guidance, and special care.
Allah says: “Indeed, the mercy of Allah is near to the doers of good.” And He says: “Indeed, I am near. I answer the supplication of the supplicant when he calls upon Me.”
Allah’s descent during the last third of the night is a form of this great special nearness at this blessed and honored time. He calls His servants, invites them to supplicate and seek forgiveness, and manifests to them the vastness of His mercy and generosity.
For this reason, scholars have mentioned that this time is among the greatest times for supplications to be answered and repentance to be accepted.
The fact that Allah is already near to His servants does not mean that He does not descend. Rather, His descent is a special nearness in addition to the general nearness. Just as Allah is always with His servants through His knowledge and then grants the believers a special divine accompaniment of support and assistance, the same applies to nearness.
Allah, Glorified and Exalted, is above His heavens, established over His Throne, and at the same time He is near to His servants in a manner befitting His Majesty. His Highness does not contradict His nearness, nor does His nearness contradict His Highness, because nothing is like Him.
Allah says: “There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.”
The Prophet ﷺ also said in his supplication: “You are the Most High, and there is nothing above You; and You are the Most Near, and there is nothing nearer than You.”
Allah, Glorified and Exalted, is above His creation and near to His servants. He hears their supplications and sees their circumstances in a manner befitting His greatness.
Allah’s descent to the lowest heaven is established in the authentic Sunnah, and His nearness to His servants is also established. There is no contradiction between the two. His descent during the last third of the night is a form of great special nearness, and it is a blessed time for supplication, seeking forgiveness, and asking for mercy.
Allah is above His Throne, while also being near to His servants in a manner befitting His Majesty, without asking how, likening Him to creation, or making comparisons.
And Allah knows best.