The Meaning of al-`Arsh (the Throne) and al-Kursiy (the Chair)

[Syed KamiL Abbas Jafri]

حدثنا أحمد بن الحسن القطان، قال: حدثنا عبدالرحمن بن محمد الحسيني قال: أخبرنا أبوجعفر أحمد بن عيسى بن أبي مريم العجلي، قال: حدثنا محمد بن أحمد بن عبدالله بن زياد العرزمي، قال: حدثنا علي بن حاتم المنقري، عن المفضل بن عمر قال: سألت أبا عبدالله عليه السلام عن العرش والكرسي ما هما؟
فقال: العرش في وجه هو جملة الخلق، والكرسي وعاءه، وفي وجه آخر هو العلم الذي أطلع الله عليه أنبياءه ورسله وحججه، والكرسي هو العلم الذي لم يطلع عليه أحدا من أنبيائه

Ahmad b. al-Hasan al-Qataan narrated to us, he said: `Abdul Rahman b. Muhammad al-Husayni narrated to us, he said: Abu Ja`far Ahmad b. `Isa b. Abi Maryam al-`Ijli narrated to us, he said: Muhammad b. Ahmad b. `Abdullah b. Ziyad al-`Urzmi narrated to us, he said: `Ali b. Hatim al-Munqiriy narrated to us, from Mufaddal b. `Umar, who said:

I asked Aba `Abdillah, peace be upon him, about al-`Arsh (the Throne) and al-Kursiy (the Chair), what are they?

He replied: The Throne in one meaning is the entirety of creation, and the Chair is its receptacle, and in another meaning the Throne is the knowledge that Allah has informed His prophets and messengers and authorities about, and the Chair is the knowledge that (Allah) has not informed anyone from his prophets and messengers and authorities, peace be upon them.