What are the Kursi and the Arsh (Throne) of Allah?

The Kursi (Footstool) and the Arsh (Throne) are described in the Quran as immense, majestic realities associated with Allah's dominion, though their precise nature is left undefined. The most famous reference is Ayat al-Kursi (Verse of the Footstool, 2:255), which declares that Allah's Kursi extends over the heavens and the earth and that sustaining them does not tire Him. The Arsh is described as vast beyond human imagining and carried by angels, with Allah described as having "established Himself" (istawa) over it in a manner befitting His majesty. Sunni theologians largely affirm these as real attributes rather than metaphors, while cautioning against imagining them in creaturely, physical terms—summed up in the classical principle "bila kayf" (without asking how), affirming what the text says while denying any resemblance to Allah's creation. Some later theologians, particularly within Ash'ari and Maturidi kalam, interpreted "istawa" more figuratively as mastery or dominion rather than physical sitting. Reciting Ayat al-Kursi is highly recommended, especially after prayers and before sleep, as a remembrance of Allah's total power.

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