What's the best answer to "where is Allah"? Is the tablīghī jamā`at a work of deception?

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

(1) When faced with such questions, we advise you to do the following:

Always stick to the general explanation as provided by Imām al-Tahāwī in his famous al-`Aqīdah al-Tahāwiyah:

He (Allāh Ta`ālā) is beyond having limits placed on Him, or being restricted, or having parts or limbs. Nor is He contained by the six directions as all created things are.[1]

This question is based on the verses talking about istiwā' `alī al-arsh such as:

Therefore, you may answer him in the following manner: "Allāh is wherever He was before He created the `arsh."

You may also recite the following verse to him:

(2) Recently, a tablīghī ijtimā` was held in Ispingo Beach where Arabs from Medina and Makkah also came. If this person desires, you may ask him if he wants their contact so he may ask those people who have the same ideology as him about why they found it beneficial to participate in an event promoting the work of tablīgh.

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

Bilal Mohammad

Student Darul Iftaa
USA

Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.

www.daruliftaa.net