Sunan Ibn Majah 182
Waki' bin Hudus narrated that his paternal uncle Abu Razin said:
"I said: 'O Messenger of Allah, where was our Lord before He created His creation?' He said: He was above the clouds, below which was air, and above which was air and water. Then He created His Throne above the water.'"
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الصَّبَّاحِ، قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا يَزِيدُ بْنُ هَارُونَ، أَنْبَأَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ يَعْلَى بْنِ عَطَاءٍ، عَنْ وَكِيعِ بْنِ حُدُسٍ، عَنْ عَمِّهِ أَبِي رَزِينٍ، قَالَ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَيْنَ كَانَ رَبُّنَا قَبْلَ أَنْ يَخْلُقَ خَلْقَهُ قَالَ " كَانَ فِي عَمَاءٍ مَا تَحْتَهُ هَوَاءٌ وَمَا فَوْقَهُ هَوَاءٌ وماءٌ, ثُمَّ خَلَقَ عَرْشَهُ عَلَى الْمَاءِ " .
Classification
Notes
Comments from Darussalām
The word 'Amâ' occurring in the Arabic sentence 'Kâna fi 'amâ' could stand for the cloud. It could also mean something beyond human comprehension. In other words, the answer to the question asked would be beyond the understanding of man. Anyhow, there was probably a need to rationalize the answer or justify the text. If the Hadith were sound, it would not require rationalizing. However, it is, in fact, a weak Hadith (according to Sheikh Albâni), which needs no rationalizing.
[Sunan Ibn Majah, Darussalām Publications Vol. 1 2007 Ed. p 194-195]