by mentioning it specifically or describing it as noble, glorious, and mighty.

It is known that it is not the cause of their existence or their movements; rather, they have movements peculiar to themselves. It is therefore not permissible to say that its movement is the cause of events. Indeed, if the movements of the celestial spheres cause events, the movements peculiar to the other spheres are more numerous. Nor does its encompassing them entail that it is greater than all of them combined, unless its thickness is sufficient to match their combined bulk. Otherwise, it is well known that, when they are comparable in thickness, the totality of what lies within is greater than what surrounds it; indeed, it may be many times its size. Moreover, the various movements that do not arise from its movement are more numerous, although its movement encompasses them all.

It is established in Sahīh Muslim, on the authority of Juwayriyah bint al-Hārith, that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, came in to her while she had been glorifying Allah, counting with pebbles, from the dawn prayer until midmorning. He said:

“After leaving you, I said four phrases which, if weighed against what you have said, would outweigh it: Glory be to Allah as many times as the number of His creation; glory be to Allah to the weight of His Throne; glory be to Allah to the measure of His pleasure; glory be to Allah to the extent of the ink needed to record His words.”

This shows that the weight of the Throne is the greatest of all weights, whereas they say that the ninth celestial sphere is neither light nor heavy. Indeed, it indicates that the Throne alone is the heaviest thing used as a measure, just as the number of created beings is the greatest number used as a measure.

In the two Sahīhs, Abū Sa‘īd reported:

A Jewish man came to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, after having been slapped in the face. He said, “O Muhammad, one of your Companions slapped me in the face.”

The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Summon him.” They summoned him, and he asked, “Why did you slap him in the face?”

He replied, “O Messenger of Allah, I was passing through the marketplace when he was saying, ‘By Him who chose Moses above all mankind!’ I said, ‘You wicked man! Above Muhammad too?’ Then anger seized me, and I slapped him.”

The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Do not give preference