655—Abū al-Fadl Jafar ibn Muhammad al-Sandalī informed us, saying: ⦗1079⦘ Al-Fadl ibn Ziyād narrated to us: Abū Abd Allāh Ahmad ibn Hanbal—may Allah have mercy on him—narrated to us: Nūh ibn Maymūn narrated to us: Bukayr ibn Marūf narrated to us, from Muqātil ibn Hayyān, from al-Dahhāk, concerning the verse: “There is no private conversation among three but that He is their fourth” [al-Mujādila: 7]. He said, “He is upon the Throne, and His knowledge is with them.”

Muhammad ibn al-Husayn—may Allah have mercy on him—said: In the Book of Allah—Glorious and Exalted is He—are verses indicating that Allah—Mighty and Majestic—is in heaven upon His Throne, while His knowledge encompasses all His creation. Allah—Glorious and Exalted is He—said: “Do you feel secure that He who is in heaven will not cause the earth to swallow you while it suddenly quakes? Or do you feel secure that He who is in heaven will not send against you a storm of stones? Then you will know how terrible My warning is” [al-Mulk: 17].

⦗1080⦘ And He—Glorious and Exalted is He—said: “To Him ascends good speech, and righteous deeds raise it” [Fātir: 10]. The Most High also said: “Glorify the name of your Lord, the Most High” [al-Alā: 1]. Allah—Glorious and Exalted is He—said to Jesus—peace be upon him: “I will take you and raise you to Myself” [Āl Imrān: 55]. And He—exalted is His remembrance—said: “They certainly did not kill him. Rather, Allah raised him to Himself, and Allah is Almighty, All-Wise” [al-Nisā: 157]. And Allah—Glorious and Exalted is He—said: “So that you may know that Allah has power over all things and that Allah encompasses all things in His knowledge” [al-Talāq: 12].