and His light, that is, the intelligible exemplar—as has been discussed elsewhere—is therefore referred to as a “manifestation.” The ray that alights upon the ground and the air is merely an accident inhering in them, itself dependent on the ground and the air.

The messengers—may Allah’s blessings be upon them—have conveyed, in varied expressions, that Allah is above the universe. At times they say, “He is the Most High, the Exalted”; at other times they say, “He is in heaven,” as in His statement: “Do you feel secure that He who is in heaven will not unleash upon you a storm of stones?” Their intent is not that Allah resides inside the celestial spheres, nor that any created thing can encompass Him. Rather, the words of all the messengers confirm and complement one another, as the Exalted has said:

“Glorified is your Lord, the Lord of might, above what they ascribe to Him; and peace be upon the messengers; and praise belongs to Allah, Lord of all realms.”

He, Most High, also says:

“He is the First and the Last, the Outward and the Inward, and He has knowledge of all things.” ⦗57:3⦘

It is recorded in the authentic collections that the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said:

“You are the First; nothing precedes You. You are the Last; nothing succeeds You. You are…"