the creation of the Throne. Such a usage is unknown in the Arabic language—indeed, in none of the tongues of other nations does one say of a person who merely turns toward a thing that he “istawā” upon it. No Arab would say of someone who approaches another person, “He istawā upon him,” nor of one who undertakes a task of reading, writing, or craftsmanship, “He istawā upon it,” nor of someone who begins to eat, “He istawā upon the food.” The Arabs’ language, their poetry, and their expressions are still extant, and nowhere in them does such a usage occur ⦗1⦘.

This interpretation collapses for many reasons that we shall present in their proper place ⦗2⦘. It would suffice to invalidate it that it is contradicted by the Messenger of Allah ﷺ himself, for it is established in an authentic report ⦗3⦘: “Allah decreed the destinies of the creatures fifty thousand years before He created the heavens and the earth, while His Throne was upon the water.” Hence the Throne existed more than fifty thousand years before the creation of the heavens and the earth. How, then, can anyone claim that He created the heavens and the earth in six days and only afterward turned toward creating the Throne?

Whenever an interpretation entails declaring its proposer a liar, that alone is sufficient to render it void ⦗4⦘. Most of their interpretations are of this sort, and you will soon come across examples that are a delight to every monotheist and a vexation to every atheist.