in their literal sense is that the passages they cite as evidence that the Arabs use these expressions metaphorically and figuratively, rather than in their apparent meanings, occur in contexts where such usage is appropriate and causes neither confusion nor deception. By contrast, His words:

“in canopies of clouds” (al-Baqarah 210),

and His words:

“Do they await anything but that the angels should come to them, or your Lord should come, or some of the signs of your Lord should come?” (al-An'ām 158),

with the alternatives distinguished as stated, and other passages of this kind, do not suggest to the mind at all that the wording is metaphorical or figurative.

If such a meaning was implicitly intended in these expressions, then He has accepted that error, confusion, and distorted belief should arise from believing their explicitly stated apparent meanings. As for His words:

“The hand of Allah is over their hands” (al-Fath 10),

and His words:

“what