the one standing just as He would be within the One before whom he stands, and within the one bowing his head just as He would be within the One before whom he bows it, and within those presented just as He would be within the One before whom they are presented.

These texts thus deny that He is within creation and establish that He is separate from it. If an existent being could be neither separate from creation nor co-located with it, His essence would bear the same relation to all created beings, contradicting what has been stated.

His words, “While denying that He is within creation, He is above the Throne,” show that he affirms separation rather than denying it as he denies being within creation.

Al-Ash‘arī also said:

“The scholars transmitted from Ibn ‘Abbās, may Allah be pleased with them both, that he said: ‘Reflect upon Allah’s creation, but do not reflect upon Allah’s essence, for the distance from His Footstool to the heaven is a thousand years, and Allah, Mighty and Majestic, is above that.’”

I say:

Al-Hākim Abū Muhammad al-‘Assāl narrated this report in his Kitāb al-Ma‘rifa (Book of Knowledge), through the righteous man ‘Abd al-Wahhāb al-Warrāq, who said: “‘Alī ibn ‘Āsim narrated to us, from ‘Atā’ ibn al-Sā’ib, from Sa‘īd ibn Jubayr, from Ibn ‘Abbās, who said: ‘Reflect upon Allah’s creation, but do not reflect upon Allah’s essence, for between His Footstool and the seventh heaven are seven thousand lights, and He is above that.’”

Said ‘Abd