turn to Allah, Mighty and Majestic, concerning an affliction that has befallen them, they all say: ‘O You who dwell upon the Throne!’ And among the oaths they all swear is: ‘No, by Him who has veiled Himself behind seven heavens.’”

Thus, al-Asharī has reported the consensus of the Muslims that Allah is above the Throne and that His creatures are veiled from Him by the heavens. This contradicts the view of those who say that He is neither within the world nor outside it. They maintain that the Throne has no particular relation to Him and that nothing created veils anything from Him.

Those among them who affirm that Allah can be seen interpret the lifting of the veil merely as the creation of visual perception in the eye, not as the removal of a separate veil preventing the servant from seeing Him.

[Al-Bāqillānī’s words in al-Tamhīd affirming Allah’s being above creation and His establishment over the Throne]

Judge Abū Bakr al-Bāqillānī said in his two books, al-Ibāna and al-Tamhīd, and elsewhere:

“If someone asks, ‘Do you say that He is everywhere?’ he is told: ‘Allah forbid! Rather, He is established above His Throne, as He has stated in His Book, saying:

“The Most Merciful is established above the Throne.” [Tā Hā: 5]

And He says:

“To Him ascends good speech, and righteous deeds raise it.” [Fātir: 10]

And He says:

“Do you feel secure that He who is in heaven will not cause the earth to swallow you, and then it would shake?” [al-Mulk: 16]