The point, then, is that He created that place and is above it, and it became elevated through His power. The eminence that this elevated place acquired comes from Him—from His action, power, and will. If He is above it and is its Creator, while it depends on Him in every respect and He is independent of it in every respect, how could He have derived His elevation from it, or that place be more eminent than He?

It acquired its eminence only through Him, whereas Allah is entitled to elevation and eminence in His own right, not because of anything other than Himself. Are these and similar notions anything but false imaginings and delusions, set against the natural disposition upon which Allah created humankind, necessary knowledge, necessary intentions, demonstrative knowledge established through syllogistic reasoning, the divine scriptures, the prophetic traditions, and the consensus of all people of knowledge and faith throughout creation?

[Continuation of al-Rāzī’s discussion in Lubāb al-Arbaʿīn on direction and elevation]

Al-Rāzī said, presenting his opponent’s argument:

“For people, by their natural dispositions and sound hearts, raise their hands toward it when pleading and supplicating.”

He replied that the argument from raising the hands toward heaven is countered by placing the forehead on the ground.

[Reply to him on several grounds: the first]

One may say: Placing their foreheads on the ground does not involve directing themselves toward anyone below. Rather, such prostration is understood as humility and submission to the One before whom they prostrate, not as seeking something from, or directing themselves toward, someone below. This differs from raising their hands upward when supplicating, for by doing so they intend to ask of the One who is above.