sides, empty spatial regions and vacant directions could then be posited above Him. Thus He, exalted is He, would not be above all things; rather, those spatial regions would be higher than Allah, exalted is He, and He would be able to create a body in them above Him.”

They would reply that this rests on the assumptions that spatial regions and directions must be existent entities and that they can be above Him. They dispute both these premises with you, and you yourself acknowledge their invalidity in several places in your books. We have already explained that a spatial region need not be an existent entity and refuted the arguments advanced to the contrary. The truth of His words, glorified is He, has thus become clear:

“He is the First and the Last, the Most High and the Most Near.” [al-Hadīd 3]

Likewise, it is authentically reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, would say in his supplication:

“You are the First, and there is nothing before You. You are the Last, and there is nothing after You. You are the Most High, and there is nothing above You. You are the Most Near, and there is nothing nearer than You.”

This text also indicates that there is nothing above