is the narrowest. This is why Allah Most High contrasts ‘Illiyyīn with Sijjīn in His Book, saying:

“No! Indeed, the record of the righteous is in ‘Illiyyīn.” {18} [al-Mutaffifīn 18]

And He says:

“No! Indeed, the record of the wicked is in Sijjīn.” {7} [al-Mutaffifīn 7]

He did not say “in the lower regions,” just as He did not say in the other verse “in the spacious regions.” This indicates the narrowness and confinement of the place, while its low position is indicated by its contrast with ‘Illiyyīn. Likewise, the spaciousness of ‘Illiyyīn is indicated by its contrast with Sijjīn. Thus, He has indicated the height and spaciousness allotted to the righteous, and the lowness and narrowness allotted to the wicked.

As for the six directions, we have explained that they are designated relative to a living creature and its movement. They therefore change as its movement and the position of its limbs change. When it moves eastward, east is in front of it, west behind it, south to its right, and north to its left.

The Kaaba was built according to this orientation: its front faces the direction from which the sabā wind blows, between east and north, and its corners face the four directions. The Black Stone faces east, the Yemeni Corner faces south, the Western Corner faces west, and the Syrian Corner faces north, aligned with the land of al-Jazīra