people say, “This is below that,” meaning that it lies beneath it, with the other placed above it, the expression has come to convey this sense. Indeed, this expression occurs in several places in the Book of Allah Most High. He says:

“Then he followed a course {89} until, when he reached the rising-place of the sun, he found it rising upon a people for whom We had provided no shelter from it {90}” [al-Kahf 89–90],

and later:

“Then he followed a course {92} until, when he reached the place between the two barriers, he found on their near side a people who could scarcely understand speech {93}” [al-Kahf 92–93].

His words, “for whom We had provided no shelter from it {90},” make clear that when a shelter is above them, like a roof, it is beneath the sun, between them and the sun. The sun is thus screened and concealed from them by that shelter, making it more hidden from them than the shelter is. The shelter is nearer to them, while the sun lies beyond it. Likewise, in His words, “until, when he reached the place between the two barriers, he found on their near side a people who could scarcely understand speech {93},” the two barriers were beyond those people.

Thus, in saying, “This is above that,” or “This is below that,” there are three nouns: a noun to which the adverb is annexed, the adverb annexed to that noun, and an initial noun connected with and related to the adverb. This initial noun is also said to be a term to which something is annexed in meaning, just as prepositions are said to attach the meanings of nouns to verbs. Thus, when it is said, “He found on their near side a people,” it is the people who are related