close to us. Yet you have not regarded these intellects and souls, each associated with its own sphere, as being of the same kind as the celestial spheres. Rather, you have claimed that each is neither within the world nor outside it, neither above nor below.” Yet they assign them successive ranks. How, then, can they deny that the Creator of all is above all and encompasses it on every side? He is not of the same kind as these spheres, such that what is said of each sphere could be said of Him. Even if some later scholars of hadith have regarded Him in that way, this is an error.