heaven?” [Al-Mulk: 16]—in two places. And He says:

“To Him good words ascend.” [Fātir: 10]

And He, glorified be He, says:

“He directs the affair from heaven to earth; then it ascends to Him.” [Al-Sajdah: 5]

And He Most High says:

“The angels and the Spirit ascend to Him.” [Al-Maʿārij: 4]

And He said to Jesus:

“Indeed, I will take you and raise you to Myself.” [Āl ʿImrān: 55]

And He Most High says:

“Rather, Allah raised him to Himself.” [Al-Nisā’: 158]

And He Most High says:

“And He is the Subduer, above His servants.” [Al-Anʿām: 18]

And He Most High says:

“They fear their Lord above them.” [Al-Nahl: 50]

And He relates that Pharaoh said:

“O Hāmān, build me a lofty tower so that I may reach the pathways (36), the pathways of the heavens, and look upon the God of Moses. Indeed, I think he is a liar.” [Ghāfir: 36–37]

That is: I think Moses is lying when he says that he has a God in heaven. The one who disagrees on this matter [has denied this]; he claims with [absolute conviction and] certainty that Moses is lying about this, while himself opposing the Lord of the worlds, declaring His truthful and trustworthy Prophet mistaken, and abandoning the way of the Companions, the Successors, the early imams, and all the rest of creation.”