Thus, the critical examinations undertaken by the two schools establish the invalidity of both sides’ arguments for denying corporeality. Yet the philosophers’ claim that the soul is not a body, cannot be described as moving or being at rest, entering or leaving, and can be perceived only through mental conception, is clearly false. The same applies to their assertions concerning the angels. The falsity of their position is more evident than that of the theologians’ similar assertions concerning the Lord.

He then said in his discussion of “direction”:

“As for this attribute, the adherents of the revealed Law had affirmed it of Allah, glorified be He, from the very beginning, until the Muʿtazilah denied it. Later Ashʿarīs, such as Abū al-Maʿālī and those who followed his position, then followed them in denying it. All the apparent meanings of the revealed texts require the affirmation of direction, as in His words, exalted be He:

‘The Most Merciful rose over the Throne (5)’ [Tā Hā: 5]

And His words, exalted be He:

‘His Footstool encompasses the heavens and the earth’ [al-Baqarah: 255]

And His words, exalted be He:

‘And eight will bear the Throne of your Lord above them that Day (17)’ [al-Hāqqah: 17]

And His words, exalted be He:

‘He directs every affair from heaven to earth; then it ascends to Him in a Day whose measure is a thousand years by your reckoning (5)’ [al-Sajdah: 5]

And His words, exalted be He:

‘The angels and the Spirit ascend to Him’ [al-Maʿārij: 4], to the end of the verse.

And His words, exalted be He:

‘Do you feel secure that He who is in heaven will not cause the earth to swallow you, and suddenly it