rejecting the interpretation of being established as having dominion. He also argued against His being in every place by affirming His transcendence above being amid impurities. He said:

“Some among the Muʿtazila, the Jahmiyya, and the Harūriyya have claimed that His words, ‘The Most Merciful is established above the Throne,’ mean that He exercised dominion, sovereignty, and mastery, and that Allah is in every place. They denied that Allah is above His Throne, as the people of truth affirm, and interpreted being established above the Throne as referring to power.

“If this were as they claimed, there would be no difference between the Throne and the seventh, lowest earth, for Allah, Mighty and Majestic, has power over all things. The earth, the heavens, and everything in the world are subject to Allah’s power. Thus, if being established meant having dominion, Allah would be established above the Throne, the earth, the heavens, latrines, putrid matter, and filth, because Allah, Glorified and Exalted, has power over all things.