And Kaʿb said: “The heavens within the Throne are like a lamp suspended between heaven and earth.”

He said: “The consensus of the early generations is that they should go no further than reciting the verse. Some, however, departed from this and said that the Throne means sovereignty. This abandons the literal meaning for a figurative interpretation, while also contradicting the transmitted reports. Have they not heard the words of the Most High:

‘And His Throne was upon the water.’ [Hūd 7]

Do they suppose that sovereignty was upon the water?”

Others said that istawā (‘rose over’) means istawlā (‘gained dominion’), citing the poet’s words:

“Bishr rose to power over Iraq,
With neither sword nor bloodshed.”