his imagination or his reason, then it is all the more fitting and reasonable that he should recognize in his Creator a power that he himself does not possess.

Al-Rāzī said: “Third, we believe that He hears the voices of creation, from the Throne to what lies beneath the soil, and sees things great and small above the tiers of the lofty heavens and beneath the lowest earths. It is well known that human conception and imagination fall short of acknowledging such a being, yet we believe that He, glorified and exalted be He, is indeed as described.”

The response is: There is no doubt that He, glorified and exalted be He, is as ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) described Him in the authentic hadith: “Glory be to Him whose hearing encompasses all voices! The woman who pleaded was speaking privately to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) in a corner of the house, and some of her words escaped me. Then Allah Most High revealed:

‘Allah has certainly heard the words of the woman who disputes with you concerning her husband.’” [al-Mujādilah 1]

And in