the earth; then it ascends to Him’ ⦗1⦘, and His saying, ‘The angels and the Spirit ascend to Him’ ⦗2⦘, and His saying, ‘He is the Subjugator above His servants’ ⦗3⦘, and His address to Jesus, ‘Indeed, I will take you and raise you up to Me’ ⦗4⦘, and His saying, ‘Rather, Allah raised him up to Himself’ ⦗5⦘.

Moreover, Allah—exalted is He—has related in two places of His Book that Pharaoh said: ‘O Haman, build for me a lofty tower, that I might reach the means—the means of the heavens—and look upon the God of Moses, though I indeed think him a liar’ ⦗6⦘; meaning, “I think Moses is lying when he claims that he has a God in the heaven.” This verse proves that Moses used to say, “My God is in the heaven,” while Pharaoh declared him a liar.

He said: Among the proofs as well that He is upon the Throne above the seven heavens is that all people without exception—Arabs and non-Arabs alike—whenever calamity befalls them and hardship presses upon them, lift their faces toward the heaven, raise their hands, pointing them toward the heaven, seeking help from Allah, their Lord—glorified be He. This is more famous and better known among both elite and common folk than to require lengthy narration, for it is an instinctive act: no one taught them to do so, nor has any Muslim ever censured them for it.

The Prophet ﷺ also spoke of the slave-girl whose master wished to set her free, for he was obliged to manumit a believing slave. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ tested her, saying, ‘Where is Allah?’ She pointed toward the heaven. He then asked her, ‘Who am I?’ She replied, ‘The Messenger of Allah.’ He said, ‘Free her, for she is a believer’ ⦗8⦘. He was satisfied