has risen’: that Allah’s rising over His glorious Throne is real, not figurative.”

Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr said in al-Tamhīd, his commentary on al-Muwatta’—the finest book composed in its field—when discussing the hadith of the descent:

“This is an established hadith whose authenticity the hadith scholars do not dispute. It provides evidence that Allah is in heaven, upon the Throne, above the seven heavens, as the community has affirmed. It is among their proofs against the Mu‘tazilah, who say that He is everywhere and is not upon the Throne.”

He said:

“The evidence supporting what those who adhere to the truth have said is Allah Most High’s statement:

‘The Most Merciful has risen over the Throne.’

And He said:

‘To Him good words ascend, and righteous deeds raise them.’

And He said:

‘The angels and the Spirit ascend to Him.’

And He said:

‘O Jesus, I will take you and raise you to Myself.’”

He mentioned other verses, eventually saying:

“This is so well known among ordinary people and scholars that it needs no more than to be stated, for it is an unavoidable awareness which no one taught them, and no Muslim has disagreed with them about it.”

This resembles what Muhammad ibn Tāhir reported about Abū Ja‘far al-Hamdānī: he attended a gathering held by one of the speculative theologians, who said:

“Allah existed when there was no Throne.”

Abū Ja‘far said:

“Teacher, let us set aside discussion of the Throne. Tell us about these inescapable impulses we find in our hearts. No one who knows Allah has ever said, ‘O Allah,’ without finding in his heart an irresistible impulse seeking what is above, turning neither right nor left.”

The theologian struck his head with his hand and said:

“Al-Hamdānī has confounded me! Al-Hamdānī has confounded me!”

The shaykh meant that the acknowledgment