He also set out the creed he had attributed to Ahl al-Sunnah in al-Maqālāt (Doctrinal Positions). He then presented arguments concerning the fundamental doctrines, including the questions of the Quran, the vision of Allah, and the divine attributes. He then said:

“Chapter on Rising over the Throne

If someone asks, ‘What do you say concerning rising over the Throne?’ the answer is that Allah has risen over His Throne, as He, glorified be He, said:

‘The Most Merciful rose over the Throne.’

And He said:

‘To Him ascends good speech, and righteous deeds raise it.’

And He, glorified be He, said:

‘Rather, Allah raised him to Himself.’

And Pharaoh said:

‘O Hāmān, build me a lofty tower so that I may reach the ways—the ways of the heavens—and look upon the God of Moses, though I certainly think him a liar.’

He accused Moses of lying when Moses said that Allah is above the heavens. And He said:

‘Do you feel secure that He who is in heaven will not cause the earth to swallow you?’

The Throne is above the heavens, and what He meant was the Throne that is above the heavens. Do you not see that Allah mentioned the heavens and said:

‘And made the moon a light therein’?

He did not mean that the moon fills all of them or that it is in all of them. We also see all Muslims raising their hands toward the Throne when they supplicate.”

He said:

“Some among the Mu‘tazilah, the Jahmiyyah, and the Harūriyyah have said that His words, ‘The Most Merciful rose over the Throne,’ mean that He took possession, ruled, and subdued; that Allah is everywhere; and they denied that Allah is over His Throne, as the people of truth affirm.”

He said:

“If it were as they claim, there would be no difference between the Throne and the seventh, lowest earth, for Allah has power over all things and has decreed it.”