Then how could the best generations of this community have less knowledge and wisdom—especially knowledge of Allah and the implications of His names and signs—than these men who are so insignificant beside them? How could the fledglings of the would-be philosophers, the followers of the Indians and Greeks, the heirs of the Magians, the polytheists, and the misguided Jews, Christians and Sabians, and others of their kind, know more about Allah than the heirs of the prophets and the people of the Quran and faith?
I have presented “this introduction” only because whoever firmly grasps it will recognize where the path of guidance lies, in this matter and elsewhere. He will understand that misguidance and confusion have overtaken many of the later generations only because they cast the Book of Allah behind their backs, turned away from the clear proofs and guidance with which Allah sent Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, neglected to investigate the way of the earliest forerunners and their successors, and sought knowledge of Allah from those who did not know Him—as they themselves admitted, as the community testified, and as much evidence demonstrates. I am not referring to any one individual; rather, I am describing these two kinds of people.
Since this is so, the Book of Allah from beginning to end, the Sunnah of His Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, from beginning to end, the general body of statements from the Companions and their successors, and the statements of all the other leading scholars are replete with passages that either explicitly state or plainly indicate that Allah, glorified and exalted is He, is the Most High, the Highest; that He is above everything and over everything; and that He is above the Throne and above heaven. Examples include His words, exalted is He:
“To Him ascends good speech, and righteous work raises it.”
“Indeed, I will take you and raise you to Myself.”
“Do you feel secure that He who is in heaven will not cause the earth to swallow you?”
“Or do you feel secure