the ways of the heavens, so that I may look upon the God of Moses; indeed, I think he is a liar.”

He accused Moses of lying when he said that Allah is above the heavens. And He, exalted is 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. Since the Throne is above the heavens, He said:

“Do you feel secure from He who is in heaven?”

This is because He has risen over the Throne, which is above the heavens. Everything that is high above is called heaven, and the Throne is the highest of the heavens. When He says:

“Do you feel secure from He who is in heaven?”

He does not mean all the heavens; rather, He means the Throne, which is the highest of the heavens. Do you not see that Allah, mighty and majestic, mentioned the heavens, saying:

“And made the moon a light therein.”

He did not mean that the moon fills them or that it is in all of them. We see all Muslims raising their hands toward heaven when they supplicate, because Allah is upon His Throne, which is above the heavens. Were Allah not upon the Throne, they would not raise their hands toward the Throne, just as they do not lower them toward the earth when they supplicate.

Then he said:

Section

Those among the Muʿtazilah, Jahmiyyah, and Harūriyyah who hold this view have said that His words:

“The Most Merciful rose over the Throne.”

mean that He gained mastery, subdued, and possessed it, and that Allah, mighty and majestic, is everywhere. They denied that Allah is upon His Throne, as affirmed by the people of truth. They interpreted