Some Sufis, philosophers, and others have misunderstood this verse. They took it to mean that His essence indwells in, and unites with, the worshipper and the one who knows Him—akin to what Christians say concerning the Messiah. This is a false doctrine, as has been explained at length elsewhere.

Affirming that He brings His servants near to His very essence is the well-known position of the early generations and the leading scholars. It is also the position of al-Ashʿarī and other Kullābīs. They affirm the servants’ nearness to His very essence; likewise, they affirm that He Himself is established over the Throne, and similar matters. They say: “His establishment over the Throne is an act He performed in the Throne, whereby He became established over the Throne.” This is also the position of Ibn ʿAqīl, Ibn al-Zāghūnī, and various groups among the followers of Ahmad and others.

As for His Himself drawing near and approaching some of His servants, this is affirmed by those who affirm that acts of His own choosing subsist in Him, and who affirm His coming on the Day of Resurrection, His descent, and His establishment over the Throne. This is the position of the leading scholars of the early generations, the renowned imams of Islam, and the scholars of hadith. It is established from them through mass transmission.

The first to deny this within Islam were the “Jahmiyyah” and those among the Muʿtazilah who agreed with them. They denied the divine attributes and His being above the Throne. Then Ibn Kullāb came and opposed them on these matters, affirming the attributes and His being above the Throne. Yet he agreed with them that acts of His own choosing do not subsist in Him. Hence he introduced his doctrine concerning the Quran: that it is eternal and that He did not speak it by His power. This position is not known from any of the early generations. Rather, what is established from them through mass transmission is that the Quran is the speech of Allah, not