our souls, better than we ourselves do; in this respect He is nearer to us than our jugular vein. How could it be otherwise, when He knows what our souls whisper better than we ourselves do? How much more so, then, in comparison with the jugular vein!

Likewise, Abū Amr al-Talamankī said:

“If anyone asks about His words:

‘And We are nearer to him than his jugular vein,’

know that all of this refers to His knowledge of him and His power over him. The evidence for this is the beginning of the verse, for Allah Most High said:

‘We certainly created man and know what his soul whispers to him, and We are nearer to him than his jugular vein.’

Because Allah knows what his soul whispers, He is nearer to him than his jugular vein, whereas the jugular vein does not know what the soul whispers.

“The heretic’s belief necessarily entails that the one he worships is mingled with human blood and flesh, and that a human being cannot be called simply ‘created,’ but must be called ‘creator and created.’ For, according to his claim, the one he worships is both inside and outside the human jugular vein. Thus, according to his view, He is mingled with the human being, not separate from him.”

He said:

“The Muslims of Ahl al-Sunnah have unanimously agreed that Allah is above His Throne, separate from all His creation. Far exalted is Allah above the claims of those who deviate and above what the wrongdoers say!”

He said:

“The same answer applies to His words concerning someone who is approaching death:

‘And We are nearer to him than you are, but you do not see.’

“That is, through His knowledge of him and His power over him, for they have no means of helping him