in their view, the arising of faith, knowledge, and recognition in their hearts in place of disbelief and ignorance; this is the presence of the likeness, definition, and name in heaven and earth.

As for the movement of the servant’s spirit or body toward the Lord Himself, this is not acknowledged by those Jahmī deniers of the divine attributes who deny that Allah is above the Throne. The early generations declared them to be unbelievers and regarded their innovation as the gravest of all innovations. Some of those early scholars considered them to fall outside the seventy-two sects. These include those who say that He is everywhere, or that He is neither inside the world nor outside it.

Muslims generally, however, the early generations of the Muslim community, and Ahl al-Sunnah from all groups acknowledge this movement. Thus, the servant draws near to his Lord through the movement of his spirit and body. They also affirm that both draw near to honoured places, and that his spirit and body undergo a transition from one state to another.

(The first includes the ascension of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, the ascent of the servant’s spirit to his Lord, and his nearness to his Lord in prostration, among other examples.

(The second includes pilgrimage to His House and seeking Him in the mosques.

(The third includes remembering Him, supplicating to Him, loving Him, and worshipping Him while remaining at home. Yet in these latter two cases, they also acknowledge the spirit’s nearness to Allah Himself, thus affirming all these kinds together.