the lower direction, so too seeking the One who is high in His essence is incompatible with seeking Him from below. Just as something descending into the earth cannot rise towards the other side—because that side is above, and its height repels the descending object, just as the upper direction on our side repels heavy objects rising towards it, so that a heavy object rises only when something lifts it, counteracting its inherent tendency to descend—so too, something descending from the earth’s upper surface to its lowest point, the centre, cannot rise from there towards the other side unless something lifts it, counteracting its inherent tendency to descend towards the centre. If the impelling force were assumed to be stronger, it would carry the object upwards towards the celestial sphere on that side and raise it towards Allah.

This is called a descent only in view of the notion in the minds of those being addressed that whatever moves in the direction of their feet is descending. It is called a descent, while the act of making it descend is called a lowering. Yet it is truly a lowering only as far as the centre; beyond that, it is merely an extension of the rope and bucket, not a lowering. Both the consequence and the condition, however, are hypothetical, not actual.

For he said:

“If one were to lower something, it would descend.”

That is, if a lowering were supposed, a descent would likewise be supposed. It would be a lowering and a descent if the heavens were supposed to be beneath the earth. This supposition is not true; its purpose, however, is to illustrate encompassment and highness on every side. This hypothetical act is impossible for us; we have no power to perform it. Thus, no such lowering can be conceived, nor can anything be conceived as descending upon Allah. Allah, however, has the power to pass a rope through from here to there. Yet, in His case, this would not constitute a lowering, and so it would not constitute a descent upon Him. It is as though He were to pass a rope through from pole to pole, or from the place of sunrise to the place of sunset