It is also called a kurah (“sphere”), originally kūrah; the middle root letter has simply been omitted, as in thubah and qulah. Night and day, and all other aspects of time, follow motion, for time is the measure of motion, and motion inheres in the moving body. Thus, if time—which depends on motion, which in turn depends on the body—is described as circular, then the body has an even greater claim to roundness.

The Most High says:

“You will not see any inconsistency in the creation of the Most Merciful.”

The bodies in heaven are uniform, without difference or disparity—whereas triangular, quadrilateral, pentagonal, hexagonal and other such forms display disparities and differences in their angles and sides—since roundness pertains to the sides.

In the well-known hadith recorded in Sunan Abī Dāwūd and elsewhere, Jubayr ibn Mut‘im relates:

“A Bedouin came to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and said, ‘Messenger of Allah, people are exhausted, wealth has perished, and families are hungry. Pray for rain for us, for we seek Allah’s intercession with you, and your intercession with Allah.’ The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, glorified Allah until the effect of this could be seen on his Companions’ faces. He said, ‘Woe to you! Allah is not to be sought as an intercessor with any of His creation. Allah’s majesty is greater than that. His Throne is above His heavens like this’—and he gestured with his hand in the shape of a dome—‘and it creaks beneath Him as a new saddle creaks beneath its rider.’”

Thus, the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, stated that the Throne is above the heavens like a dome. This indicates elevation and roundness.