and a group of grammarians said: “That is, He turned to creating heaven.” It was also said: “He intended to do so.” This is what Ibn al-Jawzī mentioned in his Quran commentary. He said:

“Then He rose towards heaven”—that is, He set about creating it.

Likewise, he favours the interpretation that His coming means the coming of His command, and the view of those who interpret His rising figuratively. He also mentioned this in other books and agreed with some of Ibn ʿAqīl’s views. He said: “Ibn ʿAqīl held differing views on this subject, and his opinions and scholarly judgments vary across his writings.”

In his commentary on the words, “Then He rose over the Throne,” al-Baghawī said:

“Al-Kalbī and Muqātil said: ‘He settled.’ Abū ʿUbaydah said: ‘He ascended.’ The Muʿtazilah interpreted His rising as taking dominion. As for Ahl al-Sunnah, they say: ‘Rising over the Throne is an attribute of Allah, without specifying how. One must believe in it and entrust knowledge concerning it to Allah.’

“A man asked Mālik ibn Anas about His words, ‘The Most Merciful rose over the Throne’: ‘How did He rise?’ Mālik bowed his head for a long while and began to sweat profusely. Then he said: ‘His rising is not unknown, but how is beyond comprehension. Belief in it is obligatory, and asking about it is an innovation. I can only regard you as misguided.’ Then he ordered that the man be removed, and he was taken out.”