And the claim of al-Zamakhsharī and others that “‘He rose over something’ means ‘he possessed it’” is a bare assertion, unsupported by any example from Arab speech. Even if such usage were conceded, this meaning would still be invalid when applied to Allah’s rising over the Throne. For He has stated that He created the heavens and the earth in six days, then rose over the Throne. He has also stated that the Throne existed before the creation of the heavens and the earth, as both the Quran and the Sunnah indicate. Thus, from the moment He created the Throne, He owned it and held dominion over it. How, then, could His rising over it have occurred after the creation of the heavens and the earth?

Moreover, He owns everything and holds dominion over it, so the Throne would not be singled out for His rising over it. This is not like singling it out in connection with His lordship when He says:

“Lord of the Magnificent Throne.”

The Throne may be singled out because of its magnificence, but the same expression may also be applied to all other created things. Thus, one may say, “Lord of the Throne and Lord of all things.” Rising over, however, applies specifically to the Throne. It is therefore not said, “He rose over the Throne and over all things.” Nor has any Muslim used this expression with reference to all things, nor is such usage found in the Quran or the Sunnah. By contrast, the expression of lordship is used both specifically of the Throne and generally of all things. The same applies to creation and similar expressions that admit both specific and general application, as in His words, exalted is He:

“Read in the name of your Lord who created—created man from a clinging substance.”

Rising over is therefore an expression specific to the Throne; it is not applied to anything else, either specifically or generally. This has been discussed at length elsewhere.

The purpose here is simply to demonstrate the correctness of the statement of the early generations:

“What ‘rising over’ means is known.”