The Second Principle:

Whatever the Messenger has reported about his Lord must be believed—whether we understand its meaning or not—for he is truthful and confirmed in his truthfulness.

Every believer must therefore believe whatever is stated in the Quran and Sunnah, even if he does not understand its meaning. The same applies to what has been established by the agreement of the early generations of the Muslim community and its leading scholars. Indeed, most matters in this subject are explicitly stated in the Quran and Sunnah and agreed upon by the early generations of the Muslim community.

As for expressions whose affirmation or negation has been disputed by later scholars, no one is obliged—or even permitted—to agree with anyone in affirming or denying his expression until he understands what that person intends. If he intends something true, it is accepted; if he intends something false, it is rejected. If his statement contains both truth and falsehood, it should neither be accepted without qualification nor have its entire meaning rejected. Rather, judgment on the expression should be suspended and its meaning clarified. This applies, for example, to people’s disputes over direction, spatial location, and similar matters.

The word “direction” may mean an existing entity other than Allah, in which case it is created—as when “direction” means the Throne itself or the heavens themselves. It may also mean what is not an existing entity other than Allah Most High—as when “direction” means what is above the world.

It is well known that the revealed texts neither affirm nor deny the word “direction,” whereas they do affirm His being on high, His rising over the Throne, His being above, ascent to Him, and the like. It is also known that there is no existing being