and He has no need of anything other than Himself, and He has spoken only of a rising over that is particular to Him, not one that applies to others and is unbefitting Him—just as, regarding His knowledge, power, sight, hearing, and creation, He speaks only of what is particular to Him—then how can anyone imagine that, if He is risen over the Throne, He needs it, and that, if the Throne were to fall, the One above it would fall down? Glorified and exalted is He, far above what the wrongdoers and deniers say! Is this anything but sheer ignorance and error on the part of anyone who understands or imagines such a thing, supposes it to be the apparent meaning and import of the wording, or considers it possible for the Lord of all worlds, who has no need of creation? Rather, even if an ignorant person were supposed to understand or imagine something like this, it should be explained to him that this is impossible and that the wording does not indicate it at all, just as it does not indicate comparable notions in any of the other attributes with which the Lord describes Himself.

When He, glorified and exalted, says:

“And the heaven We constructed with strength,”

can anyone imagine that His building resembles that of a human being in need, who requires a basket, shovels, the making of bricks, the preparation of clay, and helpers?

Moreover, it is known that Allah Most High created the world with some of its parts above others, without making its higher parts dependent upon its lower ones. The air is above the earth, yet does not need the earth to support it. The clouds, too, are above the earth, yet do not need it to support them. The heavens are above the earth, yet do not need the earth to support them. Thus, the Most High, the Highest, the Lord of all things