heaven, where the term denotes what is above, whether Paradise is above the celestial spheres or below them. Allah Most High says:

“Let him stretch a rope up to the ceiling.”

And He says:

“And We sent down from the sky purifying water.”

Since it was firmly established in the minds of those addressed that Allah is the Most High, the Highest, and that He is above everything, His saying that He is in heaven was understood to mean that He is above, and above everything. Likewise, when he asked the slave girl, “Where is Allah?” and she replied, “In heaven,” she meant only that He is above, not that He is confined to created bodies or dwells within them.

The expression “above” includes what is above all created things. Thus, whatever is above them all is “in heaven.” This does not imply that an actually existing enclosure surrounds Him, for nothing exists above the world except Allah. Similarly, saying that the Throne is in heaven does not imply that the Throne is inside some other existing, created thing.

If, however, “heaven” is taken to mean the celestial spheres, the meaning would be that He is above them, just as He says:

“And I will surely crucify you on the trunks of palm trees.”

And:

“Travel through the land.”

And:

“Journey through the land.”

Likewise, one may say that someone is “in the mountain” or “on the roof,” even when he is on its highest part.