of the martyr who is provided for by his Lord after he has been slain? And what of the life of the Prophets even now? How did the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—see his brother Moses, standing upright and praying inside his grave, then meet him again in the sixth heaven, converse with him, and receive from him the advice to return to the Lord of all worlds and ask that the burden on his community be lightened? How did Moses debate his father Adam, only for Adam to prevail by invoking the pre-eternal decree and by showing that blame is pointless once repentance has been accepted?
Likewise, we are incapable of describing what our own forms will be like in Paradise, or the beauty of the ḥūr ʿayn (heavenly maidens with wide, lovely eyes). What then when we turn to the angels—their very essences and modes of existence—some of whom could swallow the whole world in one mouthful, while retaining their splendor, beauty, and the purity of their luminous substance? Allah is far higher and greater; His is the loftiest description and absolute perfection, and He has no equal whatsoever: “We believe in Allah, so bear witness that we are Muslims.” ⦗Q 3:52⦘
330- Qāḍī Abū Yaʿlā also said, after citing the ḥadith of the slave girl:
“The discussion of this report falls into two sections. The first: it is permissible to ask concerning Allah, exalted is He, ‘Where is He?’ The second: it is permissible to state that He is in the heaven, for Allah Himself has informed us that He is in the heaven when He said, ‘Are you secure from the One who is in the heaven?’ ⦗Q 67:16⦘, while He is upon the Throne.”
He then continued at length, yet he cited weak narrations by which it is impermissible to establish a divine attribute.
He was a prodigy in his knowledge of the school of Imām Aḥmad, authoring outstanding works. He died in 458 AH. His isnāds were high; he heard ḥadith from ʿAlī ibn ʿUmar al-Ḥarbī and others, and he lived a little over eighty years.
153- al-Bayhaqī (384–458 AH)
331- The Imām, Shaykh al-Islām Abū Bakr Aḥmad ibn al-Ḥusayn ibn ʿAlī al-Bayhaqī—the prolific author—said in his book al-Muʿtaqad:
“Chapter on istiwaʾ (Allah’s rising over the Throne). Allah the Exalted says, ‘The Most Merciful rose over the Throne’ ⦗Q 20:5⦘; and He says, ‘Then He rose over the Throne’ ⦗Q 32:4⦘; and, ‘He is the Subjugator above His servants’ ⦗Q 6:18⦘; ‘They fear their Lord…’ ” (and the verse continues).