Chapter: The Book of Exaltation
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
“There is no god but Allah—a provision for meeting Allah. Lord, make it easy, assist, perfect, and conclude with goodness, in well-being, O Most Generous One.”
All praise belongs to Allah, the Most High, the Magnificent, Lord of the Tremendous Throne, for His abundant favors, both manifest and hidden. Praise be to Allah for the blessing of tawḥīd (monotheism).
I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah alone, without partner—a testimony that, by His bounty, brings still more of His favor. I also bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger, the seal of the prophets and the intercessor on the momentous Day1. May Allah bless him and his family with a blessing I reserve for the Day of Warning.
To proceed: In the year 698 AH I compiled hadiths and reports on the matter of ʿuluww (divine exaltation). I neglected to comment on some of them and did not encompass everything transmitted on the topic, so I appended a treatise whose opening words were: “Glory be to Allah the Magnificent; praise be to Him for His forbearance despite His knowledge.” I now arrange the entire collection and clarify it here. In Allah I seek help; He is sufficient for us and the best Trustee.
Allah the Exalted says—and whose speech is truer than Allah’s?—
“Indeed, your Lord is Allah, who created the heavens and the earth in six days, then established Himself above the Throne.”
He also says, “It is He who created the heavens and the earth in six days, and His Throne had been upon water.”
He says, describing His noble Book, “A revelation from Him who created the earth and the lofty heavens—the Most Merciful, who rose over the Throne.”
And He says, “He who created the heavens and the earth and whatever lies between them in six days, then established Himself above the Throne—the Most Merciful,” and many other verses concerning His rising over the Throne.
He the Exalted also says, “Then He turned toward the heaven while it was smoke and said to it and to the earth, ‘Come, willingly or unwillingly.’ They said, ‘We come willingly.’”
And He says, “Then He turned toward the heaven and fashioned them into seven heavens,” and He says, “He directs the affair from the heaven to the earth; then it ascends to Him …”