Allah Is in the Heaven

Question: A discussion took place between me and a colleague at the office about whether Allah is in the heaven. My colleague denies that Allah is in the heaven, whereas I affirm it on the basis of His statement, “Do you feel secure that He who is in the heaven will not cause the earth to swallow you…?” (Al-Mulk 16), and on the strength of the ḥadīth in which the Messenger ﷺ asked the slave-girl, “Where is Allah?” and she replied, “In the heaven.” Would Your Eminence kindly clarify the correct view? May Allah reward you richly and bless you.

Answer: There is no doubt that Allah is in the heaven; this is the belief of Muslims and of the followers of the messengers, past and present. It enjoys the unanimous consensus of all divine revelations. Believing servants hold that Allah—glorified and exalted—is in the heaven, and more than a thousand proofs from the Qur’an and the Sunnah affirm His exaltedness, His being in the heaven, and that He rose over His Throne, just as He Himself has informed us. Among these proofs are the verses cited by the questioner: “Do you feel secure that He who is in the heaven will not cause the earth to swallow you and it quakes? Or do you feel secure that He who is in the heaven will not send against you a storm of stones?” (Al-Mulk 16–17). Another is the ḥadīth of the slave-girl recorded in the authentic collections: the Prophet ﷺ asked her, “Where is Allah?” She answered, “In the heaven.” He then said, “Set her free, for she is a believer.”

As for the meaning of His being “in the heaven,” when “heaven” is understood as loftiness, the preposition “in” here indicates height. That is, Allah—glorified and exalted—is above, distinct from His creation, elevated over His creatures and separate from them.