666 – Muhammad ibn Ja‘far al-Nahwi informed us by authorization: Abu Abd Allah Naftawayh related to us. He said: Abu Sulayman Dawud ibn Ali related to me. He said:

We were with Ibn al-A‘rabi when a man came to him and asked, “What is the meaning of Allah’s—exalted is He—saying, ‘The Most Merciful rose over the Throne’ [Ta Ha 20:5]?”

He replied, “He is over His Throne as He—exalted is He—has stated.”

The man said, “O Abu Abd Allah, that is not its meaning; rather, its meaning is that He took possession.”

He said, “Be silent! What have you to do with this? One does not say that someone ‘took possession of’ something unless there is an opponent; when one of the two overcomes the other, it is said that he took possession. Have you not heard al-Nabighah:

For one like you—or one whom you would outstrip—
The race of a noble steed when it gains the lead at the finishing-post.”