The fifth: “Where is Allah?” She replied, “In heaven.” (The second hadith; it is weak, but its meaning is the same as that of the third version.)

The sixth: “Do you testify that there is no god worthy of worship but Allah?” She replied, “Yes.” (The third hadith through the first route, and it is weak.)

The seventh: “Where is Allah?” She gestured with her hand toward heaven. (The same hadith through the other route, and it too is weak.)

The eighth: “Who, then, is Allah?” She replied, “He who is in heaven.” (The fourth hadith, and its chain of transmission is weak.)

I say: This precise summary makes the following fact clear to the readers:

The more likely wording is that his question, peace and blessings be upon him, was: “Where is Allah?”

And that the slave girl’s answer was: “In heaven.”

This is because three reports agree upon the question mentioned above. The first of them is the authentic report from Abu Hurayrah; the second, even if it offers no support, causes no harm; and the third is suitable as corroborating evidence, since it is not severely weak.

Likewise, five reports agree upon the answer mentioned above. It occurs in the soundest route of the first hadith from Abu Hurayrah and in the other authentic route from him, while the remaining reports corroborate them.

Since this is the preponderant conclusion from the مجموع of these eight versions, because the majority of the reports—and the most authentic of them—agree upon it, whatever differs from them must either be interpreted figuratively or rejected on account of its contradiction. Thus, it may be said: