Al-A`laa (the Highest)

Al-Alee (the High)

Al-Muta’aal (The Exalted)

To Him belongs highness in all of its aspects, Highness of His Essence, Highness of His Attributes and esteem, Highness of Strength and Power. He is the One Who has risen over His Throne and the One Who Has encompassed the dominion. He is the One in Whom all the attributes of greatness, grandness, magnificence and beauty find perfection and fulfillment.

"To Him belongs all that is in the heavens and the earth, and He is the High, the Great." (42:4)

"Glorify the name of your Lord, the Most High" (87:1)

“And He feels no Fatigue in guarding and preserving them. And He is the Most High, the Most Great.” [Al-Baqarah(2):225].

“He, the Exalted said, “All-Knower of the unseen and the seen, the Most Great, the Most High (Or Exalted).” [Ar-Ra’d (13):9].

Al-Muta’aal (The Exalted) This shows all of the meanings of highness that are affirmed for Allah in every aspect. He is lofty in His essence because He is above all creation. He has ascended over the throne, which means that He rose and elevated (over it). He has loftiness in His ability. This refers to His Exalted attributes and their greatness. The attributes of the creation cannot compare to Him. The creatures all together could not encompass even some of the meaning of one attribute of His attributes!

He, the Exalted said; “They cannot encompass anything of His knowledge.” [Taa Haa (20): 110]

By this it is known that nothing is similar to Him in any of His characteristics. He also has loftiness in His subjugation. Verily He is the One, the Irresistible, who compels all of the creation with His might and exaltedness. The forelocks of the creatures are in His hand. Whatever He wills will be, and there is none who can resist Him in that. Whatever He does not will, it will not be. If all the creation gathers together to bring about what Allah does not will, they would not be able to do so. Also, if they gathered together to prevent what has been determined by His will, they could not prevent it. This is due to the perfection of His Might, the authority of His will, and the severity of all the creations need of Him in every aspect. (2)
[Al-Haqq ul-Wadhih ul-Mubeen, pg. 26, and Sharh Un-Nooniyyah, by Al-Harraas 2/68.]

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[Source for the below : Tafseer Ayatul-Kursi - by Shaykh Muhammad Saleh Al Uthaymeen
- From Commentary on Imaam ibn Taymeeyah’s Sharhul ’Aqeedatil-Waasitiyyah ]

And He [Allaah] is the Most High, the Most Great. 

This sentence, with both of its boundaries defined, denotes exclusivity that He (Allaah) alone is the Most High, meaning that He possesses the absolute Transcendence (al-’uluw al-mutlaq). The restricted or limited ‘uluw (transcendence) is affirmed for the humans. Allaah تعالى said:                     

So do not become weak (O you pious believers), nor be sad, and you will be superior (in victory).

[Qur’aan, Woorat Aal-’Imraan (3: 139)] 

This superiority is restricted such as being above the kuffaar [in victory], not an absolute transcendence. The latter is exclusively restricted to Allaah, for He, the One who is most High and free from all imperfection, is above everything. 

Then it must be known that the attribute of Transcendence of Allaah in the creed of ahlu-sunnah wal jamaa’ah is classified into two types: 

(a)      The ‘uluw of the thaat : The Transcendence of Allaah’s Essence.

(b)   The ‘uluw of the sifaat : The Transcendence of Allaah’s Attributes.  

The ‘uluw of the thaat means that Allaah I in His Essence is above everything, and everything is below Him, Most Majestic and Mighty is He. Regarding the ‘uluw of the sifaat , it means that Allaah is qualified with the superlative qualities as He, the Most High, said:

And for Allaah is the Highest Description [Qur’aan, Soorat An-Naml (16:60)]. 

Every Attribute which Allaah I qualified Himself with is an Attribute of Perfection and in every respect is free from any kind of imperfection. 

If you ask: “What is the reason behind this kind of classification? Do you have a proof of it from the Qur’aan or the sunnah ? Did you find this in the sayings of the sahaabah ? 

The answer is: “No! But I found it to be necessary when it has been determined that the people of negation (an-nufaat), who themselves are ahlu-ta’teel (those who deny the Attributes), restrict the ‘uluw to the sifaat (qualities) only. They said that Allaah’s Transcendence is in His sifaat only not in Essence (thaat ). The people of ta’teel (ahlu-ta’teel) themselves became divided regarding the ‘uluw of the thaat, as discussed below. 

What is important is that the Imaams of  as-salaf -us-saalih (رحمهم الله) and the scholars who came after resorted to this classification out of necessity because they were tested by the people of ta’teel (who denied the ‘uluw of the thaat ), and thus they were obligated to affirm the Transcendence in this way. In fact, if we say only that, “Allaah is the Most High,” and if someone from the people of ta’teel says that, “the ‘uluw relates to His Attributes,” then what would the common Muslim understand? The only thing he will understand is that Allaah is qualified with the ‘uluw of the sifaat only. But if we say, “Allaah is Most High in His sifaat as well as in His Essence,” the common Muslims will understand this meaning. In fact, the first thing that is obvious to the common Muslim is that Allaah’s ‘uluw concerns His Essence. Certainly the ‘uluw of the sifaat is part of the meaning of the ‘uluw but the strange thing is that the people of negation and ta’teel establish it while it is not obvious to many people.  

In their denial of the ‘uluw of Allaah’s thaat (Essence), the people of ta’teel ended up being divided into two groups: 

The first group:  They said that Allaah, in His Essence, is everywhere, and if so then He, according to their claim, either occupies a hayyiz [70]  or He does not. If He occupies a hayyiz then it is necessary that He would occupy the “places” and there would remain no single “place” present. And if He does not occupy a hayyiz, then He is ma’doom (none-existing). [71]  They would not say that what does not occupy a hayyiz is like the “air” or the like thereof, because this would not be harmonious with their position. [72]

 

The second group: They said, “He I is neither in ‘uluw (loftiness) nor in sufl (opposite ‘uluw: lowness); He is neither inside the world nor outside it; neither to the right nor to the left; neither joined nor separate. 

This position is absolute ta’teel (negation) because it is a description of al-’adam (none-existence). Some scholars said, “If we were asked to describe al-’adam we would not find a more comprehensive definition than this description [above].”  

So contemplate as to how their negation of what has been affirmed by the way of naql (texts) and ‘aql (rational) led them to say what cannot be accepted neither by sensory perception (hiss), nor by naql or ‘aql. 

We have explained earlier that the ‘uluw of Allaah is proven by the way of the kitaab (the Book, i.e. the Qur’aan), the sunnah , ijmaa’ (general consensus of the salaf ), ‘aql , and fitrah . [73]  The proofs of the Book and sunnah are diverse:

 

·       Some of which mention the ‘uluw like in the saying of Allaah : 

       { وهو العَلِيُّ العَظِيم } [البقرة:255].

And He [Allaah] is the Most High, the Most Great. 

{ سَبِّحِ اسْمَ رَبِّكَ الأَعْلَى } [الأعلى،1]

And make tasbeeh [declaring that Allaah is far removed above all imperfection] of your Rabb , the Most High, above everything.

[Qur’aan, Soorat Al-A’laa (87:1)]. 

·       Others state the fawqiyyah [Allaah being above creation], as in Allaah’s saying in the Qur’aan:

 

{ وَهُوَ القاهِرُ فَوْقَ عِبادِهِ } [الأنع ام،1].And He [Allaah] is al-Qaahir  above His slaves.

[Qur’aan, Soorat Al-An’aam (6:18)]. 

·       Some aayaat (verses) mention the su’ood (ascent) of things up to Him U:

{ إليهِ يَصعَدُ الكَلِمُ الطَّيِّبُ والعَمَلُ الصالِحُ يرفَعُهُ } [فاطر،10].

To Him ascend [all] the goodly words, and the righteous deeds exalt it [the goodly words, i.e. the goodly words are not accepted by Allaah unless and until they are followed by good deeds].

[Qur’aan, Soorat Faatir (35:10)]. 

{ تَعرُجُ الملائِكَةُ والرُّوح إليه } [المعارج،4].

The angels and the rooh [Jibreel u] ascend to Him. [Qur’aan, Soorat Al-Ma’aarij (70:4].

·       Sometimes the Qur’aan mentions the descent of things from Him I:

 { يُدَبَّرُ الأمر من السَّماء إلى الأرض } [السجدة،5].

He [Allaah] arranges [every] affair from the heavens to the earth. [Qur’aan, Soorat As-Sajdah (32:5)]. 

{ إنَّا نحنُ نَزَّلْنَا الذِّكْرَ } [الحجر،9].

Verily We: It is We Who have sent down the thikr  [the Qur’aan].  [Qur’aan, Soorat Al-Hijr (15:5)]. 

·       In the Book there is also the affirmation that Allaah I is above the heavens:

{ ءأمنْتُم من في السَّماء أن يخسِفَ بِكُمُ الأرْضَ } [المُلك،16].

Do you feel secure that He, who is above the heaven [Allaah], will not cause the earth to sink. [Qur’aan, Soorat Al-Mulk (67:16)]. 

In addition to the above aayaat, there are many other references in the Qur’aan which affirm the ‘uluw of Allaah. Similarly the sunnah affirms Allaah’s ‘uluw in His Essence by the way  of  saying, action, and approval. The affirmation in the saying as in the statement of the Prophet (r):

" رَبَّنَا اللَّهُ الَّذِي فِي السَّمَاء". [رواه أبو داود].    

“Our Rabb is Allaah Who is in the heaven ...”

And in his action as when he (r) pointed towards the heavens when he said: “O! Allaah be witness [saying it thrice],” before the greatest assembly of Muslims then. 

As to his approval, the Prophet (r) asked a slave girl: "Where is Allaah?" She replied: “Above the heavens.” He (r) then ordered her master, “Grant her freedom, because she is a believer .” [77]

 

As for the ijmaa,’  it is acknowledged that the salaf are in agreement that Allaah is above His ‘arsh . No one among them had ever said that He is everywhere or that He is neither above the world nor below it, or that He is neither to the right nor to the left, or that He is neither separated from the world nor associated with it. 

On the other hand, the proof of the ‎‘aql (intellect), has two angles to it: 

1. The ‘uluw is an attribute of perfection and therefore being as such necessitates that it is an affirmed attribute of Allaah because Allaah is qualified with the attributes of perfection from every angle. 

2. For the sake of argument, if we say that, “Allaah is either above the world or under it or on its right or left,” then which of these descriptions denote perfection? The answer is, “Allaah is above the world,” because if he is “under it” then He would be less perfect than the created! And if He is in the same place as the created, then Allaah I would be equal to him in perfection. Thus it is necessitated that Allaah U is above everything. 

Finally, as far as the fitrah (natural inclination or disposition) is concerned, each person naturally acknowledges the fact that Allaah is above the heavens. That is why whenever a person supplicates His Rabb (Allaah) he (she) takes refuge towards the direction of the sky (i.e. upward). [78]  

[In this regard it is noteworthy to mention] that because Abul Ma’aali al-Juwayyni, [79]  may Allaah bestow His mercy upon him and may He forgive him, denied the ascending of Allaah above the ‘arsh (istiwaa’ ‘ala al-’arsh) and the ‘uluw of Allaah in His Essence, he had  decided that, “Allaah was and there was nothing, [80]  and He is now as He ever has been,” [81]  denying the istiwaa ‘ala al-’arsh. Abul ‘Alaa al-Hamadaani, [82]  may Allaah bestow His mercy upon him, said, “Teacher! There is no need to mention the ‘arsh. [83]  Just tell us about this necessity which we find within ourselves: Whenever an ‘aarif (one who knows of Allaah) says: ‘O! Allaah,’ he finds within his heart a compelling intent aspiring upward? [84]  Al-Juwayyni slapped his hands against his head screaming, “Al-Hamadani rendered me perplexed. Al-Hamadaani rendered me perplexed.” He was unable to respond because the matter is natural and cannot be denied.

 

The strange thing is that those who deny the Transcendence of Allaah themselves raise their hands upward in the direction of the heavens when they invoke Allaah. I do not know of the situation of the person who believes that Allaah is everywhere in His Essence or that He is not inside the world nor outside it or He is neither above nor below, how is he going to face His Rabb on the Day of Resurrection?

Imporantnt Notes:

01.  Affirming al-’uluw ath-thaati (the Transcendence of Allaah in His Essence) and al-’uluw as-sifaati (the Transcendence of Allaah’s Attributes) because of His saying:  

{ وَهُوَ العَليُّ } 

And He [Allaah] is the Most High, above everything.

02.  Rebutting both the Hulooliyyah [98]  and the Mu’atilah who negate this Attribute of Allaah تعالى. The Hulooliyyah say, “Allaah is not   above everything but rather He is everywhere.” And the Mu’attilah , the people who deny Allaah’s Attributes, say, “He cannot be described as being High or low, to the left or the right, or as being separated from or associated with His creation.”

 

03.  Warning against transgression upon others because of His saying:

{ وَهُوَ العَلِيُّ العَظِيمُ } And He is the Most High, above everything, and He is the Most Great. 

That is why Allaah said in Soorat An-Nisaa’: 

{ فَإنْ أَطَعْنَكُمْ فَلا تَبْغُوا عَلَيْهِنَّ سَبِيلا إنَّ اللهَ كَانَ عَلِيَّاً كَبِيراً } [النساء،34].

 And if they [women] return to obedience [to their husbands], then seek not against them means [of annoyance]. Surely, Allaah is ever Most High, above everything, Most Great. [Qur’aan, Soorat An-Nisaa’ (4:34)]. 

So if you think proudly of  yourself, then remember the Highness of Allaah above everything, the Most Mighty and Majestic. And if you think of yourself as being great, then remember the Greatness of Allaah.

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