Among the meanings of the preposition "in" in the saying of the Exalted: "Do you feel secure from Him who is in the heaven?"

The Shaykh : But there is another meaning: that "in" remains a circumstantial preposition, but the word "heaven" is not interpreted as the created heaven; rather, it is interpreted as absolute elevation. This is because one of the meanings of "heaven" in the Arabic language is elevation. Thus, this meaning, without interpreting "in" to mean "upon," aligns with the other verses, even without interpreting "in" to mean "upon." It affirms that Allah (Mighty and Majestic) possesses the attribute of absolute elevation above all created things. This is what is said in answer to this question, based on the texts of the Book and the Sunnah. And now, if we consider the matter from a rational perspective...

The questioner : ...upon the heaven. He said: Since the heaven is a created thing, it is limited. If Allah is above it, this necessitates that Allah be limited.

The Shaykh : Be patient now until I finish the topic. We have explained to you that it is not permissible to say that Allah (Mighty and Majestic) is in a place, just as it is not permissible to deny by name that Allah is in a place. Likewise, it is not permissible to say that Allah (Mighty and Majestic) does not have the attribute of absolute elevation above all His creations. Rather, He is as He said: . And Imam 'Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak (may Allah have mercy on him)—who is one of the teachers of Imam Ahmad, the Imam of the Sunnah—has a statement that summarizes this explanation of the texts of the Book and the Sunnah. I advise that it be firmly established in the minds of all Muslims, because it is comprehensive and encompassing. It is his saying: "Allah (Mighty and Majestic) is above His Throne with His Essence, distinct from His creation, and He is with them with His knowledge." This is the summary of the previous research. I said: What we mentioned just now is based on the texts of the Book and the Sunnah.