The benefits of the saying of Allah the Exalted: “And Pharaoh said, ‘O Haman, build for me a tower that I may reach the ways, the ways of the heavens’”

There are benefits in this verse. Among the benefits of this verse is the arrogance and elevation of Pharaoh, which is indicated by his directing the command to his minister to build a tower for him. Reflect on his saying: He did not say “build,” because this is greater in arrogance and self-importance. If he had said “build,” it would have been ambiguous as to who was building it. But when he said “for me,” this indicates that he used this man, who is the minister, completely.
And among the benefits of this noble verse is that appointing ministers was an ancient custom, whether the minister was in good or in evil. Among the ministers in good is the saying of Moses (peace be upon him): And the saying of 'Ali ibn al-Husayn ibn 'Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with them) when the leaders of the Shi'ah, who are the Rafidah, asked him about Abu Bakr and 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both), so he invoked mercy upon them and said in praise of them: “They are the two ministers of my grandfather” meaning the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). They rejected this because they had been made to see the evil of their actions as good, believing that whoever loves Abu Bakr and 'Umar has hated 'Ali. And on this basis, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would be one who hates 'Ali, because he was asked, “Which men are most beloved to you?” and he said: So on their basis, the Messenger would be one who hates 'Ali. Look at how the outcome of this defective, invalid basis turned out. Yes.
Among the benefits of this noble verse is the permissibility of attributing a thing to the one who ordered it rather than the one who performed it. This is taken from his saying: He did not want Haman to undertake the building himself, but rather to order it, because he is a minister.
And among the benefits of this noble verse is the affirmation of the self-existence of the Highness of Allah the Exalted in the previous legislations. This is taken from his saying: This indicates that Moses (peace be upon him) informed him that Allah is in the sky.
And this, which I mean the self-existence of the Highness of Allah, is a matter that is not denied, because all the proofs indicate it: the Book, the Sunnah, consensus, reason, and the innate disposition. All of them indicate the self-existence of the Highness of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), and that He (Blessed and Exalted is He) is in the sky, and that it is not possible for Him to be on the earth. We focus on this point because of its importance, as it relates to creed.
As for the Qur'an, how numerous are the diverse proofs that indicate the self-existence of the Highness of Allah with decisive clarity.
And likewise, the Sunnah indicated this by speech, action, and approval. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) affirmed the self-existence of the Highness of Allah by his saying, his doing, and his approval. As for his saying, he (peace and blessings be upon him) says in his prostration: .
And as for his action, he indicated the Highness of Allah the Exalted when standing at 'Arafah, when he addressed the people and said: .
And as for his approval, it is by his approval of the slave woman who said, “In the sky,” when he asked her: .
And as for consensus: the Salaf agreed upon this. None of them said that Allah is not in the sky, none of them said that Allah is on the earth, and none of them said that Allah is not described with Highness, nor Lowness, nor Adjacency, nor Being Beside. Meaning, none of them said that Allah is not above, nor below, nor to the right, nor to the left, nor connected to creation, nor separated, as the ta'til sect said.
If someone says, “We concede that the negation did not come from them, so what is the proof of the affirmation?” We say: The proof of that is that every text in the Qur'an and Sunnah for which no contradiction came from the Companions, we know with certainty that they say it, because the Qur'an was revealed in their language and they knew it. So if they were addressed with this and no contradiction came from them, that indicates that they are the ones who say it. And this is an important point that benefits you in debate with opponents. If he says to you, “Where did the Companions say that Allah is in the Highness, for example?” you say: The Companions said that, because every text that came affirming the Highness for which no contradiction came from the Companions, they are certainly the ones who say it, because it was revealed in their language, they knew it, and they understood it as Allah (Mighty and Majestic) intended.
And as for reason: If you asked any human being, “Is Highness an attribute of perfection or Lowness?” he would say to you: “Highness.” And if you said, “Is Highness a more perfect attribute or Adjacency?” he would say to you: “Highness.” So reason indicates the affirmation of the Highness for Allah (Mighty and Majestic).
And as for the innate disposition: Do not ask, ask an old woman from the old women who has not read the words of the theologians who deny the attributes, what will she say to you? If you asked her, “Where is Allah?” she would say: “In the sky,” and she knows nothing but that. And the wonder is that the very ones who say the negation, when they call upon Allah (Mighty and Majestic), they raise their hands to the sky, compelled by their own nature. And this is a conceded matter.
And their claim that they say: “The sky is the qiblah of the one who supplicates, just as the Ka'bah is the qiblah of the one who prays.” We say: Then you are worshipping the sky, and you have fallen into shirk (associating partners with Allah) without you knowing. In any case, praise be to Allah that the Highness of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) is an innate matter that does not need excuses or contrivance, and yet all the proofs indicate it.
Then come people whose insights Allah the Exalted has blinded, and they say: “Allah the Exalted is not in the Highness.” What do they say? Listen:
Some of them say: “Allah is in every place.” These are the hululiyyah of the Jahmiyyah, that Allah is in every place, in the mosques, in the markets, in the houses, in the air, in the sky, and refuge is sought in Allah, in the toilets, in every place. And this is invalid, just as the sun invalidates the darkness of the night, because it necessitates one of two things, and it must be:
Either Allah is multiplied, or Allah is divided, part of Him here and part of Him there, or multiplied, one here and one there. This is apart from the defective necessities that follow from it, which necessitate that Allah be in the filthiest places and the stinkiest places.
And the second statement: Those who deny the self-existence of the Highness of Allah say: “We do not say that Allah is above, nor below, nor to the right, nor to the left, nor connected to the universe, nor separated from it.” Where does it go? Non-existence. Meaning, some scholars said: If it were said, “Describe non-existence for us,” we would not find a description more comprehensive than this. So the reality of the matter is that they do not worship Allah, and that they have no god at all.
We return to the exegesis and say: In the verse is a proof of the self-existence of the Highness of Allah.