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The_Foundations_of_the_Islamic_Belief, page : 114
limited,
or by substances, in the same way as their qualities are. But the impossibility of His being a
substance
or its quality has been established - consequently His being subject to a direction becomes
impossible.
If therefore anything else is meant by the term direction other than these two meanings then the
usage
will be wrong in terminology and signification; because if Allah were above the world He would be
opposite to it, and everything which is opposite to a body is either equal to it in size, or
smaller or
larger. All this implies measurement which necessarily requires an object or measurement.
But Allah the
One Creator and Ruler of the world and universe is far Exalted above such things.
As to the raising of hands heaven-wards at the time of supplication it is because Heaven is the
direction
of supplication and implies a description of the One to whom the supplications are offered, such as
Majesty and Grandeur, employing thereby the direction of height to represent the quality of Glory
or by substances, in the same way as their qualities are. But the impossibility of His being a
substance
or its quality has been established - consequently His being subject to a direction becomes
impossible.
If therefore anything else is meant by the term direction other than these two meanings then the
usage
will be wrong in terminology and signification; because if Allah were above the world He would be
opposite to it, and everything which is opposite to a body is either equal to it in size, or
smaller or
larger. All this implies measurement which necessarily requires an object or measurement.
But Allah the
One Creator and Ruler of the world and universe is far Exalted above such things.
As to the raising of hands heaven-wards at the time of supplication it is because Heaven is the
direction
of supplication and implies a description of the One to whom the supplications are offered, such as
Majesty and Grandeur, employing thereby the direction of height to represent the quality of Glory