Allah is Above the Heavens

Assalamu alaikum, my question about the 2:15 in Quran the word واسع is translated as “All-pervading”. Does that mean god is in everything? I am having a discussion with a non-muslim friend who believes that Quran says that god is in everything and everywhere and quotes 2:15. He says that god is infinite and if you say that he is not everywhere then that makes him look as if he is finite. Please clarify!

All praise be to Allah and may His blessings and peace be on His last messenger, Muhammad,

It is proven by the text of the revelation (al-Quran and as-Sunnah) that Allah is above the heavens, separate from His creatures, who are not part of Him, neither is He part of them. These proofs are also supplemented by the understanding of the righteous predecessors, logic, as well as natural human instinct.

As for the proofs from the Quran,

Allah says,

( سبح اسم ربك الأعلى )

“Glorify the Name of your Lord, the Most High.” [al-A’la 87:1]

There are many verses that mention this attribute of his highness. Whenever Allah spoke of things coming from Him to us, He spoke of descent, and from us to Him, the expression used was ascent, and you will find that throughout the Quran, including the following verses:

( إنا نحن نزلنا الذكر )

“Verily We: it is We Who have sent down the Dhikr (Quran). . .” [al-Hijr 15:9]

( إليه يصعد الكلم الطيب والعمل الصالح يرفعه )

“To Him ascend the goodly words, and the righteous deeds exalt it . . .” [Fatir 35:10]

As for the sunnah, there are many proofs, of them is the hadeeth of the young girl, whom the Prophet tested her iman by asking,

“أين الله”

“Where is Allah?”

And when she said,

“في السماء”

“above the heavens.”

He said to her master,

“أعتقها إنها مؤمنة.”

“Free her from slavery, for she is a believer.”

It is also the human genuine inclination to raise the hands up during du’a’, and the heart feels compelled to perceive Allah as the most high.

The consequences of saying that He is everywhere is to say that He is in dirty places, and that He is inside us, and subsequently fall in the belief of union and divine indwelling (al-hulool wal-ittihaad), which is considered blasphemy by all scholars. A belief that inevitably leads to the complete loss of distinction between the creator and the created.

Finally, ask yourself if you feel that Allah is underneath or above you?

This belief doesn’t mean that Allah is limited, because His knowledge, sight, hearing, as well as reach, encompass all things.

Allah knows best.