Al-`Alī, al-A`lā, al-Muta`āli: taken together, these names, all of which connote Allah's loftiness and sublimity, appear in the Qur'an eleven times.
Allah says: "Glorify the name of your Lord, Most High." [Sūrah al-A`lā: 1]
And: "He is the Most High, the Magnificent." [Sūrah al-Baqarah: 255
And: "…the Knower of the unseen and the seen, the Great, the Most High." [Sūrah al-Ra`d: 9]
Allah is ascendant in every way: in His essence, His might, His dominion, and His relationship to creation.
Allah declares: "The Beneficent is established on the Throne." [Sūrah TāHā: 5]
Human beings are instinctively aware of Allah's loftiness and transcendence. This is why people have a natural tendency to direct their attention up to the heavens when they pray and supplicate.
Allah says: "Are you secure from Him who is in the heavens?" [Sūrah al-Mulk: 16] and says: "They all revere their Lord, high above them, and they do all that they are commanded." [Sūrah al-Nahl: 50]
Another way this meaning manifests itself is in that His Book, His religion, and His true devotees are high and exalted. In this context, Allah says to Moses to placate his fears: "Fear not! Lo! You are the higher." [Sūrah TāHā: 68]
Likewise, Allah says about the Qur'an: "And surely it is in the original of the Book with Us, truly elevated, full of wisdom." [Sūrah al-Zukhruf: 4]
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, referring to the Qur'an: "With this Book, Allah elevates some people and debases others." [Sahīh Muslim (817)]
In spite of Allah's sublimity and transcendence, He is close to His creatures. He hears them and answers their prayers, no matter how secretive the supplicant might be. Allah says: "(This is) a mention of the mercy of your Lord to His servant Zachariah, when he cried unto his Lord a cry in secret." [Sūrah Maryam: 2-3]
Allah tells us that He hears what is uttered in secret and what is even more hidden. What could be more hidden than what is left unuttered? These are thoughts and feelings that are buried or suppressed so deep in the psyche that a person is not even aware of having them. Allah is so close to us and His knowledge compasses every aspect of our being. His loftiness and His being "established on the Throne" do not come between Him and His knowledge of all things.
Allah describes Himself as "The Lord of the Ways of Ascent" He says: "…Allah, Lord of the Ways of Ascent. The angels and the Spirit ascend unto him in a Day the measure whereof is (as) fifty thousand years." [Sūrah al-Maʿārij: 3-4]
He also speaks of the descent of the angels and the Spirit, as well as the sending down of revelation, as he speaks of the ascension of many things up to Him: "Unto Him ascends the good word and the good deeds He elevates." [Sūrah Fātir: 10]
Speaking about Jesus (peace be upon him) He says "And Allah raised him up, unto Himself." [Sūrah al-Nisā': 158]
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