Excerpt from the book: "Allāh Kahān Hai?" by Shaykh Ghulām Mustafa Zaheer Amunpuri
﴿وَقَالَ فِرْعَوْنُ يَا هَامَانُ ابْنِ لِي صَرْحًا لَعَلِّي أَبْلُغُ ٱلْأَسْبَٰبَ . أَسْبَٰبَ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ فَأَطَّلِعَ إِلَىٰ إِلَٰهِ مُوسَىٰ وَإِنِّي لَأَظُنُّهُۥ كَٰذِبًا﴾
(Surah al-Mu’min: 36–37)
“And Pharaoh said: ‘O Hāmān! Build for me a high tower so that I may reach the pathways — the pathways of the heavens — and may look upon the God of Mūsā. But indeed, I think he is a liar.’”
“O people of intellect! Hear yet another proof from the Book of Allah that Allah, Glorious and Exalted, is above the heavens. This verse also proves that even Pharaoh — despite his disbelief and arrogance — learned this from Mūsā (ʿalayhis salām). He realized that the Creator of humankind is above the heavens.
Did you not hear the statement of Allah where He quotes Pharaoh saying:
﴿يَا هَامَانُ ٱبْنِ لِي صَرْحًا لَعَلِّي أَبْلُغُ ٱلْأَسْبَٰبَ ﴾
– ‘O Hāmān, build for me a high tower so I may reach the paths of the heavens and look upon the God of Mūsā.’
Pharaoh, accursed by Allah, ordered the construction of a lofty structure thinking he could look upon the God of Mūsā.
His statement, ‘Indeed, I think he is a liar’, indicates that Mūsā (ʿalayhis salām) had informed him that his Lord is above and exalted.
I think Pharaoh only called Mūsā a liar as a means to deceive his people, just as Allah said:
﴿وَجَحَدُوا بِهَا وَٱسْتَيْقَنَتْهَا أَنفُسُهُمْ ظُلْمًا وَعُلُوًّا﴾
“They denied them, while their hearts were convinced of them, out of injustice and arrogance.”
That is, their tongues denied while their hearts were certain.
It’s likely Pharaoh told his people: ‘I think he is a liar’, whereas in his heart, he believed Mūsā was truthful — not a liar.
As for Khalīlullāh Ibrāhīm (ʿalayhis salām), even in his initial contemplation of the stars, moon, and sun, he understood that his Creator is above His creation. He did not seek the knowledge of his Creator by looking below, but by looking above, firmly convinced that his Lord is above the heavens, not on earth.”
(Kitāb at-Tawḥīd: 1/283–284)
“Pharaoh knew — despite his disbelief and rebellion — that Allah is above the heavens. He said:
﴿يَا هَامَانُ ٱبْنِ لِي صَرْحًا لَعَلِّي أَبْلُغُ ٱلْأَسْبَٰبَ ﴾
– ‘O Hāmān, build me a tower so I may reach the pathways of the heavens and look upon the God of Mūsā.’
This verse is a clear and explicit evidence that Mūsā (ʿalayhis salām) used to call Pharaoh to recognize that Allah is above the heavens.
That is why Pharaoh commanded the construction of a lofty tower intending to look toward Allah.”
(ar-Radd ʿala al-Jahmiyyah: p. 23)
“Pharaoh denied Mūsā’s statement that Allah is above the heavens.”
(al-Ibānah fī Uṣūl ad-Diyānah: p. 105)
“Whoever says that there is no Lord above the Throne or no Creator above the heavens — and that there is nothing but nonexistence and negation in that direction — is a negator and disbeliever in the Lord of the Worlds, following Pharaoh who said:
﴿يَا هَامَانُ ٱبْنِ لِي صَرْحًا...﴾
– ‘O Hāmān, build me a lofty tower…’
In contrast, the Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Ḥadīth and the Salaf of the Ummah unanimously agree that Allah is above His heavens, over His Throne, distinct from His creation.
There is nothing of His creation within Him, and nothing of Him exists within His creation.
This belief is grounded in the textual evidences of the Qur’an and Sunnah, and the consensus of the Salaf and Imams of the Sunnah — in fact, of all the believers from the earliest to the latest generations.
The Salaf also agreed that whoever interprets ‘istawā’ (ascended) as ‘istawlà’ (conquered), or in a way that denies Allah being above the heavens, then such a person is a Jahmī and misguided.”
(al-Fatāwā al-Kubrā: 1/147)
And he further said:
“Those who deny this belief (Allah being above the heavens) are partners with Pharaoh in denying Mūsā.”
(Bayān Talbīs al-Jahmiyyah: p. 354)
“Allah informed us that Pharaoh attempted to ascend the heavens to observe the God of Mūsā and deny what Mūsā informed him – that Allah is above the heavens.
Pharaoh said:
﴿فَأَطَّلِعَ إِلَىٰ إِلَٰهِ مُوسَىٰ وَإِنِّي لَأَظُنُّهُۥ كَٰذِبًا﴾
– ‘…so that I may look upon the God of Mūsā. But I think he is a liar.’
According to the Jahmiyyah, there is no difference between affirming that Allah is above the heavens and saying that He eats and drinks.
They believe Pharaoh purified Allah from something improper (being above) and claimed that Mūsā lied.
In their view, anyone who says Allah is above the heavens is a liar — hence, they are in agreement with Pharaoh and in opposition to Mūsā and all the Prophets.
That is why the Imams of the Sunnah named them ‘Pharaonists’, saying they are worse than the Jahmiyyah.
The Jahmiyyah say that Allah is everywhere, while these people completely negate Allah’s existence and ascribe to Him attributes of total nonexistence.
Any group from mankind that affirms a Creator in any way — their belief is better than that of these people.”
(Iʿlām al-Muwaqqiʿīn: 2/283)
He further wrote:
“Pharaoh understood from Mūsā (ʿalayhis salām) that his Lord is above the heavens, hence he wanted to ascend to view Him and accused Mūsā of lying.
But the Jahmiyyah don't even know that Allah exists above them in His essence.
So they are less intelligent than Pharaoh — rather, more misguided.”
(Ijtimāʿ al-Juyūsh al-Islāmiyyah: p. 82)
“Whoever denies the exaltedness of Allah — like the Jahmiyyah — is a Pharaonist.
And whoever affirms it is Mūsawī and Muḥammadī.”
(Sharḥ al-ʿAqīdah aṭ-Ṭaḥāwiyyah: p. 186)
❖ What Was the Belief Stated by Sayyidunā Mūsā (ʿAlayhis Salām)?
Qur’anic Verse:
﴿وَقَالَ فِرْعَوْنُ يَا هَامَانُ ابْنِ لِي صَرْحًا لَعَلِّي أَبْلُغُ ٱلْأَسْبَٰبَ . أَسْبَٰبَ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ فَأَطَّلِعَ إِلَىٰ إِلَٰهِ مُوسَىٰ وَإِنِّي لَأَظُنُّهُۥ كَٰذِبًا﴾
(Surah al-Mu’min: 36–37)
“And Pharaoh said: ‘O Hāmān! Build for me a high tower so that I may reach the pathways — the pathways of the heavens — and may look upon the God of Mūsā. But indeed, I think he is a liar.’”
❖ Commentary by Scholars of the Salaf
✿ Imām al-A’immah Ibn Khuzaymah (d. 311 AH) wrote:
“O people of intellect! Hear yet another proof from the Book of Allah that Allah, Glorious and Exalted, is above the heavens. This verse also proves that even Pharaoh — despite his disbelief and arrogance — learned this from Mūsā (ʿalayhis salām). He realized that the Creator of humankind is above the heavens.
Did you not hear the statement of Allah where He quotes Pharaoh saying:
﴿يَا هَامَانُ ٱبْنِ لِي صَرْحًا لَعَلِّي أَبْلُغُ ٱلْأَسْبَٰبَ ﴾
– ‘O Hāmān, build for me a high tower so I may reach the paths of the heavens and look upon the God of Mūsā.’
Pharaoh, accursed by Allah, ordered the construction of a lofty structure thinking he could look upon the God of Mūsā.
His statement, ‘Indeed, I think he is a liar’, indicates that Mūsā (ʿalayhis salām) had informed him that his Lord is above and exalted.
I think Pharaoh only called Mūsā a liar as a means to deceive his people, just as Allah said:
﴿وَجَحَدُوا بِهَا وَٱسْتَيْقَنَتْهَا أَنفُسُهُمْ ظُلْمًا وَعُلُوًّا﴾
“They denied them, while their hearts were convinced of them, out of injustice and arrogance.”
That is, their tongues denied while their hearts were certain.
It’s likely Pharaoh told his people: ‘I think he is a liar’, whereas in his heart, he believed Mūsā was truthful — not a liar.
As for Khalīlullāh Ibrāhīm (ʿalayhis salām), even in his initial contemplation of the stars, moon, and sun, he understood that his Creator is above His creation. He did not seek the knowledge of his Creator by looking below, but by looking above, firmly convinced that his Lord is above the heavens, not on earth.”
(Kitāb at-Tawḥīd: 1/283–284)
✿ Imām ʿUthmān ibn Saʿīd ad-Dārimī (d. 280 AH) said:
“Pharaoh knew — despite his disbelief and rebellion — that Allah is above the heavens. He said:
﴿يَا هَامَانُ ٱبْنِ لِي صَرْحًا لَعَلِّي أَبْلُغُ ٱلْأَسْبَٰبَ ﴾
– ‘O Hāmān, build me a tower so I may reach the pathways of the heavens and look upon the God of Mūsā.’
This verse is a clear and explicit evidence that Mūsā (ʿalayhis salām) used to call Pharaoh to recognize that Allah is above the heavens.
That is why Pharaoh commanded the construction of a lofty tower intending to look toward Allah.”
(ar-Radd ʿala al-Jahmiyyah: p. 23)
✿ Imām Abū al-Ḥasan al-Ashʿarī (d. 324 AH) stated:
“Pharaoh denied Mūsā’s statement that Allah is above the heavens.”
(al-Ibānah fī Uṣūl ad-Diyānah: p. 105)
✿ Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah (d. 728 AH) said:
“Whoever says that there is no Lord above the Throne or no Creator above the heavens — and that there is nothing but nonexistence and negation in that direction — is a negator and disbeliever in the Lord of the Worlds, following Pharaoh who said:
﴿يَا هَامَانُ ٱبْنِ لِي صَرْحًا...﴾
– ‘O Hāmān, build me a lofty tower…’
In contrast, the Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Ḥadīth and the Salaf of the Ummah unanimously agree that Allah is above His heavens, over His Throne, distinct from His creation.
There is nothing of His creation within Him, and nothing of Him exists within His creation.
This belief is grounded in the textual evidences of the Qur’an and Sunnah, and the consensus of the Salaf and Imams of the Sunnah — in fact, of all the believers from the earliest to the latest generations.
The Salaf also agreed that whoever interprets ‘istawā’ (ascended) as ‘istawlà’ (conquered), or in a way that denies Allah being above the heavens, then such a person is a Jahmī and misguided.”
(al-Fatāwā al-Kubrā: 1/147)
And he further said:
“Those who deny this belief (Allah being above the heavens) are partners with Pharaoh in denying Mūsā.”
(Bayān Talbīs al-Jahmiyyah: p. 354)
✿ Shaykh al-Islām Thānī, Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah (d. 751 AH) wrote:
“Allah informed us that Pharaoh attempted to ascend the heavens to observe the God of Mūsā and deny what Mūsā informed him – that Allah is above the heavens.
Pharaoh said:
﴿فَأَطَّلِعَ إِلَىٰ إِلَٰهِ مُوسَىٰ وَإِنِّي لَأَظُنُّهُۥ كَٰذِبًا﴾
– ‘…so that I may look upon the God of Mūsā. But I think he is a liar.’
According to the Jahmiyyah, there is no difference between affirming that Allah is above the heavens and saying that He eats and drinks.
They believe Pharaoh purified Allah from something improper (being above) and claimed that Mūsā lied.
In their view, anyone who says Allah is above the heavens is a liar — hence, they are in agreement with Pharaoh and in opposition to Mūsā and all the Prophets.
That is why the Imams of the Sunnah named them ‘Pharaonists’, saying they are worse than the Jahmiyyah.
The Jahmiyyah say that Allah is everywhere, while these people completely negate Allah’s existence and ascribe to Him attributes of total nonexistence.
Any group from mankind that affirms a Creator in any way — their belief is better than that of these people.”
(Iʿlām al-Muwaqqiʿīn: 2/283)
He further wrote:
“Pharaoh understood from Mūsā (ʿalayhis salām) that his Lord is above the heavens, hence he wanted to ascend to view Him and accused Mūsā of lying.
But the Jahmiyyah don't even know that Allah exists above them in His essence.
So they are less intelligent than Pharaoh — rather, more misguided.”
(Ijtimāʿ al-Juyūsh al-Islāmiyyah: p. 82)
✿ Imām Ibn Abī al-ʿIzz al-Ḥanafī (d. 792 AH) said:
“Whoever denies the exaltedness of Allah — like the Jahmiyyah — is a Pharaonist.
And whoever affirms it is Mūsawī and Muḥammadī.”
(Sharḥ al-ʿAqīdah aṭ-Ṭaḥāwiyyah: p. 186)
