the Anthropomorphists—as he claims—: "And they unanimously agreed that He is in the upward direction." End quote.
Even more astonishing is that they relate a disagreement regarding the disbelief of one who affirms the direction of highness for Allah Almighty over His creation, as Ibn Ḥajar al-Haytamī the Ash'arite said: "If one says: 'Allah is in the heaven,' it is said: he disbelieves, and it is said: no. Those who affirm direction do not disbelieve according to the correct view; yes, if they believe the necessary consequence of their statement, such as origination or otherwise, they disbelieve by Consensus!!" End quote.
[Ārāʾ Ibn Ḥajar al-Iʿtiqādiyya (p. 304)].
Thus, the Muʿaṭṭila negate direction from Allah Almighty, intending by that: the negation of Allah Almighty's highness over His creation and His establishment over His Throne, and they are the ones intended by al-Dashtī, may Allah have mercy on him.
Ibn al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy on him, said: "Likewise is their statement: 'We declare Him transcendent above (direction).' If you mean that He is transcendent above an existential direction that encompasses, contains, and confines Him like a receptacle confines its contents, then yes, He is greater, larger, and higher than that; however, His being above His Throne does not necessitate this meaning.
"But if you mean by direction a matter that necessitates the Creator's distinctness from the creation, His highness over His creation, and His establishment over His Throne, then your negation of this meaning is false. Naming it (direction) is a terminology of yours which you used as a means to negate what reason, transmitted evidence, and innate disposition indicate. Thus, you named what is above the world (direction), and said: 'He is transcendent above directions.' You named the Throne: (a spatial bound), and said: 'He is not spatially bound.' You named the attributes: (accidents), and said: 'The Lord is transcendent above accidents subsisting in Him.' You named His wisdom: (an ulterior motive), and said: 'He is transcendent above ulterior motives.' You named His speaking by His will, His descent to the lowest heaven, His coming on the Day of Resurrection to judge, His will and volition that coincide with His intended object, His perception that coincides with the existence of the perceived object, His anger when disobeyed, His pleasure when obeyed, His joy when His servants repent to Him, and His calling out to Moses when he came to the tree: (originated events), and you said: 'He is transcendent above the inherence of originated events.' The reality of this transcendence is that He is transcendent above existence, above divinity, above lordship, above sovereignty, and above being the Doer of whatever He wills—rather, above life and self-subsistence.
"So look at what lies beneath the transcendence of the negating Muʿaṭṭila in their saying: He is not a (body), nor a (substance), nor (composed), nor do (accidents subsist in Him), nor is He (described with parts), nor does He (act for ulterior motives), nor do (originated events inhere in Him), nor do (directions encompass Him), nor is it said regarding Him:
