Islam and the Quran

Where is God?

Question: Where is God? Is there actually an answer in the Quran about where The Almighty dwells? Is God in the heaven according to verse 67:16?

The following verse seems to suggest that God is  in the heavens:

“Are you confident that the One in heaven will not cause the earth to swallow you up? Then lo! it begins to quake.” (67:16)

Yet, we know through other verses that God is everywhere with His power and knowledge, and He is everywhere with His essence. He is closer to us than our nerve endings (50:16). Therefore, the expression “the One in the heaven” is not to designate a place for Him but to express His glory and highness. Some of the verses that give information about God’s place are below:

“He is God in the heavens and on earth; He knows all your secrets and what you reveal, and He knows what you earn.” (6:3)

It is He who is God in heaven, and God on earth. He is the All-Wise, the All-Knowing. (43:84)

“Are you not aware that Allah knows whatever is in the skies and whatever is in the earth? Never is there any whispering among three but He is their fourth, nor among five but He is their sixth, nor fewer nor more but He is with them wherever they may be. And then He will tell them on the Day of Judgement all that they have done. Surely Allah knows everything.” (58:7)

“(…) He is with you wherever you are. Allah sees all that you do.” (57:4)

“Surely We have created man and We know what his ownself whispers to him since We are closer to him than his nerve endings.” (50:16)

“No visual perception can encompass Him, while He encompasses all visual perception. He is the Subtle, the Aware.” (6:103)

Allah is in a form that we cannot perceive. We cannot even try to imagine His physical state. He is beyond every thought we can have because He says:

“(…) There is nothing like Him. He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.” (42:11)

 

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