Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah.
It is obligatory to believe that Allah تعالى is Al-‘Aliyy Al-A‘la (the Most High), and that He سبحانه is above everything, established above His Throne in a manner befitting His Majesty. It is not permissible to believe that Allah تعالى is inside Paradise or indwelling in any of His creations. Rather, He سبحانه is above the Throne, the Throne is the roof of Al-Firdaws, and Al-Firdaws is the highest part of Paradise. It is also obligatory to believe that Allah تعالى is Al-Kabir Al-Muta‘al (the Most Great, the Most Exalted), and that He is greater and more magnificent than everything.
One of the foundations of faith is that Allah سبحانه وتعالى is Al-‘Aliyy Al-A‘la (the Most High) and that He is established above the Throne, as He has informed us about Himself in His Book.
The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said in his supplication:
“And You are the Most High, and there is nothing above You.”
Thus, Allah سبحانه is above everything. He is the Most High, the Most Great, and none of His creations encompasses Him.
Despite the perfection of Allah’s تعالى exaltedness and greatness, it is impossible for Him to indwell in any of His creations. Therefore, it is not correct to say that Allah تعالى is inside Paradise or dwelling within it.
Rather, Allah سبحانه is above the Throne, and the Throne is the roof of Al-Firdaws, while Al-Firdaws is the highest part of Paradise.
The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:
“When you ask Allah for Paradise, ask Him for Al-Firdaws, for it is the highest part of Paradise, the middle of Paradise, and its roof is the Throne of Ar-Rahman.”
This demonstrates that Paradise is created, that the Throne of Ar-Rahman is above Al-Firdaws, and that Allah تعالى is above the Throne.
It is likewise obligatory to believe that Allah سبحانه is Al-Kabir Al-Muta‘al, and that He is greater and more magnificent than everything.
Among the manifestations of His greatness and power is what He سبحانه has informed us about Himself:
﴿وَمَا قَدَرُوا اللَّهَ حَقَّ قَدْرِهِ وَالْأَرْضُ جَمِيعًا قَبْضَتُهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَالسَّمَاوَاتُ مَطْوِيَّاتٌ بِيَمِينِهِ سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ﴾
[Az-Zumar: 67]
Believing in Allah’s greatness, magnificence, and exaltedness is therefore part of believing in what Allah has described Himself with and what His Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم described Him with.
Alongside belief in Allah’s exaltedness and greatness, a Muslim must not try to speculate about the nature of Allah’s Essence or imagine its reality. Human intellects are incapable of comprehending the reality of the Essence of the Lord سبحانه or the manner of His Attributes.
Among the well-known statements attributed to Imam Malik رحمه الله, when he was asked about the manner of Allah’s Istiwa’ (rising/establishment):
“The Istiwa’ is known, its manner is unknown, believing in it is obligatory, and asking about it is an innovation.”
The obligation is therefore to believe in what Allah has informed us about Himself, while declaring Him far above resembling His creation, without attempting to imagine the manner of His Attributes.
Allah تعالى is above Paradise, not inside it, nor indwelling in any of His creations. He is above the Throne, which is the roof of Al-Firdaws, and Al-Firdaws is the highest part of Paradise. It is obligatory to believe that He سبحانه is Al-‘Aliyy Al-A‘la, Al-Kabir Al-Muta‘al, and that He is greater and more magnificent than everything.
As for the nature of Allah’s Essence and Attributes, only Allah knows it. It is not permissible for a created being to imagine it or encompass it with the intellect.
And Allah knows best.