Where is Allah?

Time and space were created by Allah and signify limitation. Therefore, being confined by time or space is a characteristic of created beings. Allah, however, is the Creator. Thus, Allah cannot be described as being limited by time or space.

Transcendent above time and space, Allah the Exalted is always near to His servants and with them. Indeed, there are many verses in the Qur’an expressing this meaning: “And when My servants ask you concerning Me, indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me. So let them respond to Me and believe in Me that they may be rightly guided.” (al-Baqarah, 2/186), “We have certainly created man and We know what his soul whispers to him, and We are closer to him than [his] jugular vein.” (Qaf, 50/16), “It is He who created the heavens and the earth in six days and then established Himself above the Throne... And He is with you wherever you are. And Allah is Seeing of what you do.” (al-Hadid, 57/4)

Interpretations based on allegorical verses such as “The Most Merciful established Himself above the Throne.” (Taha, 20/5), claiming that Allah is in the sky, have not been accepted by the majority of Islamic scholars. The meanings of these and similar verses are allegorical and express the transcendence of Allah. Although we know Allah the Exalted through His attributes, He (Glorified and Exalted is He) is beyond our comprehension and imagination in His essence. What is incumbent upon the believer is to act with the awareness that He is closer to us than our jugular vein, to turn to his Lord with faith and deeds, and to strive to fulfill his duty of servitude.

Source: T.C. Diyanet İşleri Başkanlığı, Din İşleri Yüksek Kurulu