Deliverance from the Cross — Page 99
exaltation was to be towards God and not to heaven, which is conclusive that the exaltation was a spiritual phenomenon. For instance: 'Recite to them the case of him to whom We gave Our Signs, but he passed them by. Then Satan went after him and he became one of those who had gone astray. Had We so willed, We would have exalted him (la rafaanahu) by means of Our Signs, but he leaned towards the earth and followed his vain desires'. (al-A'raf, 7:176-177) This means that the person designated would have been spiritually exalted had he taken advantage of divine signs, but he ignored those signs and leaned towards the earth, that is to say, followed his vain desires. Righteousness brings about spiritual exaltation, and the pursuit of vain desires pulls a person down to earth. At another place it is said: Recite the account of Idris (Enoch) according to this Book; he was indeed a righteous person and a Prophet, and We exalted him to a lofty station'. (Maryam, 19:57-58) The exaltation of Jesus was of the same type. The earth has been appointed as man's natural habitat, 99