What is the ruling on one who believes that the 'Arsh (Throne) is spherical and not dome-shaped, as Ibn Taymiyyah preferred? Is this considered a violation of the consensus of the Ummah? Is it permissible to hold such a belief, or to suspend judgment on it due to its difficulty? And how can one reconcile affirming that the 'Arsh is dome-shaped and above us in the sense of elevation directly above our heads, with the intention of Allah being in the sense of elevation for someone opposite us on the other side of the Earth, especially with the Earth's rotation around its own axis?

The top and bottom of the celestial spheres do not change; the circumference is the top and the center is the bottom. The surface of the earth, where people, animals, and trees reside, is what Allah has made firm. As for the other side of the earth, the sea surrounds it, and there are no human beings there. If one were to imagine someone being there, they would be on the surface of the earth. Just as the sides of the earth and the round celestial sphere are not one above another or one below another, similarly, whoever is on the earth cannot be said to be below those (on the other side). This is an illusion because "top" and "bottom" here are relative.