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The Term Hayyiz: ÍíñÒ As far as the people of  'ilm al-kalaam (scholastic theologians) are concerned, the meaning of the hayyiz   is, "the imaginary portion of space occupied by a thing having extent, as a body; or by a thing not having extent, as an indivisible substance unit or atom."  Anything which is aimed at or towards is a mutahayyiz (i.e. occupies a hayyiz ), though this has no linguistic basis.  According to their terminology, the "body" is something which one can aim to or towards and therefore it is a mutahayyiz .  Accordingly, the heavens and the earth and what is in between are mutahayyiz.   Introducing this discussion is essential in understanding the intended objectives behind the use of such terminology.  So, upon hearing and (or) reading a general negation that Allaah is not mutahayyiz   then one should not reject or affirm this generalization until he knows the intended meaning of this generalized term.  In practice, this translates into the following points:   1.  Suppose that someone says that Allaah (subhaanahu wa ta 'ala) cannot be described as being mutahayyiz .  If he understands the term mutahayyiz   in it's linguistic sense (i.e. being surrounded by an existing thing), then this is true, for Allaah (subhaanahu wa ta 'ala) is not enclosed by anything, and He ('azza wa jell) is totally distinct and separate from His creation.  He is the Most Great and His kursi extends over and encompasses the heavens and the earth!  He (subhaanahu wa ta 'ala) said:  Az-Zumar (39):67 æóãóÇ ÞóÏóÑõæÇ Çááøóåó ÍóÞøó ÞóÏúÑöåö æóÇáúÃóÑúÖõ ÌóãöíÚðÇ ÞóÈúÖóÊõåõ íóæúãó ÇáúÞöíóÇãóÉö æóÇáÓøóãÇæóÇÊõ ãóØúæöíøóÇÊñ Èöíóãöíäöåö ÓõÈúÍóÇäóåõ æóÊóÚóÇáóì ÚóãøóÇ íõÔúÑößõæäó They made not a just estimate of Allâh such as is due to Him. And on the Day of Resurrection the whole of the earth will be grasped by His Hand[] and the heavens will be rolled up in His Right Hand. Glorified is He, and High is He above all that they associate as partners with Him!    2.  On the other hand, the hayyiz   is linguistically not limited to the external and separate thing which encloses or contains something else.  It also refers to the defining limits or lateral portions of an entity itself, and thus is not extrinsic.  So, if someone says that Allaah , being above the entire world, is enclosed within something existing such that it does not fall under the meaning of the Essence, then He is lying.  Anything which is apart from the Essence of Allaah is from the world, and Allaah, the Most High, is distinct and separated from the world. 3.  If someones says I affirm the term hayyiz   to mean that Allaah is distinct and High above creation, not commixed with them, then we say that the meaning is true and it is affirmed by the Qur'aan and authentic Sunnah,  Affirming the term itself, however, is an innovation.