Abridgement of “at-Tadmuriyyah”
Section: Discourse on Monotheism and the Divine Attributes, and on Law and Decree

• Speech about tawḥīd and the divine attributes belongs to the realm of information: statements that revolve around affirmation and negation issued by the speaker, and that the listener either believes or rejects. Such statements report what is obligatory for Allah—His oneness and the perfection of His attributes—and what is impossible for Him: associating partners with Him, any deficiency, or resemblance to created beings.

A case in point is the Almighty’s words: “Allah—there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Self-Sustaining. Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep” (Q. 2:255). The phrase “there is no deity except Him” affirms His oneness; “the Ever-Living, the Self-Sustaining” affirms the perfection of His attributes; and “neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep” negates deficiency with respect to Him, thereby implying the corresponding perfections.

• Speech about the revealed law (sharʿ) and the divine decree (qadar) falls under the category of requests: statements that alternate between commands and prohibitions issued by the speaker, and that the listener meets with either obedience or disobedience. What is sought is either beloved to Allah and His Messenger, in which case it is commanded, or detested by them, in which case it is forbidden.

An example is His saying: “Worship Allah and do not associate anything with Him” (Q. 4:36);