“…it is not denial but a perceived discrepancy,” the man replied.

Ibn ʿAbbās said (1), “Come, then; present whatever has arisen in your mind.”

The man continued, “I hear Allah saying,

‘On that Day no bonds of kinship shall remain between them, nor will they question one another.’ (2)

Yet in another verse He says,

‘They will turn to one another and begin to question each other.’ (3)

He also says,

‘They will not be able to hide any statement from Allah.’ (4)

But elsewhere He says,

‘By Allah, our Lord, we were never polytheists.’ (5)

—so in that verse they are plainly concealing!

And regarding His words,

‘Did He build the heaven? (27) He raised its canopy and perfected it, (28) He darkened its night and brought forth its daylight, (29) then, after that, He spread out the earth, (30) bringing forth from it its water and its pasture,’ (6)

this passage mentions the creation of the heaven before the earth.

Yet in another place He says,

‘Do you really disbelieve in the One who created the earth in two days… and He placed firm mountains upon it, blessed it, and apportioned its sustenance in four days, equal for those who ask; then He turned to the heaven while it was smoke and said to it and to the earth, “Come, willingly or unwillingly,” and they said, “We come willingly.”’ (7)

He also says,

‘And Allah has always been All-Forgiving, Most Merciful,’ (8)

‘And Allah has always been Almighty, All-Wise,’ (9)

‘And Allah has always been All-Hearing, All-Seeing.’ (10)

It almost sounds as though He once possessed these attributes and then they ceased!”

Ibn ʿAbbās said, “Produce whatever else remains in your heart concerning this.”

The questioner replied, “If you can explain these matters to me…”