before it has come to be, and then know it as existent after it has come into being; in that case He would be knowing the same thing as both nonexistent and existent at one and the same moment, even though it has not yet existed—and that is impossible.

He also raised parallel observations on this point regarding the Divine will.

He continued: Likewise, the Almighty’s statement, “Indeed, We are with you, listening” (26:15), does not imply that He acquires a new faculty of hearing, nor that He needs to make any effort to hear what they say. A group of