an agent; rather, they belong to it without a cause. Accidental magnitudes, by contrast, are affirmed of a thing as attributable to an agent, since they are conferred upon it through a cause.

Another answer is that, even if an attribute beyond the eight were posited, it would necessarily be either an attribute of praise and perfection or an attribute of blame and deficiency. If it were an attribute of perfection, its present absence would constitute a deficiency; if it were an attribute of deficiency, its absence would be necessary. Once both alternatives are ruled out, it follows that He is not characterized by any attribute beyond the eight.”

He said: “What we have mentioned gives rise to the question: may the Creator, exalted is He, have a uniquely distinctive attribute that we cannot apprehend? This question differs from the first: the first questioner asked, ‘May His attributes exceed the eight attributes?’ The second questioner asked, ‘Does He have a uniquely distinctive attribute that distinguishes Him