in an absolute sense.” He then said: “He alone possesses knowledge, perfection, judgment, and choice; He alone possesses irresistible dominion and might; He alone creates and originates.” He also said: “With all these particularizations, perfection is impossible for them, even if their attributes are complete.”

[Ibn Taymiyyah’s Commentary]

I say: It is well known that this is a contradiction. Denying that He is distinguished by any particular characteristic, and claiming that He is absolute existence, not distinguished in any respect, precludes His being distinguished by knowledge, power, will, or similar attributes. One who knows is distinguished by his knowledge from one who is ignorant ن; one who is capable is distinguished by his power from one who is incapable ن; and one who chooses is distinguished by his choice from one who is compelled. If he affirms any attribute of perfection, he has thereby affirmed that He is distinguished by it. If he denies all attributes and affirms only absolute existence, his statements contradict one another.

He is also told: The absolute exists only in the mind, not in external reality ن. Thus, nothing absolute can conceivably exist in external reality: neither an absolute animal, nor an absolute human being, nor an absolute body, nor an absolute existent. Rather, every existent has a reality of its own that no other shares.

He is also asked: Is this absolute existence the existence of created things, or is it something else? If he says it is the very same, his affirmation of the Creator is invalidated. If he says it is something else, he is asked: