He said: “As for newly arising attributes that have no existence in external reality, the speculative theologians agree that, where such an attribute is a ‘state,’ it is impossible for the Lord to be characterized by it. The exception is Abū al-Husayn al-Basrī, who said that new states of being knowing arise for Allah Most High as new objects of knowledge arise ن.

As for relations, relative attributes, and connections, all rational thinkers agree that the Lord Most High may be characterized by them. Thus, it may be said that He exists together with the world, though this was not previously the case, and that He is the Creator of the world, though this was not previously the case 0.

As for absences and negations 0, if what is negated is something whose existence in Allah Most High cannot conceivably be supposed, then, by unanimous agreement, that negation cannot arise anew. Examples include His being neither a body, nor a substance, nor an accident, and so forth. But if what is negated is something by which the Lord could conceivably be characterized, such as relations and relative attributes, then it is not impossible for the Lord Most High to be characterized by that negation after