changes of state such as illnesses, distress, sorrow, and the like, as when one says, “Something has happened to so-and-so.” Many of them also use “newly occurring things” to refer to acts of disobedience, sins, and similar matters, as is well known.

The actual point of dispute, however, is whether anything connected with His will and power subsists in Him: whether actions, such as His istiwā’ toward something other than Himself and His istiwā’ over it, His coming, arrival, descent, and the like; utterances and words; states, such as joy, anger, volitions, pleasure, laughter, and the like; or knowledge and perception, such as hearing, sight, and knowledge of something as existing after knowing that it would exist. Accordingly, his statement, “Rational people, whether adherents of religious traditions or others, agree that this is impossible, except that the Karrāmiyyah…,” and so forth, is not an accurate account.

As for adherents of religious traditions, nothing may be attributed to them in that capacity except what is established from the messenger who brought their religion—may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him—or what its scholars have unanimously agreed upon. What some adherents say on the basis of their own opinion or inference, while others dispute it, may not be attributed to the religion itself. It is well known that no one can transmit anything from Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, or from his fellow messengers, such as Moses and Jesus, may Allah’s blessings be upon them both, that supports the position of those who deny the divine attributes, whether explicitly or by its apparent meaning. Rather, the divine scriptures