‘generosity’ here amounts to an attribute of action: the Lord Most High brings things into existence and acts without any purpose that benefits Him, whether by deriving benefit or averting harm. On this understanding, we do not concede that attributes of action are among His perfections. This is not self-evident, so he must provide proof. Indeed, how could it be otherwise, when, if this were a perfection, the perfection of the Necessary Existent would depend on the existence of an effect proceeding from Him? It is impossible for the nobler being to derive its perfection from its own effect, as they have argued concerning existence through will.

Even if we concede that it is a perfection, its absence from eternity would constitute an imperfection only if the world’s existence from eternity were possible—a premise we do not concede. This is akin to their argument that His not bringing into existence beings subject to generation and corruption, such as elemental substantial forms and human souls, entails no imperfection in Him, since their existence from eternity without mediation is impossible. Nor does the impossibility of the world’s existence from eternity entail that its coming into existence is impossible, as we have established.”

Thus, if the Karrāmiyya were to answer him with the very reply he gave here, their answer to him would be better than his answer to those others; and the least that can be said of it is