Second: demonstrating the falsity of his views and of their views on which they agreed with them.

As for the first, these people agreed with him in denying the divine attributes and holding that true monotheism is the monotheism of the Jahmiyya. This entails that Allah has no knowledge, power, speech, or mercy; that He will not be seen in the Hereafter; and that He is not above the world. Thus, there is no God above the Throne, no Lord over the heavens, and Muhammad was not taken up to his Lord.

At best, in their view, the Quran is something created that He brought into being in something other than Himself—if it is not an emanation that flowed into the Messenger’s soul. They also hold that hands are not raised towards Him—glorified is He—in supplication; that nothing ascends to Him and nothing descends from Him, whether an angel or anything else; that no one draws near to Him, nothing approaches Him, and He does not draw near to anyone; that He does not manifest Himself to anything; and that there is no veil between Him and His creation. They hold that He neither loves nor hates, is neither pleased nor angry; that He is neither inside the world nor outside it, neither distinct from the world nor dwelling within it; and that no created being is distinguished by being with Him. Rather, all creation is with Him, contrary to His words, Most High:

“To Him belongs whoever is in the heavens and the earth, and those who are with Him.” Al-Anbiyā’, 19.

They further hold that when He is called Living, Knowing, Powerful, Hearing, and Seeing, He is living without life, knowing without knowledge, powerful without power, hearing without hearing, and seeing without sight. These and similar attributes are what the Jahmiyya call “monotheism” when they deny them. They call themselves “the people of monotheism,” as do the Jahmiyya among the Mu‘tazila and others, and as Ibn