and a resemblance that enables us to understand what He intended by His words, even though those things differ from these in another respect. As Ibn ‘Abbās said:

“Nothing in this world corresponds to what is in Paradise except the names.”

Al-A‘mash transmitted this from Abū Zabyān, from Ibn ‘Abbās. Others also transmitted it, among them Muhammad ibn Jarīr al-Tabarī in his Quran commentary, concerning the words:

“And they will be given things in resemblance.” [al-Baqarah: 25]

If created beings differ from one another while sharing a common element that entails correspondence and resemblance in certain respects, then clearly the difference and distinction between the Creator and creation are greater than those between one created being and another. This requires us to deny that His attributes are identical to those of His creation, and establishes that the distinction and difference between them are greater than those between one created being and another. Yet, were there not, between the respective referents of “existent,” “living,” “knowing,” “powerful,” and similar terms, a shared meaning consistently applicable to both, involving correspondence and resemblance, that