the celestial sphere moves in order to resemble Him. This is more untenable than the former view in several respects, but this is not the place to elaborate on that.

The purpose here is simply to draw attention to Allah Most High’s words:

“and was not wearied by creating them.”

These words point to the realities that require the Creator of the heavens and the earth to be described as possessing attributes of perfection and originating acts. This, in turn, necessarily entails His power to bring the dead to life. A full explanation would be lengthy.

Among the things that demonstrate how Allah forsakes the people of innovation and those who oppose the Quran and Sunnah is that these two questions—begetting and resurrection—lie at the very foundation of the views of those astray, such as the eternalists among the philosophers and others. They say that the intellects were begotten of Allah, and they deny that Allah will bring the dead to life.

In the Sahīh collection, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is reported to have said:

“Allah Most High says: ‘The son of Adam has reviled Me, though he has no right to do so, and the son of Adam has called Me a liar, though he has no right to do so. As for his reviling Me, it is his saying that I have taken a child, whereas I am the One, the Self-Sufficient: I neither beget nor was I begotten, and none is equal to Me. As for his calling Me a liar, it is his saying that I will not bring him back as I first created him, yet the first creation is no easier for Me than bringing it back.’”

This is reported in the Sahīh collection through more than one chain of transmission from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), in the hadiths of Abū Hurayra and Ibn ‘Abbās.