Yet what he said is a necessary consequence for those Jahmīs and philosophers who deny the attributes and posit an essence without attributes, or an absolute existence distinguished by nothing in particular. Neither perfection nor deficiency can be conceived of in such a thing.
Aristotle is among those who deny the attributes, yet he supposed that He is perfect in one case but not in another, and regarded one of the two conditions as more perfect for Him than the other.
Aristotle’s followers say: “This can only be conceived with regard to relations and negations.”
They may be told: “As for relations, you hold that they newly arise. If you say that they constitute perfection, it follows that perfection newly arises in Him, contrary to your own principle. If you say that they do not constitute perfection, then positing perfection becomes untenable, since deficiency cannot be conceived.”
It may, however, be said that deficiency cannot be conceived in a single entity stripped of attributes, as Abū al-Barakāt said. Yet one can conceive of a perfection yet to be attained and negate it; this is what Aristotle negated. Abū al-Barakāt, however, located perfection in the very power inseparable from Him, not in anything yet to be attained.
But Abū al-Barakāt is among those who affirm the attributes. Thus, his statement concerning the impossibility of deficiency in that which is one in every respect establishes that deficiency is impossible for Him, and that its impossibility is due to His perfection. His action therefore proceeds from His perfection.
[Refutation of Aristotle on grounds other than those mentioned by Ibn Malkā. First response]
Refutation of Aristotle on grounds other than those mentioned by Ibn Malkā.
First response
It may be said: Aristotle’s specious argument can be answered on grounds other than those mentioned by Abū al-Barakāt.
One may say: Knowledge is inseparable from His essence eternally, without beginning or end; it is not something that newly arises. There is therefore no need to say that His perfection consists in His capacity for intellection, as Abū al-Barakāt said.