Third:

If we were to suppose a being other than Him that is necessarily existent in itself, or a being brought into existence by that necessarily existent being, and that the knower’s own essence necessitates knowledge of it, then, on this supposition, such knowledge would be a perfection for Him. His necessary existence would not rule it out.

Fourth:

Even if this were supposed to constitute attaining perfection through another, they have no evidence for denying it—whether on grounds of necessary existence, of His entitlement to perfection, or of anything else. Rather, the evidence requires its affirmation.

[The third ground]

In response to Ibn Sīnā’s objection, it may be said:

He says: “It is not possible for Him to apprehend things from things. Otherwise, either His essence is constituted by what it apprehends, in which case He would be constituted by things, or apprehension is accidental to His essence, in which case it would not be necessarily existent in every respect.”

He may be answered:

When you say that He “apprehends things from things,” do you mean that things make Him a knower by imparting knowledge of themselves to Him? Or do you mean that His knowledge of things requires the actual existence of the object known? Or do you mean that His knowledge of things comes after the object known comes into existence?

As for the first meaning, no Muslim affirms it. Rather, Muslims agree that Allah has no need of anything besides Himself, whether in His knowledge of things or in any other respect. Indeed, everyone besides Him who possesses knowledge is taught by Him from His knowledge.

Allah Most High has said:

“They encompass nothing of His knowledge except what He wills.”

[Al-Baqarah: 255].