Its purport is that God, exalted is He, has never ceased—nor will He ever cease—to be described with the attributes of perfection: He has ever been All-Powerful, ever All-Knowing, ever speaking when He wills, and ever acting as He wills. The Most High has never lacked any possible perfection; on the contrary, He alone is entitled to every kind of perfection that can exist, and this is necessarily His due. Human beings are incapable of comprehending the full measure of praise and extolment that the Lord deserves; indeed, the one among them who knew Him best said, “I cannot enumerate praise of You; You are as You have praised Yourself.”

Praise and commendation are expressed only for positive realities or for what entails such realities; sheer non-existence carries no praise or extolment, for that which is absolutely nonexistent cannot be praised. Hence He, glorified be He, never praises Himself except by affirming attributes—positive qualities—or by mentioning what those qualities entail, as in His saying:

“Allah—there is no god except Him, the Living, the Sustainer. Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Who is it that can intercede with Him except by His permission? He knows what lies before them and what lies behind them, and they encompass nothing of His knowledge save what He wills. His Footstool extends over the heavens and the earth, and their preservation does not burden Him. He is the Most High, the Tremendous.” (Qur’an 2:255)