from those against whom His word has become irrevocable. Such, then, is the furthest extent of the son of Adam’s knowledge of God’s decree; everything beyond that is kept from him.

[Refutation of the Attribute-Rejecters, the Allegorists, and those who claim that all of God’s attributes are a single meaning]

Other thinkers plunged into minute speculation, claiming that they wished to perfect tawḥīd by denying any resemblance between the Creator and creation. In doing so, they stripped away the divine attributes—attributes such as forbearance, power, majesty, pardon, and the like.

They said, “He is al-Ḥalīm, yet we do not affirm forbearance; He is al-Qādir, yet we do not affirm power; He is al-ʿAlīm, yet we do not affirm knowledge.” It is as though they never heard the unanimous language of the people who say, “I ask You for Your pardon,” and who say, “He pardons with forbearance and punishes with power.” For al-Qadīr means the Possessor of power, al-ʿĀfī the Possessor of pardon, al-Jalīl the Possessor of majesty, and al-ʿAlīm the Possessor of knowledge. If they allege that this