is like an offshoot of the doctrine of those who liken Allah to His creation.”

This may be answered in several ways. First, it is astonishing that he should cite Abū Maʿshar to condemn idol worship, when he himself made Abū Maʿshar one of the authorities he followed in advocating idol worship, when he apostatized from Islam and enjoined associating partners with Allah Most High and worshipping the sun, the moon, the stars, and idols in his book, which he entitled al-Sirr al-maktūm fī al-sihr wa-mukhātabat al-nujūm (The Hidden Secret of Magic and Communicating with the Stars). It has been said that he composed it for the mother of King ʿAlāʾ al-Dīn Muhammad