to us, when we described Allah with these attributes: ‘If you speak of “Allah and His light,” “Allah and His power,” and “Allah and His greatness,” then you have adopted the Christians’ position by claiming that Allah has always existed, and His light, and that He has always existed, and His power.’

We replied: ‘We do not say, “Allah has always existed, and His power,” nor do we say, “He has always existed, and His light.” Rather, we say that He has always existed with His power and His light, without assigning a “when” or a “how” to His power.’

They said: ‘You will never be monotheists until you say, “Allah existed, and nothing else existed.”’

We replied: ‘We do say, “Allah existed, and nothing else existed.” But when we say that Allah has always existed with all His attributes, are we not describing just one God with all His attributes?’

We offered them an illustration, saying: ‘Tell us about this date palm: does it not have a trunk, frond bases, fibre, fronds