the great majority of rational people. Likewise, anyone who affirms that He is living, knowing, and powerful while denying His attributes is inconsistent in the judgment of the great majority of rational people. Those attribute-affirmers who affirm attributes known through revelation, such as the Face and the two Hands, while denying corporeality and resemblance are considered inconsistent by their opponents among the attribute-affirmers and all the other deniers and affirmers. Such is the position of Ibn Kullāb, al-Ash‘arī, and others.

Then there are the theologians and jurists among the people of hadith who agree with these men in their negations while affirming the meanings conveyed in the Qur’anic verses and hadiths concerning the attributes. They too are considered inconsistent in this by those others.

Thus, when al-Qādī Abū Ya‘lā composed his book, which he entitled Refutation of Interpretations of Reports Concerning the Divine Attributes, he said at its beginning: “I praise Him with praise that pleases Him, seek His help in obeying His commands and observing His prohibitions, and declare before Him my rejection of attributing corporeality to Him or likening Him to creation.” In most of the hadiths concerning the attributes that he discusses, he accepts the hadith according to what he calls its apparent meaning and implications, while maintaining his denial of corporeality—just as the other attribute-affirmers do concerning the Face and the Hand, and as they do concerning knowledge, power, and similar attributes. This is inconsistent in the judgment of most of those who affirm the attributes and those who deny them.