He said in reply: “As for his statement, ‘What is meant by His being situated in a particular spatial region and direction is that Allah Most High is apart from the world, distinct from it, or separate from it,’ we say: All these expressions are ambiguous. Being apart, distinct, or separate may be mentioned with the intended meaning of differing in reality and essence. This is not disputed, but it does not entail direction. The proof is that the reality of Allah’s essence differs from the reality of spatial region and direction, yet this difference and separation are not a matter of direction. For Allah’s essence cannot be distinguished from direction by another direction; otherwise, an infinite regress would follow.”

The reply to him is: “What you have stated does not prove that difference in reality and essence does not entail direction. Your statement that the reality of Allah Most High’s essence differs from the reality of spatial region and direction, and that this is not a matter of direction, would constitute an argument only if it were established that spatial region and direction are something that actually exists. For the discussion here concerns only distinction and separation among existing things, not between what exists and what does not exist. What does not exist is not something in external reality that needs to be distinguished from anything else, nor does it have