Himself. For whoever does not know himself knows nothing. Since Allah Most High knows things, He knows Himself. Likewise, whoever does not see himself cannot see things. Since Allah sees things, He sees Himself. Since He sees Himself, it is possible for Him to show us Himself, just as, since He knows Himself, it is possible for Him to make Himself known to us. Allah, Mighty and Majestic, has said:

“Indeed, I am with you both; I hear and I see.” {46} [Tā Hā 46]

Thus He has stated that He hears their speech and sees them both. Whoever claims that Allah cannot be seen with the eyes must consequently hold that Allah, Mighty and Majestic, cannot be knowing, powerful, or seeing, for one who knows, has power, and sees can be seen.”

I say: This argument mentioned by al-Ash'arī—that Allah has the power to show us whatever exists, and that only what does not exist cannot be seen, so that denying that He can be seen entails denying His existence—is drawn from the statements of the early generations and the imams, as Hanbal related from Imam Ahmad, and al-Khallāl narrated from