is their fourth through His knowledge. ‘Nor among five but He is their sixth, nor among fewer or more but He is with them’—meaning through His knowledge among them—‘wherever they may be. Then He will inform them of what they did on the Day of Resurrection. Indeed, Allah knows all things.’ {7}

[al-Mujādilah 7]

He begins the statement with His knowledge and ends it with His knowledge.”

He then mentioned two rational arguments establishing that Allah is distinct from His creation, saying: “It is said to the Jahmī: If Allah is with us in the greatness of His very Self, then ask him: ‘Does Allah forgive you concerning matters between you and His creation?’ If he says yes, he has asserted that Allah is separate from His creation and that His creation is beneath Him. If he says no, he has disbelieved.”

This is because whoever affirms that something lies between Allah and His creation has thereby affirmed that He is distinct from them. The words mubāyanah (being distinct) and bayn (between) derive from the same root. If something lies between two things, all three are distinct from one another. The middle thing, in relation to one of the two, is what lies between it and the other, and is distinct from it. That which is distinct from two mutually distinct things has all the more reason to be distinct.

He has mentioned in His Book that He veils some of His creation from Himself. Thus, He Most High says: