another, then say, ‘Did Allah not exist when nothing was with Him?’ He will say, ‘Yes.’ Then say to him, ‘When He created a thing, did He create it within Himself or outside Himself?’ He will be forced into one of three positions.” This passage has already been quoted in full.

He also said: “When the argument prevailed against Jahm concerning his claim that Allah is with His creation, he said, ‘He is in everything, without being in contact with anything or separate from it.’ We said, ‘If He is not separate, is He not in contact?’ He said, ‘No.’ We said, ‘How, then, can He be in everything without being in contact with anything or separate from it?’ Unable to give a satisfactory answer, he said, ‘Without asking how.’ With this expression, he deceived the ignorant and misled them.”

Addressing the Jahmiyyah, he said: “We said, ‘He is a thing.’ He replied, ‘He is a thing unlike any other thing.’ We said, ‘Rational people know that a thing unlike any other thing is nothing.’ It then became clear to people that they believe in nothing, but merely ward off condemnation through what they publicly profess. When asked, ‘Whom do you worship?’ he says, ‘We worship the One who governs the affairs of this creation.’ We said, ‘Is this One who governs the affairs of this creation unknown, not known by any attribute?’ They said, ‘Yes.’ We said, ‘The Muslims have come to know that you