bodies, nor of the same kind as any essence, nor of the same kind as anything possessing attributes. Bodies are essences and things possessing attributes.

These people say that His true nature differs from all other realities. It is therefore impossible for Him to be subject to what they are subject to, such as nonexistence, extinction, separation, division into parts, and the like.

As for the second group, they are the Ghālibiyya, who are reported to have said that He is flesh and bone, and similar things.

Although their position is plainly false—for if He were flesh and bone as ordinarily understood, He would be subject to what flesh and bones are subject to, and this amounts to affirming the likeness that Allah has denied of Himself—His statements also encompass what is known through reason. For He, glorified and exalted be He, said:

“And there is none comparable to Him (4)” [al-Ikhlās: 4],

and declared that He is (One), and said:

“There is nothing like Him” [al-Shūrā: 11].

This includes the rationally known truth that He cannot be of the same kind as anything, or be such that it would be possible [in His case] to point to one thing rather than another among existing things, even if He were greater in magnitude than that thing; for the quantity