existence or in knowledge there is something from which Allah’s essence does not differ. This is not so; [rather,] there is nothing like Him, glorified is He. If the term “sense-perceptible things” encompasses all existent things, then there is no difference between saying:

“Differs from the essences of these sense-perceptible things,”

and saying:

“Differs from the essences of these existent things and objects of knowledge.”

If it is not all-encompassing, however, this is a poor formulation. What should be said is that His essence differs from the essences of sense-perceptible things, even if He is said not to be among sense-perceptible things—as philosophers say of intellects and rational souls.

The same applies to saying that He differs from corporeal and spiritual beings, using the language of ordinary people, who distinguish between what is designated by “body” and by “spirit.” For them, “body” has a narrower meaning than it does for the speculative theologians; hence, they distinguish between bodies and spirits. In the terminology of the speculative theologians, however, the word “body” encompasses all of these.

Likewise, your statement:

“He is not like these essences in their susceptibility to combination, separation, change, passing away, health, illness, life, and death,”

is correct. Indeed, He is unlike them in any of their attributes of perfection. As for attributes of deficiency, He is never described by them under any circumstances. He, glorified is He, is the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of all; neither drowsiness nor sleep overtakes Him. He is ever-living and does not die. Nothing contrary to His knowledge, power, self-sufficiency, or any other attribute of His perfection can apply to Him. Rather, He is