as possessing life, knowledge, and power, then it is established that He is composite. The most that can be said, therefore, is that these names apply necessarily to the former, but not to the latter.” Or someone might say: “If He is described as possessing life, knowledge, and power, then it is established that He is composite. The most that can be said is that those attributes, unlike these, are inseparable.” The same applies to all other analogous cases. Indeed, this is like someone saying: “If He exists and these observable things exist, then they are equivalent in the reality of their existence. The most that can be said is that the former exists necessarily, whereas the latter does not.”

All these analogies and comparisons are invalid. For there is no equivalence in any respect between the reality of Allah’s essence—exalted is He—and any other reality. Rather, whatever disparity is known between one existent being and another, the disparity between Allah and His creation is greater still, to a degree whose extent Allah alone can know. For knowledge of that reality belongs uniquely to the Lord, glorified and exalted is He, and none but He knows His true reality:

“No vision can encompass Him, but He encompasses all vision; and He is the Most Subtle, the All-Aware. (103)” [al-An‘ām 103]

The eighteenth argument: We have explained more than once that Allah is not to be compared to anything else or equated with anything else, whether in negation or affirmation. Rather, this constitutes associating partners with Him and setting up rivals and equals to Him. This is among