practice and spread among the Muslims, he himself would be among those most vehement in condemning it. Yet there are vast differences between supposing a practice and its actual occurrence.

Majesty and greatness befit Allah alone, and it is impossible for His Essence to be without them. Were their absence supposed, this would entail supposing the impossible consequence of deficiency and imperfection in Allah’s Essence. They are therefore inseparable from His Essence and its perfection, and His Essence must not be stripped or divested of them. Likewise, were a servant to be unclothed, the resulting deficiency and imperfection, according to his condition, would require him to obtain clothing.

Moreover, clothing prevents others from seeing and touching what lies beneath it. Allah’s majesty and greatness likewise prevent His servants’ sight from apprehending Him, and the like. Thus, in the authentic hadith recorded in Sahīh Muslim, Abū Mūsā relates that the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said:

“The gardens of Firdaws are four: