“And this too is a known truth, established by rational and scriptural proofs—indeed, it is self-evident.”

The proponents of negation said:

“Through a certain kind of subtle reasoning, one may come to know that this is false.”

Both groups thus agree that conception and imagination accept the position of the proponents of affirmation, whom you described as attributing parts and portions to Him, and whom you call corporealists. They therefore accept their doctrine concerning the Essence, not its opposite.

Section

Sound imagination and conception cannot conceive of what exists as nonexistent. It is therefore clear that the innate disposition’s rejection of this, and imagination and conception’s refusal to accept it, arise from the nonexistence it implies, such as the contradiction it contains—not from its greatness as something existent.

This is illustrated by the fact that many preachers and storytellers, when they begin describing the Lord and exalting Him through these negative attributes, prompt ordinary people to glorify and extol Him. These people do not understand the true meaning of what the speakers are saying; they merely sense, in general terms, that it exalts the Lord. Had they [not] imagined and conceived that this negation implied a mighty and great existent, they would not have reacted in this way.

It is therefore clear that they did not reject it because of the existence it affirms. Rather, they imagine a great existent in general terms. But when they understand the true meaning of these expressions and the nonexistence they imply, they then reject it, and their innate disposition refuses to accept it. This is because negation and nonexistence contain neither praise nor exaltation whatsoever. Thus, it is clear that these attributes convey no exaltation to anyone who conceives of them.