time,” and similar expressions: even if these could mean “He comes to them with a form,” it has already been explained that attributing a form to something is an attribution of an inherent attribute, not of a created entity. Attribution of a created entity concerns something that subsists in its own right, as in the expressions “Allah’s she-camel,” “Allah’s House,” “Allah’s earth,” and similar expressions indicating that it is separate from the One to whom it is attributed, but that He bestows His goodness upon it.

As for attributes such as knowledge, power, and the like, their attribution denotes an inherent attribute unless the contrary is established, since these things are not known to subsist independently. A form subsists in the one whose form it is; it is not a distinct entity separate from the one to whom it is attributed, such that the attribution could be understood as ownership. Thus, Allah’s form in which He comes cannot be a created entity separate from Him that He sends while He Himself does not come.

Fourth: He said:

“Then Allah comes to them in a form other than His form which they recognize. They say, ‘We seek refuge in Allah from you. We will remain here until our Lord comes to us.’”

Another wording reads:

“Allah comes to them in a lesser form than that in which they had seen Him the first time, and says, ‘I am your Lord.’”

It is known that no angel says to creation, “I am your Lord.” Rather, such a claim is made only by someone who disbelieves in Allah