will taste death” [Āl ‘Imrān 185], even though the verses he cited affirm that He has a self. It is clear that His words, “every soul,” do not refer to one of a person’s attributes, but to the person himself. Thus, the self referred to in His words, Exalted is He, “You know what is within me,” and similar passages is not an attribute of the Lord, but the Lord Himself.

Likewise, Imām Ahmad ibn Hanbal said in the course of his discussion:

“Rather, we say that Allah—glorious is His praise—has always spoken whenever He wills. We do not say that He once existed without speaking until He created speech. Nor do we say that He once existed without knowledge until He created knowledge and then came to know. Nor do we say that He once existed without power until He created power for Himself. Nor do we say that He once existed without light until He created light for Himself. Nor do we say that He once existed without greatness until He created greatness for Himself. When we described Allah with these attributes, the Jahmiyyah said to us: ‘If you claim “Allah and His light,” “Allah and His power,” and “Allah and His greatness,” then you have adopted the Christians’ position when