its original lexical sense, denotes a solid entity into which nothing enters and from which nothing separates, we nevertheless say that we have demonstrated that this meaning cannot apply to Allah Most High. The word must therefore be understood figuratively. For a body of this nature is free from separation, disjunction, and being affected by anything else. He, glorified and exalted be He, is necessarily existent in Himself, which entails that He, Most High, is not susceptible to increase or decrease. This, then, is the meaning intended by al-Samad when applied to Him, Most High. And Allah grants success.

There are several responses to this. First, in the first section of this book, namely, the proofs denying corporeality and spatial location, he stated—when claiming that this surah supported his denial of corporeality and direction—that this surah must be among the unambiguous passages, not the ambiguous ones, because Allah Most High