Fifth: Regarding his statement that samad follows the pattern fa‘al with the meaning of maf‘ūl (a passive participle), derived from samada ilayhi, meaning “to seek someone,” the reply is this: In adjectives, the pattern fa‘al does not necessarily have a passive meaning; it may instead have the meaning of fā‘il (an active participle), as in ahad (“one”) and batal (“valiant”). Why, then, do you say that fa‘al here has a passive meaning? Why should it not have an active meaning—namely, sāmid and mutasammid in Himself—even if this entails His being sought by others?

This interpretation is preferable for several reasons. First, it is paired with the name “the One,” for He says:

“Say: He is Allah, the One. (1) Allah, the Self-Sufficient. (2)”
[al-Ikhlās 1–2]

It is well known that ahad means the One who is uniquely One. Thus, understanding samad as sāmid and mutasammid more clearly accords with correspondence, parity, analogy, and reflection.

Second, the agent is primary, for every action and attribute must have an agent. Every attribute therefore necessarily implies an agent in some respect. An object, however, may or may not exist. Accordingly, it is known that this attribute has an agent, whereas it is not known whether it has an object. What is certain must therefore be affirmed, and what is doubtful set aside