those who affirm the divine attributes do dispute it. He disputes the second, but the vast majority of humanity do not. Disputing what is known by necessity is inadmissible.

The eighth point: He offered two replies: rejecting the interpretation of al-Samad as “the One who has no internal cavity,” maintaining instead that He is “the Master to whom people turn”; and claiming that the verse must be understood figuratively. We have already explained that the first interpretation cannot be disputed, and that the other interpretation establishes the correctness of the first and also supports the disputant’s position.

As for interpreting the verse figuratively, he should be told: This is impermissible, because the verse was revealed in answer to the polytheists and the People of the Book, who asked the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, to describe his Lord. It must therefore not be classified among the ambiguous verses.