well known that absolute existence has no external reality whatsoever that could be described as either one or many. Rather, their position is in reality that of the advocates of negation, who are the worst of the materialists. Thus, it becomes clear that this monotheism and divine transcendence of theirs are a gateway to negation and heresy, and that the further someone goes in negation and deviation, the greater his claim to this monotheism and divine transcendence of theirs.

This contrasts with the case of those who affirm the divine attributes and acknowledge the monotheism and divine transcendence brought by the Messengers—peace be upon them—and revealed in the Scriptures: monotheism in knowledge and declaration, such as that conveyed by the surah which describes the Most Merciful and is equivalent to one-third of the Quran; and monotheism in practice