The fourteenth point concerns his statement: “Let us grant that al-Samad, in its original linguistic sense, denotes that which is solid, into which nothing else enters and from which nothing separates. Nevertheless, we say that we have demonstrated that this meaning cannot apply to Allah.”

He may be answered: “Everything you have mentioned has already been discussed. Every rational person who understands what we have said can see that your assertions are false, their falsity being evident to sound reason.” We have shown that reason establishes the opposite of his claim. Since he has referred back to his earlier discussion, we refer back to our response there.

The fifteenth point: Everything that subsists in itself and is distinct from other things must be either hollow or solid throughout, just as it either has knowledge or is ignorant, and either hears and sees or is deaf and blind. This has already been demonstrated. Sound reason recognizes that an existent that subsists in itself cannot lack both of these attributes.

The sixteenth point: A thing that subsists in itself either admits of being divided and taken apart or does not. If the latter, it is solid in the true sense. If the former, it is not solid in the true sense, even if it is called solid because it is undivided and cannot be