nor majesty, nor greatness, nor grandeur. They said the same regarding all the other attributes with which Allah Most High has described Himself.”

He said: “This is a view they adopted from their brethren among the philosophers, who claim that the world has a Maker who has always existed, yet is neither knowing, nor powerful, nor living, nor hearing, nor seeing, nor eternal. They described Him as ‘an entity that has always existed,’ and said nothing more.

“However, those Mu‘tazilah whose position on the attributes we have described could not openly declare what the philosophers openly declared. Instead, they expressed the same meaning by denying that the Creator has knowledge, power, life, hearing, or sight. Were it not for fear, they would openly declare what the philosophers declared and state it explicitly. But fear of the sword prevents them from making this known. A man known as Ibn al-Ayādī, who subscribed to their position, did state this explicitly, claiming that the Creator, Most High, is knowing