is among those who deny the divine attributes. If by it he meant an intrinsic attribute and a state, then this is Abū Hāshim’s doctrine. He held that Allah, glorified and exalted be He, possesses in His essence an attribute and a state that is His most distinctive attribute, by which He differs from His creation. This explicitly affirms Dirār’s doctrine; the two differed only in terminology. Abū Hāshim called it a “distinctive characteristic,” whereas Dirār called it “whatness.” We have already refuted Abū Hāshim’s doctrine affirming states.

Judge Abū Bakr said: “I see nothing implausible in what Dirār said. The Lord, glorified and exalted be He, differs from His creation by His most distinctive attribute. It is thus known in general terms that the Lord possesses an attribute peculiar to Him, by which He differs from His creation. This most distinctive attribute cannot be understood as either existence or nonexistence, and there is no doubt that it cannot be identified with the qualitative attributes. This is as far as one can go on this matter.”

He said: The judge was undecided as to whether those who see Allah in the Hereafter will know that attribute which he calls His most distinctive attribute and which Dirār called “whatness.” At one point he said that they would know it, and at another he said that no one but Allah knows it.

He said: Furthermore,