He will then object, “Is He, then, ‘most worthy’ of kufr (disbelief) as well? What shall we answer him?” We reply, “He is ‘most worthy’ with regard to whomever He wills al-ṭāʿah (obedience); He is not ‘most worthy’ with regard to whomever He wills al-maʿṣiyah (disobedience).”

If he adds, “The Almighty did not will that anyone speak a lie about Him,” say to him, “Does inventing a lie against Allah count as speech and articulation or not?” If he responds, “Yes,” ask him, “Who taught Adam all the names?” Should he answer, “Allah,” say, “Is kufr (disbelief) itself a form of speech or not?” If he admits, “Yes,” ask, “Who caused the disbeliever to speak?” If he says, “Allah,” they have thereby refuted themselves, for shirk (polytheism) is an utterance, and had Allah willed, He would not have enabled them to voice it.

I then said, “If he were to go on and claim, ‘A man…’”