this matter—how it began.” He said: “Allah was, and there was nothing before Him. His Throne was over the water. Then He created the heavens and the earth and recorded everything in the Record.”

Likewise, if he means that Allah cannot be described using ‘is not,’ then Allah negates certain things of Himself just as He affirms certain things of Himself. But if he means that He was not brought into existence by ‘was,’ nor does He cease to exist through ‘is not,’ then this is true. He did not come into being at one time rather than another, nor can nonexistence befall Him. Thus, He did not originate through ‘was,’ nor does He cease to exist through ‘is not.’

As for his statement, “His attribute has no attribute,” it is ambiguous. If he means that His attributes cannot be described in words, then Allah and His Messenger have indeed described His attributes: His knowledge is described as encompassing all things; His power as all-encompassing, and He as having power over all things; and His mercy as extending to all things.