And as for predication in the form of a nominal sentence, examples include His words:

“Allah has knowledge of all things.”

“Allah has power over all things.”

This is because an expression describing an entity is either a sentence or a non-sentential expression. A sentence may be nominal, as in His words:

“Allah has knowledge of all things.”

Or verbal, as in His words:

“He knew that you would not be able to keep it up.”

A non-sentential expression necessarily involves ascribing the attribute, either explicitly or implicitly, as in His words:

“Anything of His knowledge.”

And His words:

“He is mightier than they in strength.”

Or it involves placing the one possessing the attribute in a possessive construction, as in His words:

“The Possessor of strength.”

And (the second category: the ascription of created things, as in His words:

“Allah’s she-camel and her right to drink.”

And His words:

“Purify My House for those who circle it.”

And His words:

“The Messenger of Allah,”

and:

“The servants of Allah.”

And His words:

“The Possessor of the Throne.”

And His words:

“His Kursī extends over the heavens and the earth.”

Muslims do not disagree that the things belonging to this category are created, just as Ahl al-Sunnah wa-l-Jamā‘ah have not disagreed that the attributes belonging to the first category are beginningless and uncreated. Some speculative theologians have disagreed with them concerning the existence of the attributes, not the judgments concerning them. Some have disagreed with them concerning the beginninglessness of knowledge, and some have affirmed that it came into being. The purpose here is not to discuss this in detail.

(The third—which is the subject of discussion here—is that which involves the meaning of both an attribute and an action, as in His words:

“Allah spoke directly to Moses.”

And His words:

“His command, when He wills a thing, is only to say to it, ‘Be,’ and it is.”

And His words:

“Say: If the sea were ink for the words of my Lord…”

And His words:

“They wish to change the words of Allah.”

“A group of them used to hear the words of Allah.”

And His words:

“Indeed, Allah decrees whatever He wills.”

“He does whatever He wills.”