The early generations of the Muslim community and its imams agreed that the Creator, exalted is He, is distinct from His creation: nothing of His creation is within His essence, and nothing of His essence is within His creation.

The early generations and the imams declared the Jahmiyyah unbelievers when they claimed that He is everywhere. Among their objections to this claim was: How could He be inside bellies, latrines, and privies? Exalted is Allah above that! What, then, of those who make Him the very existence of bellies, latrines, privies, impurities, and filth?

The early generations of the Muslim community and its imams agreed that nothing is like Allah, whether in His essence, His attributes, or His actions. Some of the imams said:

“Whoever likens Allah to His creation has disbelieved, and whoever denies what Allah has described Himself with has disbelieved. Neither what Allah has described Himself with nor what His Messenger has described Him with constitutes likening Him to creation.”

How do those who liken Allah to His creation and ascribe a body to Him compare with these people? The furthest the former go in their unbelief is to make Him like created beings. Yet they say that He is eternal and that created beings came into existence. These people, however, have made Him identical with created beings, making Him the very created bodies themselves. They have attributed to Him all the imperfections and defects attributed to every disbeliever, every wicked person, every devil, every predatory beast, and every snake.

Exalted is Allah above their falsehood and misguidance! Glorified and exalted is He, far above what they say. Allah Most High exacts retribution from them for Himself, His religion, His Book, His Messenger, and His believing servants.