came with detailed affirmation and general negation, whereas the Sabians who deny the divine attributes came with detailed negation and general affirmation.” The Quran abounds in statements of affirmation, such as His saying, Most High:

“Indeed, Allah has knowledge of all things.”

It also affirms that He has power over all things, that He is All-Hearing, All-Seeing, and that He encompasses all things in mercy and knowledge. As for negation:

“There is nothing like Him.”

“And there is none comparable to Him.”

“Do you know of any equal to Him?”

“Glory be to your Lord, the Lord of Might, above what they attribute to Him.”

“And peace be upon the messengers.”

Although I have addressed the shaykh at length in this letter—may Allah Most High strengthen Islam through him and benefit the Muslims through the blessing of his breaths, his good intentions, and the light of his heart—it contains only brief points. These matters cannot be fully explained in a letter. Rather, I have mentioned to the shaykh—may Allah Most High be gracious to him—what the circumstances required me to mention. The bearer of this letter is mustawfī and in a hurry.

I ask Allah the Almighty to set right the affairs of the Muslims, both their common people and their leading figures, to guide them to what brings them nearer to Him, and to make the shaykh one of those who call to goodness, concerning whom Allah, glorified is He, said:

“Let there be among you a group calling to goodness, enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong. It is they who are successful.”