nor does He answer anyone or bring anything new into existence in the world. In their view, nothing causes events to occur except the movements of the celestial sphere. Supplication, they hold, has an effect because it is the rational soul’s action upon the prime matter of the world. The Sahīh records a hadith narrated by Abū Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, who said:

“Allah, Mighty and Majestic, says: ‘The son of Adam has reviled Me, though he ought not to do so, and the son of Adam has denied Me, though he ought not to do so. His reviling Me is his saying that I have taken a son, whereas I am the One, the Self-Sufficient: I have not begotten, nor was I begotten, and none is equal to Me. His denying Me is his saying, “He will not bring me back as He first created me,” yet creating him the first time is no easier for Me than bringing him back.’”

This undoubtedly encompasses the unbelieving Arabs who made both claims, as Allah Most High says:

“Man says, ‘When I am dead, will I really be brought forth alive?’”

And thereafter:

“They say, ‘The Most Merciful has taken a son.’ You have indeed uttered something monstrous. The heavens almost rupture because of it.”

Allah thus mentions both claims. Yet these texts apply to these philosophers with even greater force, for they deny both the resurrection and the initial creation. They do not affirm that Allah first brought the heavens and the earth into existence, nor that humanity had a beginning, with Adam as the first human.

As for reviling Him by saying that He has taken a son, these philosophers hold that the entire celestial sphere is a necessary consequence of His existence and an effect caused by Him, bound to Him more necessarily than a child is bound to its parent. A parent has choice and power in bringing a child into existence, whereas, according to these philosophers, Allah has neither will nor power concerning the celestial sphere’s necessary dependence upon Him. Indeed, He cannot even prevent it from necessarily proceeding from Him. The generation they affirm is thus more extreme than the generation found among created beings. They do not say that He has taken a son through His power, for He is unable