he assigns the term a new meaning? If the meaning he intends is true, it should be expressed in unambiguous terms. If he believes that bodies are alike and that nothing is like Allah—that He, glorified be He, has no namesake, no equal, and no rival—then these Quranic expressions convey this meaning without ambiguity or dispute. If, however, he believes that bodies are not alike and that whatever can be seen and possesses attributes is a body, then he must affirm what Allah and His Messenger have affirmed of His knowledge, power, and all His other attributes.

As Allah says:

“They encompass nothing of His knowledge except what He wills.”

And He says:

“Indeed, Allah is the Provider, the Possessor of Power, the Firm.”

And the Prophet, peace be upon him, said in the hadith concerning the prayer for guidance:

“O Allah, I seek Your guidance through Your knowledge, and I ask You to enable me through Your power.”

And he said in another hadith:

“O Allah, by Your knowledge of the unseen and Your power over creation.”

He should also say what the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“You will see your Lord with your own eyes on the Day of Resurrection, just as you see the sun and the moon, without hindrance in seeing Him.”

Thus, he likened the act of seeing to the act of seeing, although what is seen is not like what is seen. These, then, are the expressions used in the Book and Sunnah to convey this sound meaning, without ambiguity or dispute among Ahl al-Sunnah, who follow the Book, the Sunnah, and the statements of the Companions.

After this, anyone to whom reason has made clear that a certain meaning necessarily follows from the truth should not dismiss it from his mind, for whatever necessarily follows from the truth is itself true. Yet that meaning must be attested to by