Paradise—food, drink, and clothing—does not resemble what He has created in this world, even though they share the same names and both are created.

Ibn ʿAbbās, may Allah be pleased with them both, said: “Nothing in this world corresponds to what is in Paradise except in name.” Allah has told us that Paradise contains milk, wine, honey, water, silk, gold, and silver. Yet those realities are unlike their counterparts here, although both are created. The Creator, exalted is He, is therefore even further removed from resembling created beings than one created being is from resembling another.

Allah has called Himself All-Knowing, Forbearing, Compassionate, Merciful, All-Hearing, All-Seeing, Almighty, King, Compeller, Supremely Great, Giver of Security, Magnificent, Generous, Self-Sufficient, Appreciative, Most Great, Preserver, Witness, Truth, Disposer of Affairs, and Protector. He has also called some of His creatures by these names. He has described the human being as hearing and seeing, and His Prophet as compassionate and merciful. He has called some of His servants kings, others grateful, others great, and others forbearing and knowledgeable, and has likewise applied the other names mentioned to created beings. Yet it is known that no created being bearing these names resembles the Creator, majestic is His glory, in any respect whatsoever.

The same applies to the dispute over the terms “occupying space,” “direction,” and the like. Some people say: “He occupies space and is in a direction.” Others say: “He neither occupies space nor is in a direction.” Still others say: “He is in a direction but does not occupy space.” The term “that which occupies space” encompasses both a body and an indivisible atom. The term “substance” may refer to