Section

As for the second premise, we say:

Two matters must be taken into consideration:

First, the perfection must be capable of existing.

Second, it must be free of deficiency, for deficiency is impossible for Allah. Some people, however, may call something a deficiency when it is not one. Such a person is told: What must be affirmed is every possible perfection that is free of deficiency. If you call this a deficiency and it is assumed that its absence is impossible, then being without it cannot be among the possible perfections. And an [essence] that is not living, knowing, powerful, hearing, seeing, and speaking is not more perfect than an essence that is living, knowing, hearing, seeing, and speaking.

Since sound reason judges that an essence bereft of these attributes is not equal to an essence possessing them—much less more perfect than it—and judges the essence possessing them to be more perfect, it is known by necessity that the essence cannot be perfect without these attributes.

If, after this, it is objected that His essence would be deficient and bereft of perfection only because of these attributes, the reply is: Perfection without these attributes