It was through this same line of reasoning that some of these people imagined that an abstract number exists in external reality, or an abstract magnitude (1) exists in external reality. All of this is erroneous, and it has been discussed at length elsewhere. We have drawn attention to it here only because many leading figures in speculative reasoning, Sufism, philosophy, and theology—as well as the jurists and Sufis who followed them—went astray concerning the existence of the Creator, which is the foundation of all knowledge. This matter consequently became confused for those who studied their writings because of this misconception. We have written a detailed discussion devoted specifically to the question of “universals” (2), given the widespread need for it, its great benefit, and its ability to dispel this misconception (3).

This also makes clear (4) the negators’ error concerning the term “resemblance.” It should be said: What must be denied of the Lord, exalted is He, is His being characterized by any property peculiar to created beings, just as no created being can be characterized by any property peculiar to the Creator; or that (5) a servant should possess anything in which he is identical to the Lord. But if it is said, “One is living and the other is living; one is knowing and the other is knowing; one is capable and the other is capable,” or, “The one has power and the other has power; the one has knowledge and the other has knowledge,” the servant still does not share in the Lord’s own knowledge, nor is the Lord characterized by the servant’s own knowledge—exalted is He above that. The same applies to all the other attributes. [Indeed, neither one resembles the other] (6),