It is astonishing that they censure the Qadariyyah [and others] (1) for saying, “The Lord had always been inactive until He brought the world into being,” while they themselves say, “He has always been, and will always remain, inactive with respect to bringing things into being—indeed, with respect to action itself.” For that which necessarily accompanies His essence, such as the Intellect (2) and the celestial sphere, is not truly an act of His, since action consists in doing (3) one thing after another. As for that which necessarily accompanies the essence, (4) it belongs to the category of attributes, like a person’s color (5) and height, which cannot possibly be his acts. This is unlike his movements, (6) which are his acts, even if it were supposed that he had always been in motion—just as it is said of the human soul (7) that it has never ceased changing (8) from one state to another, and that the heart changes more rapidly than a pot at the height of its boiling. (9)

Thus, it is intelligible that (10) an agent in whom his own action subsists (11) should bring about one thing after another. (12) By contrast, something that necessarily inheres in him and accompanies him from pre-eternity cannot conceivably be something effected by him.

It is therefore evident that, in reality, they affirm no action whatsoever for the Lord. They are truly negationists.