Thus, they cannot (1) be said to have affirmed that the motion of the celestial sphere has an originator other than the sphere itself who brought it about, just as the Qadariyya [did not] (2) affirm that the acts of a living being have an originator other than that living being who brought those acts about (3). This is why, in their view, the celestial sphere was a great living being.
Rather, they say, “The celestial sphere moves so as to resemble (4) the First Cause, because (5) the First Cause is its object of worship and love.”
Hence they said, “Philosophy consists in resembling God (6) to the extent of one’s capacity.”
In reality, then, the Lord is, in their view, neither the God of the universe (7) nor the Lord of all worlds. [Rather (8), the most they affirm is that He (9) is a condition for the universe’s existence] (10), and that the perfection of a created being lies in resembling Him (11). This, in their view, is divinity, while that is lordship (12). Their doctrine is therefore worse than that of the Jews and Christians, and they are further removed than they are from both reason and revelation, as has been explained at length elsewhere (13).
(1) Manuscript (A): “then it is not”; manuscript (B): “then they would not be”; manuscripts (N) and (M): “then they are not.”
(2) The negative particle *lam* (“did not”) is omitted from manuscript (N); manuscript (M) reads *lā* (“does not”).
(3) “Brought them about” is omitted from manuscripts (A) and (B).
(4) Manuscripts (A) and (B): “for resemblance.”
(5) Manuscripts (A) and (B): “not because … etc.” This is an error.
(6) Manuscripts (A) and (B): “The philosophers are those who affirm God”; manuscript (N): “it is the relation through the sign”; manuscript (M): “it is the relation *tālālahu*.” All of these are corruptions.
(7) Manuscripts (N) and (M): “In their view, the Lord is only a god of the universe”; manuscript (ʿ): “In their view, [He] is not a god of the universe.”
(8) “Rather” is added in manuscript (ʿ).
(9) Manuscripts (A) and (B): “that.”
(10) The passage between square brackets is omitted from manuscripts (N) and (M).
(11) Manuscript (N): “that he be similar.” This is a corruption.
(12) Manuscripts (A) and (B): “This, in their view, is the god, and that is lordship”; manuscripts (N) and (M): “This, in their view, is a god, and this is lordship.”
(13) Manuscripts (A) and (B): “as has been explained at length elsewhere. Allah knows best.”