be (1) anyone independently capable of acting except the one above (2), alone. For if the subjugated one (3) needed the assistance of the first in order to act (4), he would be incapable without that assistance, and his power would derive from another. Whoever was such (5) would not be a god in his own right. Allah Most High (6) has not made any of His creatures a god (7). (8 It is therefore impossible for the subjugated one (8) to be a god 8) (9). If, however, the subjugated one were independently capable of an act (10) without assistance from the one above (11), the one above (12) would then be unable to prevent him from doing what he was independently capable of doing. The one above would thus be incapable of restraining the subjugated one and would therefore not be above him, though he was posited to be above him. This is a contradiction: it is (13) the conjunction of two contradictories.
It has thus become clear that, if some of them were above others, the vanquished one could in no respect be a god. Indeed, it is impossible for him to be a god with the other’s assistance, and equally impossible for him to be a god on his own, independent of the other. For one who is independent of all others cannot have another above him, nor can it be supposed (14) that
(1) Manuscript (A): “was not”; manuscript (B): “and was not.”
(2) Manuscript (N): “the highest.”
(3) Manuscript (A): “For so-and-so, the subjugated one”; manuscript (B): “For the second, the subjugated one.”
(4) Manuscript (N): “since his act, on its own, requires the assistance of the first.”
(5) Manuscript (M) resumes at the phrase “Whoever was such.”
(6) “Most High” is an addition in manuscripts (A) and (B).
(7) Manuscripts (A) and (B): “did not make a god from among His creatures.”
(8) “The subjugated one” is omitted from manuscript (N).
(9) The passage marked 8–8 is omitted from manuscript (M).
(10) Manuscript (A): “and if the subjugated one were independently capable of an act”; manuscript (B): “and if the subjugated one were to act independently.”
(11) Manuscripts (N) and (‘Ayn): “without the assistance of the one above”; manuscript (M): “without the will of the one above.”
(12) Manuscript (A): “the one above would not be”; manuscript (B): “it would not be for the one above.”
(13) Manuscripts (A) and (B): “and this.”
(14) Manuscripts (N) and (M): “For if one who is independent of all others cannot have another above him, nor can it be supposed…”; manuscript (A): “If one who is independent of all others cannot have another above him, nor can it be supposed…”; manuscript (B): “If one who is independent of all others—it cannot be supposed….”