believe and do righteous deeds; that He does not love corruption and is not pleased with disbelief for His servants; that He created the heavens and the earth [and whatever lies between them] (1) in six days, then rose over the Throne; and that He spoke to Moses directly, called out to him, and conversed privately with him—along with all else conveyed by the Book and the sunnah.

In declaring Himself transcendent above all likeness, He said:

{There is nothing like Him.}

[Surah al-Shūrā: 11]

{Do you know of anyone equal to Him?}

[Surah Maryam: 65)

{So do not set forth similitudes for Allah.}

[Surah al-Nahl: 74]

{And there is none comparable to Him.}

{So do not set up rivals to Allah while you know.}

[Surah al-Baqara: 22]

Thus, through the terms “counterpart,” “likeness,” “rival,” and “one equal in name,” He declared Himself transcendent above having any peer (2).

This has been discussed at length elsewhere, and we wrote an independent treatise on His words:

{There is nothing like Him,}

and on the profound secrets and sublime meanings they contain (3).

This, then, is the way of the messengers and their followers among the early generations of the Muslim community and its imams: affirmation in detail and negation in general terms (4)—affirming the attributes of perfection in detail, while negating deficiency and any likening of Him to creation. This is indicated by the surah:

{Say: He is Allah, One; Allah, the Self-Sufficient,}

which is equivalent to one-third of the Quran [as established in the hadith