as a nonexistent thing, as is well known among the leading scholars of speculative theology; as an existent place, which (is) (1) the surface of the containing body; or as an intelligible substance, as maintained by those philosophers who hold that view (2); or whether “spatial locus” is interpreted according to its intelligible linguistic meaning, as in His statement:

{“or joining another company”}

[Surah al-Anfāl: 16]

In this sense, the spatial locus is a body that contains the thing occupying it. It is neither nonexistent nor an accident, nor can it be the intelligible substance whose existence is disputed.

The point is that, whatever meaning is intended by the term “spatial locus,” speculative thinkers maintain that a substance’s being in a spatial locus does not mean the disputed interpenetration whose very existence is itself disputed. Therefore, there was no need to discuss the issue of interpenetration in this context.] (3)

[Section: Commentary on His Statement That His Acts of Commanding, Prohibiting, and Informing Are Temporally Originated, Since It Is Impossible to Command, Prohibit, or Inform One Who Does Not Exist]

(Section)

As for his statement (4), “And (5) His acts of commanding, prohibiting, and informing are temporally originated, since it is impossible to command, prohibit, or inform one who does not exist,” the response is as follows:

This is the issue of Allah’s speech. People hold widely divergent positions concerning it, amounting to nine (6) views: [Most books composed on speculative theology and the fundamentals of