And their intent in negating these attributes was that the existence of anything with the Deity should not be imagined at all. Rather, [He is] Abstract, subsisting by His Essence, transcendent above descriptions and attributes 1.
And they said:
"What others besides us have affirmed, it is not possible—according to us—for it to be permissible."
As for knowing Him from the aspect of "He is" [His Essence], it is impossible.
But as for knowing Him from the aspect of Psychic and Intellectual Conception, and the Natural Compound...
Footnotes
1The Sages forbade saying of Him "Ancient": Because "Ancientness" is in time.Likewise, we say: He is Ancient by Essence (Qadim bil-Dhat), not Ancient by Time.They forbade saying "Knowing": From the perspective of His abstraction from names, attributes, relations, and additions.Likewise, the Gnostics said: By His emanating knowledge, He was named "Knowing"; and by His emanating power, He was named "Powerful."The intent of the Sages and Unitarians is that no one should imagine that He (The Almighty) is knowing by a knowledge [separate from Him] or powerful by a power. Rather, His Knowledge and His Power are His Essence.He was, and nothing was with Him—abstracted, stripped of names and attributes.A Substance (Jawhar) unlike substances, subsisting by His Essence, independent of what is other than Him, transcendent above cosmic descriptions.Note: There are brothers in our present age who claim they see the Imaginary Point (Al-Nuqta al-Wahmiyya) with their own eyes. Are they from the lineage of Zarqa' al-Yamama?!