CHAPTER SIX

Does the Negation of Form and Body Lead to the Doctrine of Divesting the Divine of Attributes (al-Ta‘ṭīl)?

It is well known among the monotheists that the Creator, glorified and exalted is He, is declared transcendent above the two extremes: the boundary of anthropomorphism (ḥadd al-tashbīh)—which is to resemble Him to His created beings—and the boundary of divesting the Divine of attributes (ḥadd al-ta‘ṭīl)—which is the negation of existence and the denial of manifestation.

Therefore, if an objector should challenge us, saying: "If we negate that the Creator is a physical body or a form, do we not then become adherents of al-ta‘ṭīl, which drives us toward the denial of existence and manifestation? For that which possesses neither a form, nor a body, nor any thingness, is absolute non-existence."

In response to this objector, we say: When we negate physical body and form from the Creator, we are only negating that the Creator is a body like unto our bodies, or a form like unto our forms.