He did not realize that he was ignorant of Him by placing Him within the limit of a description brought forth by the describer. He necessitated multiplicity in His Essence by the multiplicity of descriptions which he applied to Him—through his ignorance of the Unity of His Essence and its self-sufficiency beyond any description added to it, which occurs within the temporality of describing it. And that is the station of the Associators (al-Mushrikīn).

Among them are those who said: "I knew Him through His Names." Yet names are only used to know one who is encompassed by the limit of those who know him, so that they may obtain an indication toward him, and through which he may obtain a distinction from them among them. And that saying is the saying of the Anthropomorphists (al-Mujassimīn).

Among them are those who said: "I knew Him through my intellect." He did not recognize the folly of his claim—in that he [claimed to have] known his intellect through something other than God. And that is the visualization of the Ignorant (al-Jāhilīn).