Were the Originator to be, in His Essence, an actual person in reality, the eyes and hearts of creation would not have fluctuated or transformed; rather, He would be the one fluctuating and transforming—and I seek refuge in God from such a doctrine!
Instead, we bear witness that the Commander of the Faithful, His glory is magnificent, is God, the Lord of the Worlds, the Pre-eternal, the Ancient, the Transformer of hearts and sights until they beheld Him in the likeness of humans. Yet He transcends all circumscription, perception, and restriction, as well as the claims of the people of [divine divestment / stripping of attributes] 1 and denial. And he does not care the monotheist, as long as he acknowledges the existence of the Originator through what he explicitly states of the expressions of transcendence (al-tanzih). I acknowledge the manifestation of the Originator while exalting Him above every perceived, restricted form, and any described, enumerated direction. I remove Him from both extremes: from the boundary of anthropomorphism (hadd al-tashbih)—likening Him to His creation—and from the boundary of negation (hadd al-ibtal).