أَوَّلاًFirstأَنَّthatنَقُولُwe sayلَاnoيُمْكِنُcanالتَّمَاثُلَthe similarityبَيْنَbetweenالْخَالِقِthe Creatorوَالْمَخْلُوقِand the creatureبِأَيِّin anyحَالٍcaseمِنْofالأَحْوَالِthe states
First: We say that there cannot be a similarity between the Creator and the creature in any case.
لَوْIfلَمْnotيَكُنْthere wereبَيْنَهُمَاbetween themمِنْofالتَّبَايُنِthe differenceإِلَّاexceptأَصْلٌthe essenceالْوُجُودِof existenceلَكَانَit would beكَافِيًاsufficientوَذَٰلِكَand thatأَنَّthatوُجُودَthe existenceالْخَالِقِof the Creatorوَاجِبٌis necessaryفَهُوَfor He isأَزَلِيٌّEternalأَبَدِيٌّEverlastingوَوُجُودُand the existenceالْمَخْلُوقِof the creatureمُمْكِنٌis possibleمَسْبُوقٌprecededبِعَدَمِby non-existenceوَيُلْحَقُهُand it is followedفَنَاءٌby destructionفَمَاSo whateverكَانَاthey wereكَذَٰلِكَlike thatلَاcannotيُمْكِنُit canأَنْto sayيُقَالُit is saidإِنَّهُمَاthat they areمُتَمَاثِلَانِsimilar.
If there were no difference between them except the essence of existence; it would be sufficient, for the existence of the Creator is necessary; He is Eternal Everlasting, and the existence of the creature is possible, preceded by non-existence and followed by destruction; so whatever they were like that cannot be said that they are similar.
ثَانِيًاSecondlyأَنَاweنَجِدُfindالتَّبَايُنَthe differenceالْعَظِيمَgreatبَيْنَbetweenالْخَالِقِthe Creatorوَالْمَخْلُوقِand the creatureفِيinصِفَاتِهِHis attributesوَفِيand inأَفْعَالِهِHis actions;فِيInصِفَاتِهِHis attributesيَسْمَعُHe hearsعَزَّ وَجَلَّGlory be to Himكُلَّeveryصَوْتٍsoundمَهْمَاno matter howخَفِيًّاhiddenوَمَهْمَاand no matter howبَعُدَfarلَوْifكَانَwasفِيinقَاعِرِthe depthsالْبِحَارِof the seas;لَسَمِعَهَاHe would hear itعَزَّ وَجَلَّGlory be to Him.
Secondly: We find a great difference between the Creator and the creature in His attributes and in His actions; in His attributes, He hears every sound no matter how hidden and no matter how far, even if it is in the depths of the seas; He would hear it. Glory be to Him.
وَأَنْزَلَAnd He revealedاللَّهُGodقَوْلَهُHis sayingتَعَالَىthe Most High﴿(قَدْIndeedسَمِعَheardاللَّهُGodقَوْلَthe statementالَّتِيof the one whoتُجَادِلُكَargues with youفِيinزَوْجِهَاher husband;وَتَشْتَكِيand complainsإِلَىtoاللَّهِGod;وَاللَّهُand Godيَسْمَعُhearsتَحَاوُرَكُمَاyour conversation;إِنَّIndeedاللَّهَGodسَمِيعٌis All-Hearingبَصِيرٌand All-Seeing.﴾)[المُجَادَلَة[Al-Mujadila::١1]تَقُولُAisha saysعَائِشَةُAisha::«الْحَمْدُ"Praiseلِلَّهِbe to Godالَّذِيwhoوَسِعَis ampleسَمْعُهُHis hearingالأَصْوَاتِof sounds,إِنِّيIndeed Iلَفِيam inالْحُجْرَةِthe chamber,وَإِنَّهُand Heلَا يَخْفَىis not hiddenعَلَيَّfrom meبَعْضٌsomeحَدِيثِهَاof her speech;(۱)(1),وَاللَّهُAnd Godتَعَالَىthe Most Highسَمِعَهَاheard herمِنْfromعَلَىonعَرْشِهِHis throne;وَبَيْنَهُand between himوَبَيْنَهَاand between herمَاthat whichلَاnotيَعْلَمُknowsمَدَاهُthe extentإِلَّاexceptاللَّهُGod;عَزَّ وَجَلَّthe Almighty.وَلَاAnd cannotيُمْكِنُit canأَنْto say thatيَقُولَone saysقَائِلٌsomeoneإِنَّthatسَمَعُthe hearingاللَّهُof Godمِثْلَlikeسَمَعَنَاour hearing.
And God revealed His saying: "Indeed, God has heard the statement of the one who argues with you in her husband and complains to God, and God hears your conversation; indeed, God is All-Hearing, All-Seeing." [Al-Mujadila: 1]; Aisha says: "Praise be to God who is ample in His hearing of sounds, indeed I am in the chamber, and He is not hidden from me some of her speech; and God, the Most High, heard her from His throne; and between Him and her is that which no one knows the extent of except God, the Almighty; and one cannot say that God’s hearing is like our hearing."
ثَالِثًاThirdlyنَقُولُwe sayنَحْنُweنَعْلَمُknowأَنَّthatاللَّهَGodتَعَالَىthe Most Highمُبَايِنٌis distinctلِلْخَلْقِfrom the creationبِذَاتِهِin His essence;وَسِعَand His Throne encompassesكُرْسِيُّهُHis throneالسَّمَاوَاتِthe heavensوَالْأَرْضَand the earth.﴿﴿الْبَقَرَةُ[Al-Baqarah::٢٥٥]255]﴿﴿وَالْأَرْضُAnd the earthجَمِيعًاtogether,قَبَضَتُهُwill be its grasped.يَوْمَon the day ofالْقِيَامَةِthe resurrection.[الزُّمَرِ:[Az-Zumar:٦٦]66]وَلَاAnd cannotيُمْكِنُit canلِأَحَدٍfor anyoneمِنَfromالْخَلْقِthe creationأَنْto beيَكُونَlike that;فَإِذَاSo ifكَانَhe wasمُبَايِنًاdistinctلِلْخَلْقِfrom the creation;فَالْصِّفَاتُthe attributesتَابِعَةٌare dependentلِلذَّاتِto the essence;فَيَكُونُand it is alsoأَيْضًاalsoمُبَايِنًاdistinctلِلْخَلْقِfrom the creationفِيinصِفَاتِهِHis attributes;عَزَّ وَجَلَّThe Almighty.وَلَاAnd cannotيُمْكِنُit canأَنْto say thatيَقُولَone saysقَائِلٌsomeoneإِنَّthatالْصِّفَاتُthe attributesتَابِعَةٌare dependentلِلذَّاتِto the essence.
Thirdly: We say that we know that God, the Most High, is distinct from creation in His essence; His Throne encompasses the heavens and the earth. [Al-Baqarah: 255]; and the earth will be its grasped on the day of resurrection. [Az-Zumar: 66]; and cannot anyone from the creation be like that; so if He was distinct from creation in His essence; then the attributes are dependent on the essence, and He is also distinct from creation in His attributes, the Almighty; and cannot anyone say that the attributes are dependent on the essence.