ing of existence goes together with annihilation. But with our intelligences we cannot conceive of existence out of pure non-existence and absolute non-existence out of pure existence.

My reply: Your surprise and supposing this to be difficult is the unfortunate result of a misleading analogy. For you are comparing divine creation and giving of existence with the art and acts (kisb, lit. acquisition) of His servants. Yet the servants' power is insufficient to give existence to an atom even or to annihilate it. They have only some proficiency and acquisition in theoretical matters and in manipulating existent ones. This analogy is deceptive; one cannot save oneself from it [and make sense of it].

In Short: Man has never seen in the contingent beings in the universe a power and strength that might bestow pure existence and annihilate it. But essentially he always judges with his reason from what he observes. That is to say, he looks at the divine works by way of contingent beings. Whereas he should behold them by way of the Maker's power, which is proven by its wonder-provoking works. That is, he imagines the Maker within the imaginary power of the powers and forces that have no effect, for they are merely theoretical matters pertaining to the cosmos and His servants, and he considers this question from their point of view. He should, however, look at it from the side of the Necessary Existent and from the point of view of His absolute power.

Indication

If one reasons about the works of a person, one has to take his characteristics into consideration. This has not been done in this question. For it has been looked at beneath the veil of parabolic analogies (kıyas-ı temsilî) behind the powerlessness of the servants and by way of the power of contingent beings. Whereas, concerning the world's being given existence, they have disregarded the fact that the perfection of divine power is demonstrated by some of the miracles of so many astonishing works being brought into existence without matter and others being compounded from matter. They have regarded the Necessary Existent in accordance with a limited rule, like making the false analogy of looking on the unseen as