(We must find that is) clear of the two invalid and...

(We must find that is) clear of the two invalid and confusing aspects) if the meaning of negation would be nullification and nothingness or as is the case of the second aspect, the similarity and analogy which is of the attributes of the creatures that under go manifest composition and assemblage. It becomes necessary to prove the existence of the Creator.

It is because of the existence of the creatures and their evident dependency on Him as His creatures and that their Creator is something other than them and that He is not similar to them because something similar to them would resemble them in manifest composition and assemblage.

It would be as such also in the matters such as coming into existence from nothing and their changing from a smaller size to a full grown size, from blackness to whiteness from strength to weakness and other existing conditions that we do not need to explain their existence." The man asking questions then said, "You have already defined and limited Him in your proving His existence." The Imam (a.s.) then said, "I did not limit Him.

I only proved His existence if (as you think) there is no difference between proving and disproving." The man asking questions then said, "Can His existence be proved through a reasoning from the effect to the cause or the cause to the effect?" The Imam said, "Yes, there is nothing whose existence can be proved without adopting either of the two above process of reasoning." The man then asked, "Does the question how apply to Him?" The Imam said, "No, this question does not apply to Him because it is the aspect of qualities and limitations.

However, it is necessary to avoid abandoning and analogizing Him because negating Him is denying His existence and refusing to accept Him as the Lord and abandoning Him altogether. Whoever would analogize Him with other things from His creatures he has proved the qualities of the creature in Him, the creatures that do not deserve being called the Lord.

It, however, is necessary to believe that the question how applies to Him only in a way that would not apply to things other than Him and things other than Him would not deserve and share Him in it. The how question can not apply to Him if it would limit Him or make Him the subject of knowing for others." The man then asked, "Do things make Him tired?" The Imam then said, "He is far Exalted and above experiencing such conditions.