and three degrees.
It is a divine description, for He says, “We hasten for him within it what We will, for whomever We desire” [al-Israʾ 17:18]. Avidity is likewise a divine description, required by God’s saying to His angels concerning two people estranged from one another, “Defer these two until they reconcile,” and by His employing the angels for believers in seeking forgiveness and supplicating for them. This is among its fruits, although its literal designation has not been transmitted.
(Name, Act, and Effect in Divine Attribution)
These matters have two divisions.[15] Some have the names designating them applied to the divine domain. Some have their effects found from Him without a name being applied to Him from them. Some have the act arising from them attributed to Him without a name being applied to Him from it. Some have a name applied to Him within a group, through inclusion.
An act attributed to Him without the name being applied is “God mocks them” [al-Baqara 2:15] and “God scoffs at them” [al-Tawba 9:79]. An act attributed to Him with a name applied within a group through inclusion is “God devised, and God is the best of devisers” [Al ʿImran 3:54]. A name applied to Him is “He is their deceiver” [al-Nisaʾ 4:142]. Effects found from Him without either a name or an act being applied to Him are “We hasten for him within it what We will” [al-Israʾ 17:18].
Chapter One Hundred and Eighteen: On the Station of Trust
Whoever takes the servants’ Lord as agent
has followed the path and is more upright in speech.
Notes
[15]
(“Two divisions” occurs before several forms branch out in the details. The number and explanation are retained as they occur in the source.)
Translator’s note TN4109-1: The source says ‘two divisions’ and then elaborates several cases; its count and sequence are retained. The examples distinguish an explicit name, an attributed act, an effect without either, and a name applied within a group.
