world, for he is weak. So _the_ God is not except one. And if they differ and their will is not carried out, they are weak and not able to cause the existence of a thing of the world. But the world exists, by common witness (_mushahada_). So it stands fast that _the_ God is one; and that was what was sought. So the existence of the world is proof of the Unity of God and that He has no partner in any act, and no second cause in an action. He is the independent (_al-Ghani_), the absolutely independent. And from this proof it may be known that there is no impression, by fire or a knife or eating, upon anything, consisting of burning or cutting or satiety, but God makes the being burnt in a thing which fire touches, when it touches it, and being cut in a thing with which a knife is brought into contact, when it is brought into contact with it, and satiety at eating and satisfaction at drinking. And he who holds that fire burns by its nature (_tab_), and water satisfies by its nature, and so on, is an unbeliever (_kafir_) by agreement (_ijma_). And he who holds that it burns by a power (_quwa_) created in it by God, is ignorant and corrupt, because he knows not the true nature (_haqiqa_) of Unity. This is the general proof a knowledge of which is incumbent upon every individual, male and female: and he who knows it not is an unbeliever, according to as-Sanusi and al-Arabi. And may God rule thy guidance. And Priority and Continuance and Difference from originated things and Self-Subsistence and Unity are negative qualities (_sifat salabiya_), that is, their meaning is negation and exclusion, for each of them excludes from God what does not beseem Him.