According to Imam al-Ghazali in his Jerusalem Epistle, the second pillar of Iman one must learn is knowing God’s attributes. This is done through learning ten foundations:
- Knowledge that God is living (ḥayyān).
- Knowledge that God is knowing (ʿālimān).
- Knowledge that God is all-powerful (qādirān).
- Knowledge that God is volitional (muridān).
- Knowledge that God is hearing (samīʿān).
- Knowledge that God is seeing (baṣīrān).
- Knowledge that God is speaking (mutakalimān).
- Knowledge that God is transcendently beyond being incarnate in any contingent thing.
- Knowledge that God’s speech (kalām) is beginningless (qadīm).
- Knowledge that God’s knowledge (ʿilm) and will (irāda) are beginningless (qadīm).