2 Preface اللَّهُ الصَّمَدُYusuf AliGod, the Eternal, Absolute;1Ṣamad is difficult to translate by one word. I have used two, “Eternal” and “Absolute”. The latter implies: (1) that absolute existence can only be predicted of Him; all other existence is temporal or conditional; (2) that He is dependent on no person or things, but all persons or things are dependent on Him, thus negativing the idea of gods and goddesses who ate and drank, wrangled and plotted, depended on the gifts of worshippers, etc.