ibn taymiyyah speaks about this. he writes: On this basis, His saying, “Indeed, I have forbidden injustice to Myself,” is sound. And prohibition (taḥrīm) means restraint or prevention (manʿ). This cannot properly apply to something that is intrinsically impossible. Thus, it would not be appropriate to say, “I have forbidden Myself” or “I have restrained Myself from creating an equal to Myself,” or “from making created things creators,” or the like of impossibilities. The most that is said in interpreting this [statement] is that its meaning is: “I have informed [you] concerning Myself that whatever cannot be an object of power cannot proceed from Me.” Yet the believer knows with certainty that this is not what the Lord intends. It is obligatory to declare God and His Messenger transcendent above intending a meaning of this kind, which is unbefitting of such an address. For, besides resembling mere repetition and the clarification of what is already clear, it contains neither praise nor laudation, nor anything that the listener might gain from it. It is therefore established that the thing He has forbidden Himself is something within His power, but which He does not do because He has forbidden it to Himself, and He—Glorified is He—is transcendent above committing it. This is further demonstrated by the fact that the definitions of injustice given by people apply to this [kind of act], rather than to that [which is intrinsically impossible]. For example, the saying of some of them: “Injustice is putting a thing somewhere other than its proper place.” This is like their saying, “Whoever resembles his father has not acted unjustly”—that is, he has not placed the resemblance somewhere other than its proper place. It is well known that God—Glorified is He—is a Just Judge, who places things only in their proper places. Placing them somewhere other than their proper places is not intrinsically impossible; rather, it is possible, but He does not do it because He does not will it. Indeed, He detests and abhors it, since He has forbidden it to Himself. Likewise, [this applies to] whoever says: “Injustice is causing harm without just entitlement.” For God does not punish anyone without right. Likewise, [the verse states]: “and He has not wronged them in anything” [cf. al-Kahf 18:33]. As for whoever says, “It is disposing of another’s property,” this definition is neither universally applicable nor exclusive. For a person may dispose of another’s property rightfully and thus not be unjust; and he may dispose of his own property without right and thus be unjust. The servant’s wronging of himself is mentioned frequently in the Qur’an. Likewise, [the same applies to] whoever says: “It is the commanded act being contrary to what was commanded,” and the like. If the validity of such a formulation is granted, then God—Glorified is He—has prescribed mercy upon Himself and forbidden injustice to Himself. Thus, He does not do what contradicts what He has prescribed, nor does He do what He has forbidden. This answer is not the place to elaborate upon these matters to which we have drawn attention; rather, it merely alludes to the subtle points. Through this, the middle position becomes clear. It is that the injustice which God has forbidden Himself includes, for example, His withholding recompense for the good deeds of one who does good; His punishing an innocent person for evil deeds that he did not commit; His punishing one person for another person’s sin; or His judging between people without equity; and similar acts from which the Lord is declared transcendent on account of His equity and justice, despite His being capable of performing them. He is deserving of praise and laudation precisely because He has refrained from this injustice while being capable of it. And just as God is transcendent above attributes of deficiency and defect, so too is He transcendent above acts of deficiency and defect.