Because ‘all evils are negations’, any wrongs committed by humans against each other “are likewise due to non-existence (‘adam), because they originate in ignorance (jahl), which is absence of wisdom (‘ilm)”. He finds scriptural support for this position in Isaiah’s prophecies about the end times, when:

  1. conflict between people will cease
  2. ignorance will be replaced with knowledge

The two are intimately tied with each other; conflict, interpersonal and inter-group wrongs, etc., are all the result of ignorance, and since all knowledge comes from and returns to God, they result from ignorance of God. This is why, when the end times come and humanity reconciles with itself, this must necessarily be accompanied by a reconciliation with God. This is why Isaiah says:

If men possessed wisdom [in Atay’s arabic this is ‘ilm, so I need to check Pines], which stands in the same relation to the form of man as the sight to the eye, they would not cause any injury to themselves or to others: for the knowledge of truth removes hatred and quarrels, and prevents mutual injuries. This state of society is promised to us by the prophet in the words: “And the wolf shall dwell with the lamb,” etc.; “and the cow and the bear shall feed together,” etc.; and “the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp,” etc. The prophet also points out what will be the cause of this change: for he says that hatred, quarrel, and fighting will come to an end, because men will then have a true knowledge of God. “They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea”

Note: It is interesting to note that for Maimonides, the key word in Isaiah 11.9 is “knowledge of the Lord”, but Sefaria’s translation uses “devotion to the Lord”. Need to check Pines’ translation for this.