—to them, even though they have been commanded to disbelieve in them (1).

How closely the plight of these contrived theologians resembles the Almighty’s words:
“Have you not seen those who claim to believe in what has been sent down to you and what was sent down before you, yet they wish to bring their disputes before the false judge, although they were commanded to reject him (2)? Satan only wants to lead them far astray. When they are told, ‘Come to what Allah has revealed and to the Messenger,’ you see the hypocrites turn away from you in aversion. But how will it be when disaster strikes them because of what their own hands have wrought, then they come to you swearing by Allah, ‘We wanted nothing but good conduct and reconciliation’” [al-Nisāʾ 60–62].

For when such people are called to what Allah has revealed in the Book and to the Messenger—after his death, the call to him is a call to his Sunnah—they turn away, all the while saying, “Our only aim is to excel in knowledge and practice by the path we have chosen, and to harmonise the rational and transmitted proofs.”

Yet the greater part of these specious doubts, which they dignify with the name of proofs, they have merely taken over from a certain false god (3) among the idols of the polytheists and Sabians, or from some of their heirs—men whom they were commanded to reject—such-and-such and such-and-such, or from others who speak as they do, for their hearts are alike (4)(5).