then whoever holds the view that God’s rulings admit of no underlying rationale, who refuses to say that the goodness or badness of actions can be known by reason, who will not declare God above any particular act or judgment but rather deems every possibility permissible for Him—negating only what a transmitted report or established custom negates—such a person may be answered with the reply already noted, yet the vast majority of hearts and intellects will never accept it.

As for the position of the majority, we set out the wisdoms and benefits embedded in His commands, the harms and corruptions inherent in His prohibitions, and we demonstrate the superiority of what the Prophet brought over everything raised in opposition to it. Indeed, we show the superiority of the prophets’ laws over the political systems of all other nations, and even more so the superiority of the law of Muhammad—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—over every other revealed law. This has been elaborated elsewhere.

Should the People of the Book attempt to claim that Muhammad—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—contradicts earlier revelation by adducing a scriptural proof, whether from his own words or from the words of another prophet, peace be upon them all, the answer is given from several angles.

First: we say to them, “You cannot affirm the prophethood of any messenger while at the same time denying Muhammad—may Allah bless him and grant him peace. The path…"