—from any angle whatsoever. We will likewise demonstrate that the Qur’an offers them no proof and that it contains no contradiction. The very same applies to the scriptures of the earlier prophets to which they appeal: those books in fact testify against them, for not a single passage within them supports their claim—even supposing Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, had never been sent. How much more, then, when the Book revealed to Muhammad accords with every utterance of the prophets, peace be upon them, in refuting their religion and their assertions regarding the Trinity (tathlīth), the union of divinity and humanity (ittihād), and similar doctrines, all in full harmony with sound reason.

In this treatise they have therefore argued on the basis of the Qur’an, on what the prophets before Muhammad—peace and blessings be upon him—brought, and on the intellect. We shall show that none of these sources—neither what Muhammad brought, nor what the earlier prophets brought, nor reason itself—affords them any legitimate support. On the contrary, what Muhammad brought, what the prophets before him brought, together with plain reason, all constitute decisive proofs of the invalidity of their religion.

Before embarking on that proof we must first state that their attempt to cite the reports transmitted from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, is unsound from every perspective. It is impermissible for anyone who denies him in a single word of his message to adduce those very reports as evidence.

The same principle applies to all the other prophets, peace be upon them. This differs from citing the words of people who are not prophets, for in the latter case one may accept some statements and reject others. As for the information conveyed by the prophets, peace be upon them, or by someone who merely claims prophethood—