matters of transmitted revelation (samʿiyyāt)(1). For this reason, the earliest generations of the community, their leading scholars, and others set themselves to refute these sectarians, to affirm what Allah and His Messenger have established, and to rebut their denial and negation. They cited the evidences of the Book and the Sunnah to clarify the truth and expose their falsehood; and when those people advanced rational speculations, they likewise demonstrated(2) that sound reason itself proves the falsity of their doctrine and confirms the truth of what the messengers brought, as Allah the Exalted says:

“Those who have been granted knowledge see that what has been revealed to you from your Lord is the truth.”(3)

(4) If this is so, then whoever forbids explaining the affirmations with which Allah sent His Messenger, and orders instead the introduction of negations that are never reported from the messengers, has—in proportion to his effort—taken up opposition to Allah and His Messenger, defied Allah and His Messenger, and waged war against Allah and His Messenger. Such a person commands the abandonment of what the Messenger was sent with and promotes that which contains its contradiction.