you drove away the heretics (1) among the philosophers, the Muʿtazilites, and others like them; yet, upon close inspection, those very arguments raze the foundations of your own creed, unleash (2) your adversary against you, oblige you to deny your Prophet, and cast aspersions on the finest generations of this ummah. The same pattern is found in what you have done in both the revealed (sharʿī) and rational (ʿaqlī) domains.

With respect to the revealed matters: once you had re-interpreted the texts on the divine attributes, the Muʿtazilites re-interpreted what you yourselves had already conceded (3), advancing arguments identical to yours. The philosophers then went further still, re-interpreting (4) the scriptural passages concerning belief in the Last Day. The philosophers (5) said to your fellow believers the very same things you had said to them, and you possessed no argument against the philosophers; whenever you appealed to the texts, you re-interpreted them.

Thus, the furthest you reached in disputing with such people was to say:

“We know with necessary knowledge that the Messenger informed us of the resurrection of bodies and imposed the manifest obligations—such as the five daily prayers, the fasting of the month of Ramadan, and the like—upon all mankind. Matters known by necessity are beyond challenge.”

If the philosophers retorted,

“This is not known by necessity,”

your answer would be:

“This is either sheer obstinacy on your part or ignorance,”

or you would say,

“Necessary knowledge cannot be removed from the soul; within ourselves we find this knowledge to be self-evident.”

What you say here is indeed correct. Yet concerning this very point (6) the affirmers—the scholars versed in the Quran, in its exegesis transmitted from the early generations and the leading imams, and in the authentic hadiths of the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, of the Companions, and of the Followers—say to you: “We know with necessary knowledge….”