the Jahmiyyah, who deny the divine attributes, contradict the report of the truthful Messenger and deny the attributes of perfection established for Allah.

What further clarifies this matter is that anyone who follows this path and allows that clear rational arguments might contradict the revealed evidence harbours doubt about the reports of Allah and His Messenger as a whole. The words of Allah and His Messenger do not command such reverence in his heart as would require him to affirm their content fully. It is thus evident that this is a path of deviation and hypocrisy, not a path of knowledge and faith.

We demonstrate the invalidity of their approach sometimes through arguments grounded in faith and the Quran, and sometimes through evidence intelligible to those who do not base their reasoning on the Quran and faith.

This is because we are addressing those who acknowledge that what the Messenger has reported is true, but hold that rational arguments may conflict with what he brought and must take precedence over it. If, however, we are setting out in detail the invalidity of the rational arguments they put forward in opposition, that—praise be to Allah—is among the easiest matters for us.

Praise be to Allah, the invalidity of the familiar arguments of the philosophers, the Jahmiyyah, the Qadariyyah and others like them, which they use to oppose the Book of Allah, has become clear to us with a certainty that admits no contrary conclusion. Through clear reason, we have come to know the invalidity of their principal arguments. This—praise be to Allah—is among the things through which Allah has increased us in guidance and faith, for the invalidity of an opposing argument supports and strengthens knowledge of the truth. The better one understands the invalidity of falsehood, the better one understands the soundness of the truth.