the attributes indicated by the texts, understanding their meaning, reflecting upon them and comprehending them, refuting the way of those who negate the attributes, and explaining how it contradicts clear reason and sound transmitted evidence—he would have recognized that the way of the early generations is more knowledgeable, wiser, and safer, and offers better guidance to the most upright path. He would have recognized that it entails accepting as true what the Messenger conveyed, understanding it and knowing it; that this is precisely what clear reason indicates, and that nothing contradicts it except falsehood and lies; that the way of those who negate the attributes, which conflicts with what the Messenger conveyed, is invalid both according to revelation and reason; and that anyone who portrays the way of the early generations as not knowing the meanings of the verses and not affirming the attributes they contain has spoken untruthfully, whether deliberately or mistakenly. Likewise, anyone who says of the Messenger that he was not sent to affirm the attributes, but rather to convey the position of those who negate them, has falsely attributed this to him.

These deniers speak falsely—whether deliberately or mistakenly—about Allah, His Messenger, and the early generations of this community and its leading scholars. Likewise, they speak falsely—whether deliberately or mistakenly—about human reason and the rational evidence and conclusive proofs that Allah Most High has established.

Lying goes hand in hand with associating partners with Allah, and He has linked the two in several passages, as in His saying:

“So avoid the defilement of idols and avoid false speech, inclining to Allah alone, not associating partners with Him.” [Al-Hajj: 30–31]

And Allah Most High says:

“Indeed, those who took the calf for worship will incur wrath from their Lord and humiliation in the life of this world. Thus do We recompense those who fabricate lies.” [Al-A‘rāf: 152]