and disobey him, disparage what he brought, and oppose him. For if the commonly understood meaning of what they told people contradicted sound reason, then, if they did not recognize this contradiction, whoever makes that claim has accused them of deficient and corrupt intellects—an accusation everyone agrees is false. If, however, they knew that it contradicted sound reason, yet proclaimed it without explaining it or showing how it could be reconciled with sound reason, then they sought the very thing by which deniers would reject them, believers would become doubtful, and their enemies would gain the upper hand over their supporters. Their supporters would thus be left in doubt and confusion, while their enemies readied their arrows against them and rallied factions against them. Their supporters would be unable to defend what the Messenger brought; instead, they would seek to turn away from hearing it and prevent others from listening to it. Only someone of exceedingly little intelligence would do such a thing.

Since everyone on earth agrees that these men possessed complete intellects and knowledge—indeed, that they were the most accomplished people in intellect and knowledge—it becomes clear that the religion they proclaimed, explained, conveyed, and described did not, as conveyed by them, contradict sound reason or conflict with any acceptable truth. Rather, in their view, only a lying ignoramus would oppose it.

What further clarifies this matter is that the Prophet’s reports—may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him—about the alterations and distortions made by the People of the Book became widely known, as did his exposure of their faults and sins, affirming that Allah is free of the deficiencies and defects they attributed to Him,