blameworthy?’ Know that whatever useful proofs speculative theology contains are already included in the Quran and the transmitted reports. Whatever goes beyond this consists either of blameworthy disputation, which is an innovation, or of contentious wrangling over the sects’ contradictions and wasting time recounting their doctrines, most of which are nonsense and ravings that human nature scorns and the ears reject. Some involve delving into matters unrelated to religion. None of this was familiar in the earliest age, so engaging in it at all constituted an innovation.”

[Al-Ashʿarī’s statement in his epistle to the people of the frontier]

Abū al-Hasan al-Ashʿarī said in his epistle to the people of the frontier at Bāb al-Abwāb:

“I have taken note of their request to set out the principles relied upon by