Given this, it becomes clear that knowledge of the Messenger’s truthfulness, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, does not depend on any premises that contradict affirming the attributes known through revelation, seeing Allah, His being above the Throne, or similar matters established by revelation. This is what was to be demonstrated.

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This is further clarified by the fact that these innovated methods of establishing the Maker’s existence—introduced into Islam by the Mu'tazilah and Jahmiyyah, and adopted by those who agreed with them among the Ash'arīs and others, including followers of the four imams and others—have been criticized by the majority of rational thinkers. Just as the early generations, the imams, and their followers criticized these methods and condemned those who practised speculative theology using them, so too did accomplished philosophers criticize them and explain that the methods indicated by the Noble Quran are sounder. Nevertheless, those Mu'tazilīs and Ash'arīs are closer to Islam than these philosophers in another respect.

[Ibn Asākir’s remarks in Exposing the Fabricator’s Lies concerning the imams’ condemnation of practitioners of speculative theology]

The early generations’ and the imams’ condemnation of this speculative theology is widespread and well known.

Abū al-Qāsim ibn Asākir said in his book known as Exposing the Fabricator’s Lies Concerning What Is Ascribed to al-Ash'arī:

“If it is said: ‘The highest praise you offer Abū al-Hasan is to establish that he is