people fall into three groups:

One group fell into doubt when they saw the evil and harm that exist in the world.

Another group affirmed two first principles: these are the dualists.

The third group offered explanations for what had gone awry, but these explanations did not satisfy the intellect—as the Mu‘tazilites did. When their explanations proved untenable, they turned instead to saying: “The wisdom behind the corruption that has arisen in the world is hidden from us.” They therefore submitted to the One deserving of submission: the Creator.

He said: “This is the group of the adherents of hadith.”

This rests on affirming wisdom, purpose, and the reasons underlying divine acts in general, while acknowledging ignorance of their details. He mentioned that this is the furthest point reached by every scholar who is in the right. Such is the extent of the knowledge of someone who has reached this point.

Ibn Aqīl expressed various positions, for he was among the most intelligent people in the world and devoted much thought and examination to what others said. At times, he follows the approach of those who deny the divine attributes conveyed in the revealed texts, objecting to those who call them attributes and saying: “They are merely attributions.” In this he agrees with the Mu‘tazilites, as he did in his book Dhamm al-Tashbīh wa-Ithbāt al-Tanzīh (Condemning Assimilation and Affirming Transcendence) and other works. Abū al-Faraj ibn al-Jawzī followed him in this in his book Kaff al-Tashbīh bi-Kaff al-Tanzīh, in his book Minhāj al-Wusūl (The Path to Attainment). At other times, he affirms