through successive stages in their discourse, just as their brethren, the Qarmatians, advance those who respond to them stage by stage until they bring them to the “greatest disclosure” and the “supreme secret.” This consists in denying the Creator, declaring His messengers liars, rejecting His revealed laws, corrupting reason and religion, and embracing the utmost heresy ن, involving the utmost corruption concerning origins and the final return.
[How to Recognize Misguidance and Avoid It]
The discerning among these philosophizers did not originally intend such error. Rather, their aim was to ascertain realities and attain knowledge. Yet they encountered specious arguments that led them astray, just as some of the polytheists among them, and other unbelievers, initially went astray through certain specious arguments.
Therefore, whoever wishes to expose the misguidance of these people and others like them must agree with them on an ambiguous expression until its meaning becomes clear and its intended sense is understood. The discussion should concern clearly explained rational meanings, not confused meanings conveyed through ambiguous expressions.
Know that this is beneficial in matters of both revelation and reason.
As for revelation:
We must believe what Allah and His Messenger have said. Whatever is established as having been said by the Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, we must believe, even if we do not understand its meaning. For we know that he is truthful and confirmed as truthful, and that he says nothing about Allah except the truth.
As for the ambiguous expressions over which the Muslim community has disputed—such as “occupying space,” “direction,” “body,” “substance,” “accident,” and similar terms—no one is obliged to accept what any of these terms denotes, whether it is being denied or affirmed, until its meaning becomes clear. If the speaker intends a sound meaning consistent with the words of the infallible Messenger, then what he intends is true. If he intends a meaning contrary to the words of the infallible Messenger, then what he intends is false.