Ibn Sīnā took these methods from speculative theologians such as the Mu‘tazilites and combined them with the teachings of his philosophical predecessors. Because these methods contained innovations contrary to the Quran and Sunnah, he used them to gain the upper hand over the Muslims, presenting these theologians’ position as the position of the Muslims. Yet this is not so: it is only the position of the innovators among them.

His brethren among the Qarmatian esotericists did likewise. They would hold each Muslim group to those points on which it agreed with them that contradicted the revealed texts, then insist that it follow that position through to its logical conclusions, until they led it out of Islam altogether. Thus, these people and their like shared in the condition of the apostates, concerning whom Allah Most High said:

“O you who believe, whoever among you turns back from his religion—Allah will bring forth a people He loves and who love Him, humble toward the believers, firm against the disbelievers, striving in Allah’s cause and fearing no blame from any critic.”

Thus, many of these people ultimately came to worship idols and associate partners with the Most Merciful—for example, by invoking the stars and prostrating to them, or by writing works on the subject, as al-Rāzī and others did.

What philosophers such as Ibn Sīnā and his like introduced on the basis of Mu‘tazilite teachings includes both truth and falsehood. A sound example is their assertion that singling out one thing rather than