speculative theologians is closer to reason and transmitted revelation than the philosophers’ discourse generally, although the philosophers may sometimes be right.
Likewise, Muslims as a whole are better than the followers of the two Scriptures, although among the People of the Book there may be individuals possessing intelligence, truthfulness, and trustworthiness that many who profess Islam lack. As Allah Most High says:
“Among the People of the Book are some who, if entrusted with a great sum of wealth, will return it to you; and among them are others who, if entrusted with a single dinar, will not return it to you unless you constantly stand over them.”
[Āl ‘Imrān: 75]
Nevertheless, they know that everyone who believes in Muhammad’s prophethood—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—inwardly and outwardly, in a manner pleasing to Allah, is better than any follower of the Scriptures. Yet among those who outwardly profess Islam are hypocrites whose punishment in the Hereafter will be more severe than that of some Jews and Christians, for the hypocrites will be in the lowest depths of the Fire. Outward profession of Islam encompasses both believers and hypocrites, but those who attain felicity in the Hereafter are the believers, not the hypocrites. Although the rulings of Islam are applied to hypocrites in this world, they will have no share in the Hereafter.
[Section. Speculative Theologians Are Closer to Islam than the Philosophers]
Section.
Speculative Theologians Are Closer to Islam than the Philosophers
Here we shall explain how we support the speculative theologians, who are closer to Islam and the Sunnah than these philosophers, even though they are misguided in those matters in which they oppose the Sunnah. This can be explained in several ways.
[The First Argument]
They may say to these philosophizers:
You have asserted that the world is eternal, basing this on what you have said about the eternity of time, the existence of unceasing activity on the part of Allah Most High, and similar matters,