Whoever reflects on this and understands it will see that those who deny Allah’s signs are deaf and dumb, lost in darkness, and that these people and others like them are among the inhabitants of Hell, as Allah Most High has said of them:

“They will say, ‘If only we had listened or understood, we would not have been among the inhabitants of the Blaze.’”
(Al-Mulk: 10)

This is discussed at length elsewhere.

The purpose here is to show that the answers given to these eternalists by those who deny voluntary acts subsisting in Allah’s essence are weak, as has been explained. This enabled the philosophers, heretics, and others to gain the upper hand over them.

Those who pursued this approach to debate did justice neither to faith in Allah and His Messenger nor to jihad against Allah’s enemies. They thus perfected neither faith nor jihad.

Allah Most High has said:

“The believers are only those who believe in Allah and His Messenger, then never doubt, and strive with their wealth and their lives in the cause of Allah. It is they who are truthful.”
(Al-Hujurāt: 15)

He also said:

“And when Allah took the covenant of the prophets: ‘Whatever I give you of Scripture and wisdom, should a messenger then come to you confirming what you have, you must believe in him and support him.’ He said, ‘Do you affirm this and accept My binding covenant?’ They said, ‘We affirm it.’ He said, ‘Then bear witness, and I am with you among the witnesses.’”
(Āl ‘Imrān: 81)

“Ibn ‘Abbās said: Allah never sent a prophet without taking a covenant from him: if