On this basis, the difficulty is resolved: the creation of the heavens and the earth can only be fully established through what revelation has brought. The world’s coming into existence cannot be affirmed on the premises of those who deny divine acts. They claim that reason has demonstrated the negation of these acts, and give what they regard as a rational proof precedence over what the Quran and Sunnah have brought. Yet, upon careful examination, reason invalidates this position and agrees with revelation.

For once it becomes clear that denying these acts makes it impossible to affirm that anything comes into existence—whether the world or anything else—while things are visibly coming into existence, reason has demonstrated the truth of what revelation has brought concerning this matter. Allah, glorified is He, possesses attributes of perfection and is free of deficiencies. Every perfection attributed to a created being that entails no deficiency is more fittingly attributed to the Creator; and every deficiency from which a created being is deemed free is something from which the Creator is even more deserving of being deemed free. Acting is an attribute of perfection, not deficiency, just as speech and power are. The absence of action is a deficiency, just as the absence of speech and power is. Thus, reason demonstrates the truth of what revelation indicates, which is what was to be established.

Before Abū Muhammad ibn Kullāb, people fell into two groups. The people of the Sunnah and the community affirmed the attributes that subsist in Allah Most High, together with the acts that He wills and has the power to perform. The Jahmiyyah, including the Mu‘tazilah and others, denied both. Ibn Kullāb affirmed that abiding attributes subsist in Him, but denied that acts or anything else connected with His will and power subsist in Him.

Abū al-‘Abbās al-Qalānisī, Abū al-Hasan al-Ashharī, and others agreed with him on this. As for al-Hārith al-Muhāsibī, he adhered to Ibn Kullāb’s position; for this reason, Ahmad ordered that he be shunned. Ahmad used to warn against Ibn Kullāb and his followers. It was later said of al-Hārith that he had recanted his position.