the position of the early generations and the leading scholars; and these are the fundamentals of religion that must be believed, whether as an individual or a collective obligation.” It also includes anyone who conceals what he possesses of the Book and the Sunnah so that his opponent cannot use it to support the truth he advocates. These practices are extremely widespread among adherents of deviant doctrines generally—such as the Rāfidah, the Jahmiyyah, and similar adherents of deviant doctrines and speculative theology—and in particular instances, such as among many who affiliate themselves with the jurists while sharing some of the tendencies of adherents of deviant doctrines.

The matters mentioned in this answer are discussed at length elsewhere.

This concludes the answer to the question. Allah knows best.

[Returning to the discussion of the rule of interpretation]

The purpose here is to discuss the statement:
“If scriptural and rational evidence conflict…” and so on, as stated earlier.

[A general response]

The discussion of this statement rests on exposing the obfuscation in its opening premise, for it is founded on several premises.

The first:
That a conflict between them is established.

The second:
That the possible alternatives are confined to the four categories he mentioned.

The third:
That three of those categories are invalid.

All three premises are false.