As for the jurists, al-Shāfiī—may Allah Most High be pleased with him—is reported to have said:

‘I do not reject the testimony of those who hold deviant beliefs, except the Khattābiyyah, for they believe lying to be lawful.’

As for Abū Hanīfah—may Allah Most High be pleased with him—al-Hākim, the author of al-Mukhtasar (The Compendium), related in al-Muntaqā (The Selection) that Abū Hanīfah did not declare anyone among those who pray towards the qiblah to be an unbeliever. Abū Bakr al-Rāzī related the same concerning al-Karkhī and others.

As for the Mutazilah, those who preceded Abū al-Husayn acted foolishly and declared our associates to be unbelievers for affirming the divine attributes and the creation of acts.

As for those who liken Allah to His creation, their opponents among our associates and the Mutazilah declared them to be unbelievers.