through mass-transmitted reports and by observing evidence of the good outcome of the messengers’ followers and the evil outcome of those who rejected them is more beneficial than learning that the Messenger and his followers were truthful through means that impart knowledge alone. For the former imparts knowledge together with encouragement and warning, directly perfecting both faculties—the cognitive and the practical—unlike what merely imparts knowledge, which then leads to action.

For this reason, most people hold that acknowledging the Creator is self-evident and innate: souls feel a greater compelling need for this than for matters unrelated to their needs.

Do you not see that people know more about those upon whom their benefit and harm depend—such as their rulers, those bound to them through ownership, their friends, and their enemies—than about those from whom they neither hope for anything nor fear anything? Nothing is more dependent on anything else than a creature is on its Creator. They need Him by virtue of His Lordship, since He is the One who created them, brings them benefits, and wards off harm from them:

“Whatever blessing you have is from Allah. Then, when harm touches you, it is to Him that you cry for help.”
Al-Nahl 53.

Whatever comes from anyone comes only through His creation, ordainment, provision of its causes, and facilitation. It is this need that compels them to turn to Him in times of distress, just as He addresses them concerning this