in theology and philosophy, and in the introduction to his book Abkār al-Afkār he states what the philosophers maintain: since the perfection and completeness of everything lie in its attainment of the perfections possible for it, the perfection of the human soul lies in attaining its own perfections—namely, a comprehensive grasp of intelligible things and knowledge of what is unknown.

Since the sciences are numerous and the branches of knowledge manifold, and time does not permit acquiring them all, especially with limited resolve and numerous distractions, one must strive to acquire the most perfect of them and gain a comprehensive grasp of the best, giving precedence to the most important, then the next most important, and to that whose knowledge yields the fullest benefit. It is evident that what most deserves to draw the gaze of discerning minds