To begin with, the primary aim is to perfect the soul through this knowledge; the refinement of morals and the disciplining of the self merely prepare the soul for it, and acts of worship assist in achieving it. Once the unsoundness of the principle on which they have built their discourse is exposed, the bankruptcy of their whole argument becomes evident.

Moreover, it is established—by mass-transmitted reports and by well-known experience—that righteous deeds bring about distinct worldly benefits, while corrupt deeds bring about their opposites. God, exalted is He, punished the people of shirk, indecency, and injustice—ʿĀd, Thamūd, the people of Lot, the people of Midian, and Pharaoh—with punishments external to themselves, plainly observable to all. Conversely, He honored the people of justice and righteousness with tangible marks of favor. This is acknowledged by every nation. How, then, can anyone claim that the sole purpose of worship and obedience is the inner moral improvement of the soul?

Furthermore, what has preceded makes it clear that God, exalted be He, is a volitional Agent who acts by His will and power; that He answers the supplications of His believing servants; and that He breaks customary norms by means that lie beyond known natural and psychic forces. All of this demonstrates that acts of worship and obedience have effects in the external world.

Another proof of the falsity of their view is their assertion that the only purpose of revelation is to establish worldly justice, and that the messengers did not disclose to people the true realities of things. Instead, they say, the messengers outwardly proclaimed what contradicted their inner convictions—on the assumption that real truth lies with the philosophers.

Were such a notion to be laid bare before people, their innate nature would repudiate it; they would reject it outright, and no God would remain for them to fear and worship, no Lord to whom they could pray and prostrate. They therefore claim that the messengers