and separation, which they call corporealism and composition. This is false. Let this matter be carefully considered, for it is of immense benefit concerning the greatest foundation of religion, which this surah—equivalent to one-third of the Quran—sets forth. Over this matter, people have fallen into great confusion, arguments have frequently clashed, and sects have divided.

If this specious argument and others like it are the root of the misguidance of earlier and later generations because of the ambiguous, indeterminate expressions they contain—as Imam Ahmad said when describing those who raised the banners of religious innovation and gave free rein to discord:

“They differ over the Book, oppose the Book, and agree on departing from the Book. They make claims about Allah and speak concerning Him and His Book without knowledge. They use ambiguous language and deceive the ignorant by confusing them”—

then the way to resolve such arguments is through the preceding discussion of the ambiguous, indeterminate expressions they contain