and of agreeing with the people of the Sunnah and the community in affirming the vision of Allah. Upon closer examination, however, they agree with the Muʿtazilah. All they affirm in this regard is something like the increase in knowledge affirmed by the Muʿtazilah, and similar explanations of the vision that the Muʿtazilah offer, or something close to them. This is why this very al-Rāzī acknowledges that their disagreement with the Muʿtazilah over the vision is largely terminological.

It thus becomes clear that their true inward position is that of the Muʿtazilah and the Jahmiyyah, who deny the divine attributes, even though outwardly they appear to affirm them. Likewise, upon closer examination, the Muʿtazilah’s actual position is that of the heretics who deny the divine names and attributes altogether, even though they make a show of refuting them. The heretics’ actual position, in turn, amounts to denying the Creator altogether. This, by my life, is what a thorough examination reveals.

As for the ordinary adherents of these groups—even those possessing some merit and distinction—they may combine contradictory beliefs through imitation and conjecture. For this reason, they are not deniers and disbelievers without qualification: they affirm in one respect and deny in another, thus combining denial and affirmation.

Al-Ashʿarī said in al-Ibānah (The Elucidation):

“Chapter: Refutation of the Jahmiyyah