through rational inquiry and inference, that is, the arrangement of rational syllogisms,” is answered as follows: This is not the view of any of the early generations of the Muslim community or its imams, nor was it stated by any prophet or messenger. Nor is it the view of all speculative theologians, or even most of them. Rather, it is a view newly introduced into Islam by the Mu‘tazilī speculative theologians and others like them, whom the early generations of the Muslim community and its imams unanimously condemned.

Various groups of speculative theologians among the Murji’ah, the Shī‘ah, and others disputed this with them, saying instead that acknowledgment of the Maker is innate, necessary, and self-evident, and need not depend on rational inquiry and inference. They may even maintain that it cannot be attained through syllogistic reasoning and inquiry. This is the view of the great majority of jurists, Sufis, hadith scholars, ordinary people, and others.