he came down and slaughtered him, and the scholars commended him for doing so. This was in the time of the Successors.

Allah sent the messengers to call people to worship Him—a worship encompassing knowledge of Him through His names, attributes, and signs; love for Him; turning to Him; and sincere devotion to Him, so that all religion belongs to Allah alone. The Jahmiyyah turn hearts away from knowing, loving, and worshipping Him in proportion to their adherence to Jahmī doctrine, some embracing less of it and others more. You will find no one with any trace of Jahmī doctrine whose monotheism and faith are not diminished accordingly. Thus, the Mu‘tazilah are among those furthest removed from the way of Allah’s God-fearing friends, who know the path to Allah and follow it in their deeds, spiritual states, and intentions.

The twenty-fifth point: It may be said: Suppose its cause is this