trees from seeds and fruit stones, and animals from semen—or whether, through that deed, He creates trees without their being made from the deed itself.

The second point concerns his statement: “Thus, everything we have mentioned establishes that resorting to interpretation is unavoidable for every rational person.” The response is that he has mentioned nineteen arguments, matching the number of the keepers of Hell, yet none necessitates an interpretation analogous to the one he advocates: namely, that discourse must be diverted from the meaning apparent to its hearers to a meaning incompatible with it.

The third point is that they may not dispute with him an interpretation that diverts discourse from its apparent meaning, as understood by those addressed, to a contrary meaning on the basis of scriptural evidence that clarifies this. For the words of Allah and the words of His Messenger