As for the sum of the deeds of the earliest Muslims, no one can accomplish the same. As established in the two Sahīh collections, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “If one of you were to spend the equivalent of Mount Uhud in gold, it would not equal a mudd (two cupped handfuls) given by one of them, nor even half of it.”

Once the meaning of the term ta’wīl is understood, the invalidity of these people’s argument based on Allah’s words becomes clear:

“And none knows its ta’wīl except Allah.” [Āl ‘Imrān 7]

For the ta’wīl known only to Allah does not mean that no one understands anything of the wording. Rather, they understand it, even though its ta’wīl is known only to Allah. The early scholars who generally made a break in the verse and paused at His words “except Allah” explained ta’wīl as something other than what is understood from the wording of