had heard it from him or found it transmitted from them. For they hear believers among the people of hadith, Ahl al-Sunnah wa-l-Jamā‘ah, jurists, and Sufis say, “The Book and the Sunnah.” When they dispute a religious question within the Muslim community concerning the divine attributes, divine decree, or the like, they say, “The Book and the Sunnah shall judge between us and you.” If their opponent says, “Reason shall judge between us and you,” they reply, “We judge only by the Book and the Sunnah,” and use similar expressions. Such words express the true character of the people of faith, are the hallmark of Ahl al-Sunnah wa-l-Jamā‘ah, and adorn the people of hadith, jurisprudence, and Sufism grounded in the Sharia.

These opponents, following their own reasoning, say, “It follows from this that knowledge of Allah Most High can be attained only through what the Lawgiver reports, if reason has no role in establishing such knowledge.”

This is ignorance on their part and speaking without knowledge. None of these believers has said that Allah Most High can be known solely through a bare report from the Lawgiver. No rational person would say this. For it is impossible to believe someone’s claim to be Allah’s Messenger without knowing that he is a messenger, and it is impossible for someone who does not know that Allah exists to know that he is Allah’s Messenger. Thus, attributing such a