their prohibitions against speculative theology or what are called rational arguments and inquiry: some of them may not distinguish the truth from the falsehood included in these, while others may fall short of the truth indicated by the Quran and Sunnah, as this man has mentioned. Undoubtedly, most of those who identify with the Quran and Sunnah display shortcomings in their knowledge of what the Quran and Sunnah indicate and what necessarily follows from that.

One valid point, then, is that whatever the Quran states and makes clear, whatever is established by the authentic Sunnah, or whatever the righteous predecessors agreed upon may never be opposed with rational argument and inquiry, or with speculative theology, demonstration, and rational analogy. Rather, anything that contradicts this is known, in a general and comprehensive sense, to be false. Detailed knowledge of why it is false, however, is not incumbent upon everyone; some people possess it and others do not.

Those who truly belong to Ahl al-Sunnah reject any such arguments that contradict the revealed text and consensus, even if they are dressed up with names for which Allah has sent down no authority. Allah Most High says:

“Thus We have appointed for every prophet enemies—devils from among mankind and jinn—who inspire one another with embellished speech to deceive. Had your Lord willed, they would not have done so. So leave them to their fabrications. {112}” [al-An‘ām 112]

Thus, the enemies of the prophets are forever inspiring one another with embellished speech to deceive.