none of these differences constitutes a disagreement that overturns an established foundation or dissolves a binding commitment, requiring disavowal and a judgment of misguidance. How could such disagreement arise among them when they agree on defending manifest knowledge—what all tongues proclaim and upon which all are united? Only a small band from each faction has distinguished itself by a doctrine they invented to support their falsehood, clinging to what their desires led them to and their pursuit of worldly gain demanded, preferring to secure leadership over rabble like themselves, so that their dissent might set them apart and win them renown—through Allah’s abandonment and deprivation.”

I say:

What we have cited is the wording of Abū Bakr ibn Fūrak in conveying his account. For the most part, he quoted the wording of Abū al-Hasan al-Ash‘arī from al-Maqālāt. In some places, however, he altered his words through additions and omissions, sometimes mistakenly and sometimes deliberately, exercising his own judgment because he believed that what he stated was correct, rather than what he found in Abū al-Hasan’s account.

Allah willing, we shall cite Abū al-Hasan’s exact words in al-Maqālāt, as well as his words in the works he composed after al-Maqālāt, so that the matter becomes clear as it truly is. Our purpose here is simply to present what Abū Bakr ibn Fūrak relates from Abū Muhammad ‘Abd Allāh ibn Sa‘īd ibn Kullāb. We have cited this