In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful; by His aid is every success. All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is no god but Allah alone, without partner, and I testify that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger. May Allah bless him, his family, and his Companions, and grant them peace in abundance. A foundational principle: it is obligatory to remain upright and moderate, and to follow the Qur’an and the Sunnah in the matter of Allah’s Names and Attributes and in affirming His oneness, both in word and in creed. This principle explains that the Qur’an and the Sunnah encompass all guidance, and that division and misguidance arose only when parts of this guidance were abandoned. It cautions against every innovation that opposes this guidance—whether by excess in negation or in affirmation—traces the origins of such innovations, exposes the ambiguous terms that found their way into the discussion, and uncovers the disputes and schisms that led some of these factions to declare one another unbelievers. All of this came about because portions of the truth were abandoned, elements of falsehood were taken up, the truth was concealed, and truth was mixed with falsehood. Section: The newly introduced speculation in fundamentals, namely the invented discipline of kalām, and the newly introduced opinion in subsidiary matters, namely the novel juristic reasoning; likewise, the innovations in fiqh, the contrived devotional practices such as innovated Sufism, and the newly fashioned political theories. Certain groups of people imagine that the religion stands in need of these innovations—each faction in particular …