and al-Shāfiī. Neither of these two attained the rank of an imam in hadith, or even an intermediate rank.

The Prohibition against Reading Books of Logic and Philosophy

I warn you both against reading anything on logic or any writings of the philosophers, for these are founded upon disbelief and heresy, remoteness from sacred law, and leading others away from it.

Books of Logic Should Be Read Only after One Is Firmly Grounded in Religion

I warn you both against reading them until you have read enough of the scholars’ writings to strengthen your ability to understand their corruption, the weakness of their specious arguments, and their lack of rigor. Otherwise, something may enter the heart of either of you before he possesses sufficient knowledge to refute it. It was for this reason that many earlier and later scholars condemned the reading of their writings by anyone who had not attained the requisite level of learning and knowledge of the subject, fearing for them precisely what I have warned you both against.

If I knew that you both would attain the degree of discernment and knowledge, strength in critical examination, and sufficient ability, I would urge you to read these writings and instruct you to study them, so that you might ascertain their weakness, the feebleness of those who believe in them, and the shallowness of those deceived by them. You would also see that they are among the vilest forms of trickery, obfuscation, cunning devices, and charlatanry—things by which those unfamiliar with them are deceived and which those unable to discern their true nature hold in awe.