And the third is acting in accordance with what one knows. Allah Most High says:

“We will show them Our signs on the horizons and within themselves until it becomes clear to them that it is the truth. Is it not enough that your Lord is a witness over all things?”

The pronoun refers to the Quran, as Allah Most High says:

“Say, ‘Have you considered: if it is from Allah and you then disbelieve in it, who is more astray than one who is in extreme opposition?’”

“We will show them Our signs on the horizons and within themselves until it becomes clear to them that it is the truth,” and the remainder of the verse.

As for the claim made by a group of philosophers and their followers among speculative theologians and Sufis—that the pronoun refers to Allah and that the verse describes the way to know Him through rational inference—this interpretation is mistaken in many respects and contradicts the consensus of the early generations of this community and its leading scholars.

He, glory be to Him, thus explains that He shows observable signs to demonstrate the truth of the verses that are heard, although His testimony through those verses is itself sufficient. For He, glory be to Him, has not guided His servants through the Quran merely by conveying reports, as some groups among the speculative theologians suppose. They believe that the Quran provides evidence only through reports; that accepting a report depends upon knowing the truthfulness of its speaker, namely the Messenger; and that knowing his truthfulness depends upon establishing the existence of the Creator, knowing what is necessary, possible, and impossible with respect to Him, knowing that sending messengers is possible, and knowing the signs that demonstrate their truthfulness. They call these foundations “rational principles,” because, in their view, revelation depends upon them.

This is a grave error and one of the greatest ways in which certain groups among the speculative theologians and proponents of religious innovation have gone astray. For Allah, glory be to Him, has explained in His Book everything needed concerning the foundations of the religion. In it He established