knowledge, but instead speaks recklessly without knowledge, is unfit for debate except in the manner in which one debates ignorant laypeople who follow religious innovations and resemble the polytheists and Christians. They regard anyone who speaks the truth about a created being as reviling and insulting him, while they themselves revile, insult, and offend Allah. They do not fear reviling and insulting the Creator and associating partners with Him as they fear speaking the truth about a created being. As Abraham, Allah’s intimate friend, said to them:

“How could I fear what you associate with Him, while you do not fear associating with Allah that for which He has sent down no authority to you? Which of the two parties has more right to security, if you know?”

“Those who believe and do not taint their faith with wrongdoing—it is they who will have security, and they are rightly guided.”

Likewise, the Most High says of the polytheists:

“When the disbelievers see you, they only ridicule you, saying, ‘Is this the one who speaks against your gods?’ Yet they themselves disbelieve in the mention of the Most Merciful.”

They are not as angered by false statements about the Most Merciful as they are by truthful statements about their gods.

The Most High also says:

“O People of the Scripture, do not go to extremes in your religion, and say nothing about Allah except the truth. The Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, was only a messenger of Allah, His word which He conveyed to Mary, and a spirit from Him. So believe in Allah and His messengers, and do not say, ‘Three.’ Desist—it is better for you. Allah is only One God. Exalted is He above having a son! To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on earth. And Allah is sufficient as a Guardian.”

“The Messiah would never disdain to be a servant of Allah, nor would the angels brought near to Him.”

The Quran commentators have related: “The Christians—the Christians of Najrān—