Thus, true knowledge and righteous intention originate in the angel’s prompting, while false belief and corrupt intention originate in Satan’s prompting. Allah Most High says:

“Satan threatens you with poverty and commands you to commit immorality, whereas Allah promises you forgiveness from Him and bounty.”

He Most High also says:

“It is only Satan who frightens you with his allies.”

That is, he makes you fear his allies. And He Most High says:

“And when Satan made their deeds seem attractive to them and said, ‘No one among mankind can overcome you today, and I am your protector.’”

Satan is a whisperer who withdraws: when the servant remembers his Lord, he withdraws; when the servant neglects His remembrance, he whispers. Thus, neglecting the remembrance of Allah is a cause and starting point for false belief and corrupt intention entering the heart. Remembrance of Allah Most High includes reciting and understanding His Book and discussing knowledge, as Mu‘ādh ibn Jabal said: “And discussing it is glorification of Allah.”

The speculative theologians have disputed how knowledge arises in the heart after examining evidence. Some said that this occurs through causal generation. Those who deny causal generation said: “Rather, it occurs through the action of Allah Most High. Examining evidence either contains knowledge within it or necessarily entails it.” This view is supported by those speculative theologians who affiliate themselves with the sunnah, and by the jurists who agree with them among the followers of Mālik, al-Shāfi‘ī, Ahmad and others.

The philosophers said: “Rather, this occurs through emanation from the Active Intellect when the soul is ready to receive that emanation.” They may claim that the Active Intellect is “Gabriel.”

As for the statement of those who say, “This occurs through Allah’s action,” it is correct on the basis that Allah is the teacher of all knowledge and the Creator of all things. Yet this is a general statement that does not explain the cause itself