For this reason, some who recognize his merit and religious devotion have come to deny that these books are his. The jurist Abū Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Salām even denied—in the notes taken from him—that “The Beginning of Guidance” was his work, saying: “It is merely something falsely attributed to him.” Yet the acceptable material in these books exceeds the objectionable material many times over. The objectionable material consists of general statements, and these books contain neither creeds nor the fundamentals of religion.

As for “That Which Is Withheld from Those Unqualified for It,” another group of scholars denied its attribution to him. Those thoroughly familiar with him and his circumstances, however, know that all this is his own discourse, because they know the sources underlying it and recognize the resemblance between its various parts. Nevertheless, he and others like him were—as I have already explained—unsettled, unable to hold consistently to a firm position. Their intelligence and eagerness to learn made them aspire to the path of the foremost among mankind, but it was not decreed for them to follow the path of the foremost members of this community, who inherited knowledge and faith from the Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. These are the people who possess the realities of faith and the Quran—as we have already explained—who understand the Book of Allah, know and understand the hadith of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and accompany this knowledge with the corresponding spiritual states and deeds, in accordance with what the prophetic message brought.

For this reason, Shaykh Abū ‘Amr ibn al-Salāh said—in a passage I saw in his own handwriting:

“Much has been said about Abū Hāmid, and he himself has said much. As for these books”—meaning those that contradict the truth—“no heed should be paid to them. As for the man himself, one should remain silent about him and entrust his affair to Allah.”