As for the dialectical theologians who affirm the divine attributes—the Kullābīs, Karrāmīs, and Ashʿarīs—along with the jurists, Sufis, and hadith scholars, these generally do not disparage the early generations. Indeed, they may agree with them on most of the broad outlines of their teachings. Yet the more knowledgeable any of them is about hadith, the better he understands the doctrine of the early generations and the more closely he follows it. Each group’s reverence for the early generations is proportionate to its adherence to the Sunnah and the scarcity of religious innovation within it.

As for the claim that professing adherence to the early generations is a distinguishing mark of the proponents of religious innovation, this is categorically false. Such a situation is possible only where ignorance is widespread and knowledge scarce.

This is illustrated by the fact that many of Abū Muhammad’s associates among the followers of Abū al-Hasan al-Ashʿarī explicitly acknowledge their disagreement with the early generations—for example, concerning faith and the reinterpretation of Quranic verses and hadiths. They say:

“The doctrine of the early generations is that faith consists of speech and action, and that it increases and decreases. As for the dialectical theologians among our associates, their doctrine is such-and-such.”

Likewise, they say:

“The doctrine of the early generations is that these verses and hadiths concerning the divine attributes are not to be reinterpreted. The dialectical theologians, however, advocate reinterpreting them, regarding this as either obligatory or permissible.”

They mention the disagreement between the early generations and their associates who practise dialectical theology. This is what their tongues declare and their books record. Is there no discerning person who will take heed, no deluded person who will desist?

That position is established as belonging to the early generations, even by the explicit admission of their opponents. Then a doctrine arises that departs from their position. Does this not explicitly imply that the early generations had gone astray concerning monotheism and Allah’s freedom from imperfection, while later generations came to understand these matters? This is necessarily false in light of sound knowledge and firmly grounded religion.