As for how he establishes this against his interlocutor, he appeals to its acceptance by people of sound intellect whose natural disposition has not been opposed by any contrary conviction or intention. When people of sound intellect, free of any desire or belief opposed to this proposition, acknowledge that they know it self-evidently, it becomes clear that this is indeed the case, and that the natural disposition of whoever disputes it has been altered by some belief or desire. Just as something may affect sensory perception and cause it to err, so too may something affect the intellect and cause it to err.

Further evidence that this proposition is true is that all the Books sent down from heaven and all the prophets brought teachings that agree with it, not teachings that contradict it. Likewise, “the early generations of this community”—the Companions, the Successors, and their followers—agree with what it entails; they do not oppose it. No one held in honour within this community has opposed this self-evident proposition. Indeed, most practitioners of speculative theology and philosophy affirm what it entails. Only some philosophers and some speculative theologians, such as the Muʿtazilah and their followers, have opposed it.

Those who opposed it—even their thinkers and scholars—contradicted themselves on this matter. They claimed self-evidence for propositions of the same kind, although this proposition is clearer than those. Those among them who denied this were led to deny the general body of self-evident truths and sensory knowledge. Thus, whoever denies this self-evident proposition faces one of two alternatives: either his position entails denying the general body of self-evident truths, or he acknowledges as self-evident other propositions of the same kind that are less compelling and less clear than this one.

This is illustrated by the fact that those who said that the Creator, glorified be He, is neither a body nor something that occupies space subsequently disagreed over whether He is above the world or not. Some groups said: