It is remarkable that a “premise” upon which there is consensus should itself be the source of disagreement and dispute. May Allah be pleased with whoever gives us an explanation that heals the ailing and combines knowledge of the judgment with a clear account of its proof. Indeed, He Most High hears supplication and is worthy of our hope. He is sufficient for us, and He is the best Disposer of affairs.

He replied—may Allah be pleased with him:

Praise be to Allah. The answer to this question rests upon “two premises.”

The first is to know that perfection is affirmed for Allah. Indeed, what is affirmed for Him is the utmost perfection possible: every perfection free of deficiency is affirmed for the Lord Most High, who is entitled to it by virtue of His own holy essence. Affirming this necessarily entails negating its opposite: affirming life entails negating death; affirming knowledge entails negating ignorance; and affirming power entails negating incapacity. This perfection is established for Him by rational evidence and conclusive proofs, alongside the evidence of revelation.

The Quran provides evidence for matters in two ways:

The first is Allah’s truthful report. Whatever Allah and His Messenger have reported is true, just as Allah has reported it.

The second is the Quran’s demonstration through comparisons and its exposition of rational proofs establishing the point at issue. This evidence is both scriptural and rational. It is “scriptural” because revelation points to it and directs us to it, and “rational” because its validity is known through reason. It must not be said that it is known solely through a report.