Since most of the sources supplying the premises of demonstrative syllogisms—internal and external sensation, mass transmission, experience, and intuitive apprehension—yield knowledge only of particulars, not universals, while the faculty that apprehends primary, self-evident universals apprehends only things conceived in the mind, none of the aforementioned principles and premises of demonstration provides knowledge of a universal proposition applicable to things actually existing outside the mind. Yet a syllogism yields knowledge only through a universal proposition. It is therefore impossible to obtain certain knowledge through what they describe as the form and material of the syllogism.

This is clear to anyone who reflects upon it. Precisely formulating it and conceiving it clearly opens up vast fields of knowledge and understanding. We shall explain, Allah willing, how their confusion arose. Reflect carefully on this, for it is one of the secrets of the greatest branches of knowledge. Through it, you will perceive an indescribably great difference between the way grounded in innate disposition, reason, transmitted revelation, the revealed Law, and faith, and the way of syllogisms, logic, and speculative theology.

It has become clear to you, both from their unanimous agreement and through reason, that the logical syllogism yields knowledge only through a proposition. It has also become clear that the propositions they regard as the material and foundations of demonstration contain no universal proposition applicable to existing things. Nor do they contain any means of knowing a universal proposition other than abstract reason, which apprehends things conceived in the mind. If, then, the foundations of their demonstration contain no knowledge of a general proposition applicable to existing things, this furnishes no knowledge.