Thus, there are three categories: whatever is known to be established is affirmed; whatever is known to be absent is denied; and whatever is not known to be either absent or established is left unaddressed. This is what is required. Remaining silent about something is not the same as asserting definitively that it is absent or established. Whoever makes affirmations only in the terms established by revelation, seeks clarification and further detail when other terms are used, and, if the meaning accords with what revelation affirms, affirms it using the scriptural wording, has held fast to revelation in both wording and meaning. This is the path of those who hold fast to the firmest handhold.

However, one must understand the scriptural evidence, both its chains of transmission and its texts. The authenticity of the Quran’s wording is known; one must therefore understand the ways in which it conveys meaning. As for the Sunnah, one must know what has been authentically established and what is known to be fabricated. For some who affiliated themselves with the Sunnah, revered the Sunnah and revelation, and believed that they had held fast to the Book and the Sunnah in this matter, collected hadiths concerning the divine attributes. Among these were reports known to be fabricated, reports more likely to be fabricated, reports more likely to be authentic, and reports whose status was uncertain. They made these hadiths articles of belief and compiled works on them. Some of them declare those who disagree with what these hadiths indicate to be unbelievers.

At the opposite extreme are those who reject hadith as a whole, and those who say concerning the reports in