A Concise Note on Aristotle’s Discourse

The Mutual Disagreement of the Philosophers
Aristotle is the first teacher of those who espouse these doctrines—the group known as the Peripatetics. They are the proponents of the Greek logic he formulated, together with its branches dealing with natural philosophy and metaphysics. Yet the philosophers are by no means a single nation holding one creed regarding metaphysics, physics, or anything else. Rather, they are disparate factions, and the extent of their division and discord is known only to Allah; it far exceeds, many times over, the differences found within a single religious community such as the Jews or the Christians.

The Farther a People Are from the Messengers, the Greater Their Disagreement
The more a people distance themselves from following the messengers and the revealed scriptures, the more severe their fragmentation and disputes become, and the deeper they sink into error. This accords with the ḥadīth recorded by al-Tirmidhī from Abū Umāmah, in which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

“No people ever went astray after being upon guidance except that they were given to disputation.”

He then recited Allah’s saying:

“They offer it to you only for the sake of argument; in truth, they are a contentious people.” (Q 43:58)

None can judge between people concerning what they dispute except a revealed Book and a commissioned Prophet, as the Exalted One says:

“Mankind were a single community; then Allah sent the prophets as bearers of glad tidings and warners, and He sent down with them the Book in truth so that it might judge between people regarding that over which they differed. None, however, differed concerning it except those who had been given it, after clear proofs had come to them, out of mutual envy. Then Allah guided those who believed to the truth about that over which they differed, by His permission; and Allah guides whom He wills to a straight path.” (Q 2:213)