these men, they deemed everyone who did not disavow them a Nāṣibī. Likewise, when they came to believe that two feet (1) are alike, or that two bodies are alike, and so forth, they said, “Those who affirm the divine attributes are assimilationists.”

It is said to anyone who makes this claim (2): If by Nāṣibism and assimilation you mean hatred of Ali and the Prophet’s household, and regarding the Lord’s attributes as being like those of the servant (3), then Ahl al-Sunnah are neither Nāṣibīs nor assimilationists.

If, however, what you mean (4) is that they give their allegiance to the caliphs (5) and affirm the attributes of Allah Most High, then call this whatever you wish: “They are but names you have named—you and your forefathers—for which Allah has sent down no authority.”

Praise and blame are attached to designations only when those designations have a basis in the revealed law, such as believer and unbeliever, righteous and wicked, learned and ignorant. Whoever wishes to praise or condemn must therefore establish that the person being praised or condemned falls under one of those designations to which Allah and His Messenger have attached praise or blame. But if a designation has no basis in the revealed law, and the inclusion of a person under it is itself disputed with the one assigning him to it, then each of the two premises fails, and (6) such an argument can be relied upon only by someone who does not know what he is saying.