This is very common, and the one kept safe is he whom Allah keeps safe. Indeed, many of these people (1) revere certain imams while condemning views whose proponents they may curse or even declare unbelievers, although those very views were held by the imams they revere. Had they known that those imams held them, they would not have cursed their proponents. Indeed, many of these views were stated by the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—without their knowing it.

If such a person is among those who accepted these views from the speculative theologians (2) merely by imitation, he follows whichever authorities loom largest in his estimation. If he thinks that the speculative theologians ascertained what his own imams did not, he imitates them. But if he thinks that the imams are of higher standing, more knowledgeable of the truth (3), and more faithful in following the Messenger, he imitates them instead. If he has learned the speculative-theological argument for that view, but then hears that imams whom he reveres held the contrary view, or that a hadith has come (4) contradicting it (5), he remains perplexed. Even if he favors one side, he does so reluctantly and has no firm basis upon which to build. His heart finds rest only when he knows with certainty that one of the two views is correct, for imitation does not yield certainty. Thus, when he is certain that the Messenger said it—and knows that he speaks nothing but the truth—he becomes certain of it, even if some speculative theologians disagree.

A person’s knowledge of the disagreements among these people and of their mutual refutations—even if some of them do not recognize the falsity of others’ positions—is among (6) the most beneficial things. Every one of them has indeed (7) had groups that preferred his position; thus, when a person learns the other group’s rebuttal of this