there is among them something that does not require an act of creating, then the act of creating itself may likewise require no further act of creating.”

These questions have been discussed at length elsewhere. The point here is to illustrate the matter through the statements of those who differ concerning the Book, each of whose positions contains both truth and falsehood, and to show that the correct position is that indicated by the Book, the Sunnah, and the statements of the Companions and those who followed them faithfully.

In seeking knowledge and religion, people have two innovated paths and one divinely prescribed path. The divinely prescribed path is to examine what the Messenger brought, draw inferences from its proofs, and act according to what they entail. It is therefore essential both to know what he brought (1) and to act upon it; neither one alone is sufficient.

This path encompasses rational proofs and certain demonstrations. The Messenger established through rational demonstrations the matters upon which revealed knowledge depends, and the messengers explained to people the rational truths they needed, just as Allah has set forth every kind of parable in the Quran. This is the straight path to which Allah commanded His servants to ask Him to guide them.

As for the two innovated paths:

The first is the path of those who engage in innovated speculative theology and innovated personal opinion. It contains much falsehood, and many of its adherents neglect the deeds commanded by Allah and His Messenger. They are therefore left with corruption in both knowledge and practice. These people deviate toward false Judaism.

The second is the path of those devoted to spiritual discipline, Sufism, and innovated worship; these people—