[The Revelatory Proofs for the Temporal Origination of the World Cannot Be Reinterpreted]

as well as Christians (1) and others. They demonstrated the unsoundness of the rational arguments pursued (2) by those who maintained the eternity of the world. They cited, one by one, the arguments transmitted from Aristotle and others and demonstrated their invalidity.

They then said:

“We receive this matter (3) from revelation. The messengers have informed us of something whose contrary is not established by any [rational] proof (4), so we must affirm what they have said concerning it.”

This cannot be reinterpreted, for several reasons:

First, the messengers’ intended meaning is known necessarily; to reinterpret it would therefore amount to nothing but accusing the messengers outright of lying.

Second, the adherents of the various religions—their earlier and later generations alike—are agreed upon this, both inwardly and outwardly. It is therefore impossible that the messengers secretly intended the contrary, as is claimed by [those who make this claim] (5) among these esotericists.

Third, nothing in reason contradicts this. Rather, every rational argument that purports to contradict it is unsound, and its unsoundness is known through clear reason.

Fourth, rational arguments exist that confirm it, though each of them follows whatever rational approach is available to him.

Fifth, it is known by innate disposition [and by necessity] (6) that there must be an originator