اِخْتِلَافٌdifferenceقَالَsaidبَعْضُهُمْsome of themيَعْرِفُونَknowبِالْعَقْلِby reasonوَبِهِand with itقَالَتْsaidالْمُعْتَزِلَةُthe Mu'tazilaوَعَنْand aboutهَذَاthisقَالُواthey saidإِنَّthatالْإِيمَانَfaithبِالتَّقْلِيدِby imitationلَاnotيَصِحُّvalidوَقَالُواand they saidبِكُفْرٍwith disbeliefالْعَوَامُّthe common peopleلِأَنَّbecauseالنَّاسَpeopleعِنْدَهُمْin their opinionفِيinالْعَقْلِreasonسَوَاءٌequalوَسَوَّوْاand equatedعُقُولًاmindsالْكَافِرَةُthe disbelieversوَالْفَجَرَةُand the sinfulمَعَwithعُقُولٍmindsالْأَنْبِيَاءِthe prophetsوَالرُّسُلِand the messengersوَالأَولِيَاءِand the saintsوَقالَتْand saidالأَشْعَرِيَّةُthe Ash'arisيَعْرِفُونَknowاللَّهَGodبِاللَّهِby Godلَاnotبِغَيْرِهِother than Himوَعَنْand aboutهَذَاthisقَالُواthey saidإِنَّthatأَحَدًاno oneلَاnotيَعْرِفُknowاللَّهَGodحَقًّاtrueمَعْرِفَتَهُknowledge of Himوَإِنْand ifكَانَhe wasنَبِيًّاa prophetمُرْسَلًاmessengerأَوْorمَلَكًاan angelمُقَرَّبًاnear to Himوَهُوَand heيَعْرِفُknowsنَفْسَهُhimselfحَتَّىtrulyمَعْرِفَتَهُknowledge of Himselfوَغَيْرَهُand othersمِنْofالْمَلَائِكَةِangelsوَالْمُؤْمِنِينَand believersخَالُونَare freeعَنْهُfrom Himوَلَاand notيَتَعَجَّبُare astonishedمِنْهُمْfrom themهَذَاthisلِأَنَّهُمْbecause theyشَاكُونَare doubtfulفِيinإِيمَانِهِمْtheir faithوَنَرُدُّand we respondعَلَيْهِمْto themبِقَوْلِهِby His sayingتَعَالَىthe Most HighشَهِدَtestifiedاللَّهُGodأَنَّهُthat HeلَاnotإِلَٰهَGodإِلَّاexceptهُوَHeوَالْمَلَائِكَةُand the angelsوَأُولِيand the possessorsالْعِلْمِof knowledgeقَائِمِينَstandingبِالْقِسْطِwith justiceالْآيَةُthe verseفَاللهُSo Godبَيَّنَexplainedشَهَادَةَthe testimonyنَفْسِهِof Himselfوَالْمَلَائِكَةُand the angelsوَأُولِيand the possessorsالْعِلْمِof knowledgeفَمَنSo whoeverأَوْجَبَrequiredالشَّكَّdoubtفِيinشَهَادَةِthe testimonyالْعَبْدِthe servantفَقَدْhas indeedأَوْجَبَrequiredالشَّكَّthe doubtفِيinشَهَادَةِthe testimonyالرَّبِّthe LordأَيْضًاalsoوَقَالَAnd saidاللَّهُGodتَعَالَىthe Most Highفِيinشَأْنِregardingالْكَافِرَةُdisbelieversضَعُفَweakenedالطَّالِبُthe seekerوَالْمَطْلُوبُand what is soughtمَاwhatقَدَّرُواcould appreciateاللَّهَGodحَقًّاtrulyقَدَّرَappreciateأَيْthat isمَاwhatعَرَفُواknewاللَّهَGodحَقًّاtrulyمَعْرِفَتَهُknowledge of HimفَمَنSo whoeverقَالَsaidبِأَنَّthatالْمُؤْمِنُthe believerلَاnotيَعْرِفُknowsاللَّهَGodحَقًّاthe truthمَعْرِفَتَهُknowledge of Himفَقَدْhas indeedأَوْقَعَplacedالتَّسْوِيَةَthe equalityبَيْنَbetweenالْمُؤْمِنِthe believerوَالْكَافِرِand the disbelieverوَكَفَىand enoughبِهِwith itقَبْحًاuglinessوَسَيِّئًاand evilوَأَمَّاand as forمَذْهَبٌthe doctrineأَهْلُthe people ofالسُّنَّةِthe Sunnahوَالجَمَاعَةِand the communityفَهُوَit isأَنْthatاللَّهَGodيُعْرَفُis knownبِتَعْرِيفِهِby His designationبِبَيَانٍby statingطَرِيقِهِHis wayوَدَلَائِلَهُand signsإِلَيْهِto Himأَشَارَpointedبِقَوْلِهِby His sayingتَعَالَىthe Most Highوَهَدَيْنَاهُand we guided himالنَّجْدَيْنِthe two pathsوَكَمَاand asقَالَhe said
Difference. Some of them said it is known by reason, and with it said the Mu'tazila. And about this, they said that faith by imitation is invalid and they declared the common people as disbelievers because people in their understanding are equal. They equated the minds of the disbelievers and the wicked with the minds of the prophets, the messengers, and the saints. The Asharis said that God is known by God, not by anything else. About this they said that no one knows God as He should be known, even if he is a prophet messenger or a close angel. He knows Himself as He should be known, while the others among the angels and believers are ignorant of Him. Nor is this surprising to them, for they have doubts in their faith. And we respond to them with His saying: 'God testifies that there is no deity but Him, and the angels and those of knowledge are standing in justice.' God clarified the testimony of Himself, the angels, and the possessors of knowledge. Whoever necessitates doubt about the testimony of the servant has necessitated doubt about the testimony of God as well. And God said regarding the disbelievers: 'The seeker and the sought weakened, what did they appreciate God as He ought to be appreciated, that is, what did they know God as He ought to be known?' So whoever said that the believer does not know God as He ought to be known has placed the equality between the believer and the disbeliever, and it is enough as a great evil. As for the doctrine of the people of the Sunnah and the community, it is that God is known by His definition by stating His way and signs to Him. He pointed to it by His statement: 'And We guided him to the two paths,' and as He said.