-
The_Savior_from_Spiritual_Error_and_50_Principles, page : 82
externals, but Allah administers the inmost hearts”; that is to say, “I judge by
the more probable opinion, based on the account of the witnesses, but the
witnesses may be mistaken”. The prophets had no way to prevent error in the
case of such matters of independent judgment. So how can we hope to attain
that?
There are two questions which the Ta`limiyah raise at this point. One is this
argument of theirs: “Even if this is the case in matters of independent
judgment, it is not the case with regard to fundamental beliefs. Any mistake
there is not to be excused. How then is a man to proceed?” I reply: “The
fundamental beliefs are contained in the Book and the Prophetic practice; in
questions of detail and other disputed matters outside these fundamentals
the truth is known by weighing them in “the just balance”, that is, the
standards set forth by Allah most high in His Book; and they are five in
number as I show in The Just Balance.
It may be said to me: “Your adversaries do not agree with you about the
standard.” I reply: “It is not to be imagined that anyone who understands that
standard should be in disagreement about it. The Ta`limiyah will not disagree
the more probable opinion, based on the account of the witnesses, but the
witnesses may be mistaken”. The prophets had no way to prevent error in the
case of such matters of independent judgment. So how can we hope to attain
that?
There are two questions which the Ta`limiyah raise at this point. One is this
argument of theirs: “Even if this is the case in matters of independent
judgment, it is not the case with regard to fundamental beliefs. Any mistake
there is not to be excused. How then is a man to proceed?” I reply: “The
fundamental beliefs are contained in the Book and the Prophetic practice; in
questions of detail and other disputed matters outside these fundamentals
the truth is known by weighing them in “the just balance”, that is, the
standards set forth by Allah most high in His Book; and they are five in
number as I show in The Just Balance.
It may be said to me: “Your adversaries do not agree with you about the
standard.” I reply: “It is not to be imagined that anyone who understands that
standard should be in disagreement about it. The Ta`limiyah will not disagree