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The_Savior_from_Spiritual_Error, page : 85
no reason for following your Imam rather than his opponent? The matter
comes back to the intellectual proofs which you deny; and your adversary
adduces proofs similar to yours but clearer‟ „.
Thus this topic turns back against themselves so decisively that, even if
the older and younger members of the sect agreed to give an answer, they
would be unable to do so. The corrupt doctrine has grown quickly only
because a group of inferior intellects argued against them and employed
the method of `reply‟ (jawab) instead of that of `reversal‟ (qalb). Such a
procedure prolongs the debate and neither convinces men‟s minds nor
effectively silences the opponents.
Some may say: `This is `reversal‟; but is there any `reply‟ to that‟? I
answer: `Certainly. The reply is that, if the man in doubt says, `I am in
doubt‟, and does not specify the topic about which he is in doubt, it may be
said to him, `You are like a sick man who says, `I am sick‟, without
specifying his disease, and yet asks for a remedy; he has to be told, `There
comes back to the intellectual proofs which you deny; and your adversary
adduces proofs similar to yours but clearer‟ „.
Thus this topic turns back against themselves so decisively that, even if
the older and younger members of the sect agreed to give an answer, they
would be unable to do so. The corrupt doctrine has grown quickly only
because a group of inferior intellects argued against them and employed
the method of `reply‟ (jawab) instead of that of `reversal‟ (qalb). Such a
procedure prolongs the debate and neither convinces men‟s minds nor
effectively silences the opponents.
Some may say: `This is `reversal‟; but is there any `reply‟ to that‟? I
answer: `Certainly. The reply is that, if the man in doubt says, `I am in
doubt‟, and does not specify the topic about which he is in doubt, it may be
said to him, `You are like a sick man who says, `I am sick‟, without
specifying his disease, and yet asks for a remedy; he has to be told, `There