Summary of the concepts of Ahl al-Sunnah
The misguidance of both philosophers and theologians on the issue of prophethood
Prophethood, as we have previously stated, is divine revelation to a human being.
Two groups remained on this issue.
First, the philosophers.
They made prophethood an acquired matter,
which one obtains through their effort, self-discipline, and extensive contemplation.
And they ruled out the possibility of revelation from Allah to any human being.
Second, the theologians.
They intended to refute the philosophers' claim with pure reason,
in their usual manner of prioritizing reason over textual evidence.
So they began with their tripartite division of rational matters:
the rationally obligatory, the rationally impossible, and the rationally permissible.
If the philosophers considered prophethood, which means revelation,
to be in the category of the rationally impossible,
then the Mu'tazilah placed it in the category of the rationally obligatory.
And the Ash'aris placed it in the category of the rationally permissible.
The reason for their collective misguidance on the issue of prophethood
is their prioritization of reason over textual evidence and their reliance on it.
The decisive word is that prophethood, while rationally permissible,
has been indicated by the reasoning we have previously presented,
by examining the excellent conduct of the Prophet and his worship of his Lord,
and by examining the truthfulness of the miracles he possessed,
and that Allah has supported him with them.
Summary of the concepts of Ahl al-Sunnah