we say how shameful this doctrine is to you. had it not been extremely weak the later generations would not have refrained from supporting it. we point out the shamefulness of it for it gives preference to its effects over it since the angel the human being and every rational being knows himself and his origin and knows others while the first only knows himself so he is deficient in comparison to individual people let alone angels. indeed the animal with its awareness of itself knows other things besides itself. there is no doubt that knowledge is an honor and its absence is a deficiency. so where is their saying he is a lover and beloved because he has the most perfect splendor and the most perfect beauty? and what beauty is there for a simple existence that has no essence no reality and no news of what happens in the world or of what is necessary?
فنقول ناهيكم خزيا بهذا المذهب، ولولا أنه في غاية الركاكة لما استنكف المتأخرون عن نصرته. ونحن ننبه على وجه الخزي فيه، فإن فيه تفضيل معلولاته عليه، إذ الملك والإنسان وكل واحد من العقلاء يعرف نفسه ومبدأه ويعرف غيره، والأول لا يعرف إلا نفسه فهو ناقص بالإضافة إلى آحاد الناس فضلا عن الملائكة، بل البهيمة مع شعورها بنفسها تعرف أمورا أخر سواها. ولا شك في أن العلم شرف وان عدمه نقصان. فأين قولهم إنه عاشق ومعشوق لأن له البهاء الأكمل والجمال الأتم؟ وأي جمال لوجود بسيط لا ماهية له ولا حقيقة ولا خبر له مما يجري في العالم ولا مما يلزم