The Contradictions of the People of Theology in Their Speech

The Shaykh : For this reason, I say to you, and if you wish, look into the books of those who distort the words from their contexts among the theologians, and you will find contradiction. One says this is obligatory for Allah and must be affirmed, while another says it is impossible for Allah and must be denied, and another says it is permissible, that it is permissible to affirm it and deny it. They are contradictory. And we have recited for you the poetry of an imam among the imams of the theologians, al-Razi, where he said:
"The limit of the advance of the intellects is a halt *** Or is the striving of the scholars more than that? Misguidance
And our souls are in loneliness from our bodies, *** And the end of our worldly life is harm and calamity.
And we did not benefit from our research throughout our lives *** Except - what? - that we gathered therein 'they said' and 'they said' "
And he said: "I have reflected upon the theological paths and the philosophical methodologies, and I did not find them to quench thirst or cure illness. And I found the closest path to be the path of the Qur'an. I read in affirmation

The Most Merciful [who is] above the Throne established.

الرحمن على العرش استوى

[Taha 20:5]

and I read in negation

There is nothing like unto Him

ليس كمثله شيء

[Ash-Shuraa 42:11]

. And whoever has experienced what I have experienced knows what I know." And many of those whom Allah granted the return from the path of the theologians returned to the truth. Abu al-Ma'ali al-Juwayni, the Imam of the Two Harams, returned from the doctrine of the Asha'irah to the correct doctrine. Abu al-Hasan al-Ash'ari, to whom the Asha'irah today claim affiliation, returned from this doctrine. Abu al-Hasan al-Ash'ari (may Allah have mercy on him) was upon the doctrine of the Mu'tazilah and remained upon this doctrine for forty years, debating for it and establishing it, until its falsity became apparent to him. Then he stood up on Friday as a preacher in the mosque and said: "O people, he removed his turban and said, O people, whoever knows me knows me, and whoever knows me, I am Abu al-Hasan al-Ash'ari, and I announce that I have returned from the doctrine of the Mu'tazilah." And he began to refute it and invalidate it. Then he became upon a doctrine between the doctrine of the Mu'tazilah and the doctrine of the people of the Sunnah, on the path of 'Abd Allah ibn Sa'id ibn Kullab. Then Allah granted him finally that he adopted the methodology of the people of the Sunnah, and he acknowledged in his book al-Ibanah that he is upon the doctrine of the revered Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (may Allah have mercy on them all). But the major followers of his took his middle doctrine, so they were not upon pure Sunnah nor pure Mu'tazilah, and they continued to establish this doctrine to this day.