The Sole Determinant of Truth

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Shaikh Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy upon him, said:

Truth is what agrees with the evidence, without giving consideration to the large number of those who accept it or the small number of those who turn away from it. Truth is not weighed by men; rather, men are weighed by the truth. The mere aversion of those who turn away, or the affection of those who agree, does not demonstrate the correctness of a statement or its falsehood.

Every person’s speech may be accepted or rejected, except the Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, for indeed, infallibility is established for the Lawgiver alone. As for everyone else, they are subject to deficiencies in knowledge and understanding, which necessitate that their statements be weighed against the divine legislation.

Naqd Al-Mantiq 263