As our Master, the Commander of the Faithful (Amir al-Mu'minin)—Exalted be His Might—said in meaning: "If Truth were stripped of the garment of Falsehood, no one would doubt it; and if Falsehood were stripped of the garment of Truth, no one would follow it." In such a case, the need for the instrument of discernment and testing—which is the Intellect—would be negated. Yet, the Intellect is the essence of this existence, by which reward is granted and upon which punishment is meted out; and [thus] the war was ignited.

Monotheism (al-Tawhid): It requires us to remain firm upon the knowledge of the Essence through the Essence (Ma'rifat al-Dhat bi-al-Dhat); for there is no stability for faith in hearts and consciences unless we build upon an essential knowledge of the object of one's faith. Achieving stability within the field of [opposing] attractions is indeed a difficult matter; therefore, we witness all these complexities, subtleties (Daqa'iq), and spiritual threads (Raqa'iq) in whose infinite labyrinths both intellects and illusions have been lost.

As for denial and rejection (al-Juhud wa-al-Inkar), they operate in the opposite manner; for they drive us toward doubt and uncertainty regarding what we have come to know. Once doubt enters the element of steadfastness, faith in its object falters, and sincerity (Ikhlas) in Monotheism collapses.