Abū Zayd al-Dabūsī al-Ḥanafī (d. 430 AH) on the Beliefs of Polytheists
Abū Zayd al-Dabūsī al-Ḥanafī said in Taqwīm al-Adilla, p. 398:
وزعم بعض الناس أن العامة لم تعرف ربها إلا بالإلهام، وأنه غلط فما من عامي إلا وهو مستدل بالآيات، ويسبح ربه إذا رأى كسوفا أو أمرا هائلا يعجز عنه البشر إلا أنه لا يهتدي إلى المحاجة بها ولهذا قال الله تعالى: ﴿ولئن سألتهم من خلقهم ليقولن الله﴾ لمعرفتهم بعجز الأصنام عن التخليق يعرفون أن الخالق هو الله تعالى.
"Some people have claimed that the common folk recognize their Lord only through intuition. However, this is a mistaken view, for there is no ordinary person who does not infer [the existence of God] through signs. When witnessing an eclipse or a terrifying event beyond human capability, they glorify their Lord. However, they do not possess the ability to engage in argumentation using these signs. For this reason, Allah Almighty says: 'And if you ask them who created them, they will surely say: Allah' [for they recognize that] idols are incapable of creation, and thus they know that the Creator is Allah, the Exalted."
Recommended Reading: