Speaking about dogmatism, the proof of Islam, Imam al-Ghazālī, writes in al-Iqtisād:
"If you want to see this regarding matters of belief, then present to the understanding of a common Mu'tazilite a doctrine that is plausible and clear. He would be quick to accept it. If you say to him, however, that it is a doctrine of al-Ash'arī, he would be averse to it and refuse to accept it. He would recant and reject exactly what he had accepted earlier, so long as he has a bad opinion of al-Ash'arī. For he has been made averse to [Ash'arism] since his early youth. Also, were we to state a doctrine that a common Ash'arite would deem plausible, and then tell him that this is a doctrine of a Mu'tazilite, he would be averse to it after having believed it and would recant and reject it.”
”I do not say that this is characteristic of only the common people, but rather that it is characteristic of most of those I have seen who claim to have knowledge. They are no different from the common people in their conformism; in fact, they add conformity to proofs to their conformity to doctrines. In their theorizing, they do not seek the truth, but they seek trickery to support what they believe to be truth through conformism and testimony. If they encounter in their theorizing something that confirms their belief, they say: 'We have obtained proof.' On the other hand, if they encounter something that disconfirms their belief, they say: 'We have encountered a dubious matter.' Thus, they maintain the belief that they acquired originally through conformism, declaring everything that opposes it dubious and everything that agrees with it a proof."
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