Call to the way of your Lord, to the end [of the verse]: let your call be confined to these three aspects, because the one being called [by you] will either be devoid of denial or not. If he is devoid [of it], by virtue of being at the station of simply ignorance without believing in anything, then he will either be one who is prepared and not incapable of perceiving demonstrated proof, indeed, will be given to demonstration by nature or not. If he is [of] the former [kind] then call him with wisdom and speak to him by means of demonstration and argued proof and guide him to the path of the affirmation of Oneness through gnosis. If his preparedness is deficient, then call him with fair exhortation and profound counsel in the way of warnings and good tidings, promises [of Paradise] and threats [of Hellfire], calls to restraint and inspiring [in him] awe, gentleness and making him desirous. If he is a denier of composite ignorance and false beliefs, then dispute with him by way of that which is best, by invalidating the beliefs to which he adheres in his school of thought gently and considerately in a way that would indicate to him that you are simply establishing the truth and invalidating falsehood and have no other objective. Truly your Lord knows best those who stray from His way, from pre-eternity, by virtue of that person's original wretchedness and so none of these three ways brings about any result in his case; and He knows best those who are guided, those who are prepared for and receptive to guidance on account of the purity of [their] primordial nature.