: Unlike earlier polemical works that sought to prove one faith superior to others, al-Shahrastani adopted a descriptive and even-handed approach, quoting original sources and using the terminology of each group.
Modern scholars praise al-Shahrastani for his "non-polemical" approach . Instead of attacking other faiths, he sought to describe their beliefs as they saw them, using their own terminology and methodologies. al-milal wa al-nihal english pdf