  Providing details of Saadya's arguments for creation ex nihilo is less interesting for our current purposes than making some observations about Saadya's sensibilities about reason and revelation in these discussions. In the case of creation as well as the case of God's unity, Saadya sees demonstration by reason as a cornerstone of belief. At least in the case of some religious beliefs, reason alone arrives at the ideas in question, and, furthermore, can prove that they are true. It is worth noting in this regard a potential contrast with some of the other chapters in the Amânât (such as chapters 6 and 7 on soul and resurrection respectively) which start with the phrase “Our Lord has informed us that...” Might this suggest that, for Saadya, the analysis of certain religious topics is predicated on a somewhat different methodological perspective on the role of reason? However we answer this question, it is at least true that for Saadya, in the case of creation, reason is able to prove the religious idea of an external, ex nihilo createdness. And so, Saadya speaks here of the thesis which “we seek to establish” (49), and ends the section with the description of “having thus succeeded in demonstrating by argument [the doctrine of creation ex nihilo]...” (62). This established, though, he then goes on to add “...as it has been verified by the Tradition of the Prophets and by miracles...” (62). The role of revelation in Saadya's thought is always present. In addition to supplementing each demonstration with a supporting text from either the Bible or the Talmud (the written Rabbinic tradition), he ends his exercise in reason with reference to tradition, prophets, and miracles.