in the Fire, and one will be in Paradise: namely, those who are upon what I and my Companions are upon.” (1)
Thus, this creed is the one transmitted from the Prophet ﷺ and his Companions; they, and all who follow them, are the Saved Sect. It has been authentically reported from more than one Companion that he said, “Faith increases and decreases.” (2)
Everything I have mentioned on this subject is related from the Companions with sound chains—whether verbatim or in meaning—(3) and the fact that some who came later differed does the matter no harm. (4)
I say: (5) not everyone who disagrees over some point of this creed is necessarily doomed, (6) for the disputant may be a mujtahid who errs, and Allah will forgive him (7) his error. He may simply not have received, concerning that issue, the knowledge that would establish the proof against him, or he may have