“Indeed, it is We who sent down the Reminder, and indeed, We will preserve it.” [al-Hijr: 9]

Concerning these messengers, we must believe in those of them whom we know by name; regarding those whom we do not know, we believe in them generally and collectively.

Belief in the Books and the messengers is divided into two categories:

The first is matters of information. It is obligatory to believe in them and affirm them without qualification. Everything conveyed—or authentically established—from the previous scriptures or from the earlier messengers must be believed, both generally and in detail, for a report cannot be abrogated. What the earlier messengers or scriptures reported cannot be abrogated, since it is a report from Allah, and Allah’s report cannot be abrogated. If the abrogation of a report were possible, one of the two reports would necessarily be false, and falsehood is impossible. The exception is where a command is expressed in the form of a statement; such a command may be abrogated, because in that case it is in fact a command. It is well known that, at times, the declarative form is intended to convey a command.

The second is the rulings found in the previous scriptures and conveyed by the earlier messengers. These are divided into three categories:

The first: that which our law has affirmed. This must be believed, because our law has affirmed and ruled accordingly. We therefore believe in it, since it is required on two grounds: through Islamic law and through the previous law.

The second: that which our law has opposed and abrogated. It is not permissible to act upon it, because it has been abrogated. Whatever Allah has abrogated, its ruling has come to an end. Even what has been abrogated within our own law may not be acted upon, because Allah